What is Throwback Thursday? How does it work, you might ask? Simply look through your PURR-fect Previous Posts, perhaps a particular favorite of yours, and re-post it! Then add the TBT badge to your post and include your link below! Purr-fectly easy and simple! Your post doesn't have to be from LOOOONNNGGG ago; it can be from last month or even earlier this week. And if you don't have a post to share, perhaps an old photo or two from WAY BACK will do! Even a favorite pin is PURR-fect! Just join in the Throwback fun!
This post first appeared on The Teacher's Desk 6 on Oct. 2, 2013.
Angel of God, My Guardian Dear...
I first wrote about my sixers being buddies, or mentors, to our second grade students a few weeks ago in THIS BLOG POST. I can not express how wonderful an opportunity this project is for my students. They take on a completely different persona during "buddy" time. Even the most immature sixth grader becomes a serious mentor to his second grade buddy.
Today we celebrated the Feast of the Guardian Angels. As part of that celebration my sixers helped their second grade buddy transform a square of wrapping paper, a paper circle, and a pipe cleaner into a guardian angel that can be hung in their room to help them remember their angel is always present, watching over them... to light and guard, to rule and guide, as the Guardian Angel prayer reminds us.
As I directed the activity I couldn't help but notice how caring, patient, and gentle my big kids were with their younger buddies. Now as I look at the photos that my teaching buddy snapped during our activity, I see an awful lot of sixth grade angels watching over second grade students. I don't know who looks forward to weekly buddy time more: me or my sixers?
After we finished working with our buddies, we returned to our classroom where I awarded each sixth grader with a special brag tag (we are LOVIN' brag tags this year) for learning the Guardian Angel prayer.
This is only one tag from the set Catholic Prayers Brag Tags available in my TpT Store. You're invited to stop in my store and see the complete set as well as LOADS of brag tags for other occasions. Kids love earning these inexpensive, simple rewards.
Back to the present...
My teacher buddy is no longer teaching second grade; she has moved on to our new preK section as director. Although I'm happy for her, I miss our buddy class work. The new second grade teacher wants to do "buddies" but asked to delay the fun for a month whilst she got acclimated to teaching full-time in her own classroom.
The month is up, sooooo.... it's BUDDY TIME! Friday, Oct. 3rd my sixers and the second graders will be meeting for the first time to start the buddy process. We will share a little recess time and play a group game or two to just get acquainted.
What a perfect day to begin, the Feast of the Guardian Angels!
Now it's your turn for a Throwback Thursday post.
My son has great memories of being a younger buddy to an older student - it's such a great experience!
ReplyDelete-Lisa
Mrs. Spangler in the Middle
How cool!! I have always lived this prayer! What an awesome activity! My Brooke is a second grader, and I know she would see a sixth grade buddy as a rock star! Do your sixth graders say that they remember their sixth grade buddies from 4 years before?
ReplyDeleteHi, Angela. I certainly had success when I have had special afternoons of craft and design technology lessons when some of my Year 5 (equivalent of your 6th Grade) would go down to Year 1 and some of Year 1 would come up to my class. You are quite right when you say that for some of the older children their personas changed and they were especially helpful and kind. Our OFSTED report noted the co-operation and inspiration of putting younger and older children together which was very pleasing to me. The children also had some dance lessons together which were again highly successful.
ReplyDeleteSpecial Teaching at Pempi's Palace