| While a good part of a teacher's day is spent in a classroom teaching the curriculum, I believe it is also important for a teacher to be involved in extra-curricular activities at school. Here are some of my personal hobbies and interests that I would love to incorporate into extra-curricular programs for students to enjoy as much as I do! |
Strategy and Board Games: I have always enjoyed playing games with my family and peers and have
accumulated a large number of interesting and unusual games. Chess is not the only game worthy of a
school club! There are many fun and creative games that many people have never heard of, let alone
played. I'd love to be able to share these with students! Some of the games that would work well in a
club setting are: Fightball, Carcassonne, Axis and Allies, Marvel Heroes, Killer Bunnies, Mille Bornes,
and Sodbusters, just to name a few!
Countries of the World: I have always been interested in political geography and also in other
cultures and religions. This summer, just for fun, I memorized all 195 countries of the world (that is the
most liberal count), their locations, and their capital cities - and I can spell them all correctly! As I
learned the names of more and more countries, I enjoyed researching a bit about what life was l like
there. This is such a fun and exciting pastime that I would love to be able to share it with interested
students! While they may not want to memorize the whole world, I would love to expose students to
countries and cultures they may not even know exist, and help them discover more about the world in
which they live. There are so many possibilities for really exciting group activities, and also for
'independent studies'. One idea, if there was enough student interest, is to have each student research
a different country and create a small display board with interesting information. Then, they could be
arranged in a hallway of the school (or in the library), as a "Walk Around the World" that other students
and teachers in the school could enjoy and benefit from. There is just so much interesting information
'out there', and I would love to help students first realize that it is out there, and give them the guidance
they need to find and make use of it.
Jane Austen: I absolutely love reading Jane Austen and watching A&E's film versions, as well. I have
researched some of the historical issues that Austen was addressing in her books, such as entailment
procedures and why it was so important for young women to marry well. It would be fun to take a group
of interested students through a Jane Austen book, and enhance the text with fascinating history, song,
dance, art and craft lessons. This will not only engage students in enjoying classic literature, but also in
processing and understanding the historical context and significance of the story.
Cross-stitching: On a very different note, I also really enjoy cross-stitching. I find this such a peaceful
and relaxing activity. I've done several large samplers that were given away, and am in the middle of a
very large one that I plan to frame and keep for myself! It is a beautiful scene of a historical London
street in the snow. Cross-stitching is one of those crafts that is actually very easy to learn, and because
you just follow a pattern, it is something you do not need to be 'artistic' to do. Both boys and girls can
enjoy cross-stitching, and I would share this with students. Very small samplers (such as Christmas
ornaments, for example) are really cheap and can be finished quickly, so students can try their hand
(and be successful) at something before committing to a more challenging piece.
Music: Though I have had hardly any formal music lessons, I really enjoy playing the piano/keyboard. I
play quite well by ear, sounding things out and working on them until they sound 'right'. I transpose
music in my head, too. I can also read music, and really enjoy musical theory. I like to sing, and can
harmonize by ear. I would love to be involved in whatever musical activities are happening at school!
accumulated a large number of interesting and unusual games. Chess is not the only game worthy of a
school club! There are many fun and creative games that many people have never heard of, let alone
played. I'd love to be able to share these with students! Some of the games that would work well in a
club setting are: Fightball, Carcassonne, Axis and Allies, Marvel Heroes, Killer Bunnies, Mille Bornes,
and Sodbusters, just to name a few!
Countries of the World: I have always been interested in political geography and also in other
cultures and religions. This summer, just for fun, I memorized all 195 countries of the world (that is the
most liberal count), their locations, and their capital cities - and I can spell them all correctly! As I
learned the names of more and more countries, I enjoyed researching a bit about what life was l like
there. This is such a fun and exciting pastime that I would love to be able to share it with interested
students! While they may not want to memorize the whole world, I would love to expose students to
countries and cultures they may not even know exist, and help them discover more about the world in
which they live. There are so many possibilities for really exciting group activities, and also for
'independent studies'. One idea, if there was enough student interest, is to have each student research
a different country and create a small display board with interesting information. Then, they could be
arranged in a hallway of the school (or in the library), as a "Walk Around the World" that other students
and teachers in the school could enjoy and benefit from. There is just so much interesting information
'out there', and I would love to help students first realize that it is out there, and give them the guidance
they need to find and make use of it.
Jane Austen: I absolutely love reading Jane Austen and watching A&E's film versions, as well. I have
researched some of the historical issues that Austen was addressing in her books, such as entailment
procedures and why it was so important for young women to marry well. It would be fun to take a group
of interested students through a Jane Austen book, and enhance the text with fascinating history, song,
dance, art and craft lessons. This will not only engage students in enjoying classic literature, but also in
processing and understanding the historical context and significance of the story.
Cross-stitching: On a very different note, I also really enjoy cross-stitching. I find this such a peaceful
and relaxing activity. I've done several large samplers that were given away, and am in the middle of a
very large one that I plan to frame and keep for myself! It is a beautiful scene of a historical London
street in the snow. Cross-stitching is one of those crafts that is actually very easy to learn, and because
you just follow a pattern, it is something you do not need to be 'artistic' to do. Both boys and girls can
enjoy cross-stitching, and I would share this with students. Very small samplers (such as Christmas
ornaments, for example) are really cheap and can be finished quickly, so students can try their hand
(and be successful) at something before committing to a more challenging piece.
Music: Though I have had hardly any formal music lessons, I really enjoy playing the piano/keyboard. I
play quite well by ear, sounding things out and working on them until they sound 'right'. I transpose
music in my head, too. I can also read music, and really enjoy musical theory. I like to sing, and can
harmonize by ear. I would love to be involved in whatever musical activities are happening at school!
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