Winter camp just finished last week. I'm a bit relieved and yet saddened. I loved my kids, and loved the time frame. Three hours of class every morning. A much more productive time span than the usual short 40 minute class. It was also extremely productive because of the teacher. Meaning one, one teacher. There was supposed to be a co, but she was pretty busy running around like a chicken with her head cut-off to find the time to find her head and my classroom of 20 students.
Thus, without a co, it was a fantastic display of my children's ability to understand English with ridiculous gesticulations, and not to mention a chance for me to practice those gesticulations... you know those my Norwegian ancestors have so kindly passed down to me. I often think of how lucky I am to have ingrained hand/face/body gestures. They make life as an English teacher so much easier... and entertaining! For those kids who do understand my English, they get to laugh at me explaining what "giddyup" means. And for those who don't understand my English, they catch on pretty quickly as to the meaning of my words. Especially when I start flapping my arms and screeching to mimic a goose. (I just thank God a video camera has yet to sneak it's way into the classroom!)
Anyways, Winter English Camp, a grand time of coloring, games, activities and vocabulary, we spent two weeks learning things from Christmas food, music, terms, card writing to the Winter Olympics, the book and movie "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", and also the excessively messy but fun activity of making rice krispie treats. We had sugar everywhere on food day, then a competition of the utmost difficulty (running with a ball between your knees and then with a pencil balanced between your nose and upper lip- difficult stuff) on Winter Olympics day, word competitions and the game 'dice of fortune' (like the wheel of fortune, just with a dice... yep, i was vanna and pat!) on Snow Day, and of course paper creations from cards to ornaments, to stage props for our play, to 'wish links'- a paper chain, and finally to the classic favorite, snowflakes.
Wow, I forgot how much we really did. And we had so much fun doing so, I don't really have anything else to write except that I'm glad it's over, as it was exhausting work, but also that I'm looking forward already to next summer's camp!
Some photos of the kiddies:
Excited about her rice krispie creation. Sprinkles and chocolate chips galore!
The elves decorating their treats.
Me whipping up a batch of frosting. The kids were so amazed at what powdered sugar and milk could do when mixed together!
Making a Family Wishing Tree. Each group made one 'branch' of the wishing tree. Then wrote on each branch a wish for their family.
The tree finished, sort of. The branches on the bottom are the ones with the family wishes. Then the top has ornaments with Christmas wishes. The next day we made snowflakes with wishes for their friends.
Part of the World Wish Chain we made on Snow Day (Wed. Jan. 27th), backed by a favorite clown.
Rice krispie treat final outcome.
World Wish Chain presented by the ghost of Christmas past.
Making Christmas presents for our skit background.
Subin making paper hearts as Christmas ornaments. Sweetheart of a girl!
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