Teacher Retreat

Last Friday after school, 42 teachers piled into some cars and took off for the Teach Beyond Chalet, which happens to be in Adelboden, Switzerland (Alps!!!). The purpose of the retreat was to connect as staff (since the turnover rate at BFA is so high every year) and to unite under a vision of what it means to be a teacher to TCK's. We spent time reading and praying together, hiking, playing games, and doing everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and driving.

Goats frolicking on the mountainside

Friends Katie and Jillthe view Sunday morning at breakfast

Round and Round

In 7th grade Geography, we've started a new unit on Water and Climate. One of the things I needed to teach was the water cycle. Trying to be the impressive, cool teacher that I aspire to be, I looked to youtube for any funny or creative ideas to really drive home the main concepts. Lo and behold, I found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YswL4dIDQuk

At first, I thought it was way too elementary and corny for my wanna-be-cool-and-grown-up middle schoolers, so I chose another one instead. Much more adult and fact-driven. On Tuesday, I cued up the video on my laptop before taking it into the classroom and plugging it into the beamer. However, when I went to hit "play," I had selected the wrong video, and, as you can guess by now, played this one instead. The kids LOVED it!

I had to immediately play it again, and for fun and review I played it again today. Now everyone on campus hates me because all the 7th graders are wandering around singing the song. "Oh the water cycle, round and round. Vapor goes up and rain comes down." And if you watch to the Uncle Dan part, try to imagine how they dissolve into giggles every time we reach that part.