Mountain Tests #7

As a teacher, you need to harness kids-speak. Administrations-- and educational videos--give you piles and piles of abbreviations and technical jargon that you need to filter into something the kids actually understand. My biggest accomplishment in kids-speak lingo is turning diagnostic testing into a "mountain test."

Usually, mountain tests are at the beginning of the year. The kids buy into it because you have to tell them that going through school is like climbing a mountain; some of you are going to be a little higher up than others and others might be a little behind where they should be. It is our job as teachers to make sure everyone does something they are capable of doing without getting bored (that's a longer kids-speak term for "differentiation"). The kids typically nod in understanding.

I've always had this crazy idea to throw student work all over the floor on the last day of school and pile a bunch of chairs in the middle of the classroom to simulate a mountain. We'd all stand on the chairs and look down at all the projects and worksheets and celebrate all their hard work and achievements.  I've never done it because a) there'd be a lot of clean-up, b) not many kids show up on the last day of school in Arab countries, c) everyone will be walking over their peers' work, d) just the idea of sorting through that stuff makes me cringe, e) safety, and f) I'll more than likely look like the guy on the right:

This was a short one, I know, I've been sick this weekend and still am, so instead of being imaginative, I thought I'd share a little idea that I've had for a while. Next on the kids-speak vocab is finding a way to sugarcoat "hangover."

The Leafs :(

I can't say this week has been a good one. I am superstitious ever since I picked Alexander Mogilny in a hockey pool the Leafs have never been winners. This happened with Gardiner, Reimer, and Santorelli over the past few years as well. Unless I drop them, then stuff tends to get better, but I think it could have more to do with the nuts in the press box. But I digress, I picked up Zaitsev (he got 9 hits against Buffalo this weekend) so right now with him on my roster the leafs are 0-1. If this trend continues it's because he's blocking shots, picking up points on the PP and hitting the snot out of everybody who comes his way.

It's good to see Rielly back in action but I think Curtis might need to play a couple more games so Freddie can get some rest and maybe get back into a groove again. The Leafs are a good team but a goalie can control the outcome of a game better than any other player on the ice. Freddie needs to be that guy. How about Hyman though? 3 shorties already, a tap of the stick to him and Mitch Marner who's continuing to create chances.