I found this wonderful website http://www.ilovethatteachingidea.com that has a lot of different and cool ideas for teachers of all grades and subjects. With my major being Language Arts I thought this was a really cool idea from Janie Allan to share:

"I have used this song with 1st-10th graders who struggle with learning verbs that are not action verbs. I wrote it to go to the tune of "It's a Small World After All" from Disney World.
The tune begins at,"It's a world of...."

Am are is was were has been had and have
Am are is was were has been had and have
Am Are is was were- has been had and have

And DO- DID- DONE! (said with emphasis)

(The tune varies somewhat in the next part. The object being to say it as fast as possible)

Could be should be would be will be
May be might be must be

Could be should be would be will be
May be might be must be

Could be should be would be will be
May be might be must be

And DO- DID- Done!

It's a verb word after all.
It's a verb word after all.
It's a verb word after all.
It's a verb, verb, word!

The month of February is dedicated to celebrating the lives and accomplishments of African American leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, activists, poets, etc of both the past and present. It gives teachers the opportunity expose their students to a culture and people that they may or may not be familiar with. Not simply learning about famous African Americans this month but continually learning about the importance of diversity and teaching about different cultures every day should be the goal. In celebration of this month here is one of my favorite poems by the remarkable poet Maya Angelou;

Still I Rise

"You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
  I rise."

"It is quite customary for teachers rather consciously to put on the mask, the role, the facade, of being a teacher, and to wear this facade all day, removing it only when they have left school at night"
                                                                                                                      -Carl Rogers
 
I found this quote interesting because as a future teacher I think its important that we realize that our job is more than just giving our students work to do. Our job is to get to know our students and create a community within our classroom where they feel free to express their ideas and feelings about the world around them. The article entitled Hearts and Minds by Steven Wolk gives great examples on how to do this. Check it out http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept03/vol61/num01/Hearts-and-Minds.aspx