Lambs to Lions

You are aware of the difference between lions and lambs if you have been connected to my class.  If not, here is the Reader Digest version: All students walk into my room as lambs (cute, fuzzy, and academically defenseless), about 1/3rd of them will become lions (cute, fuzzy, and academically proven).  I am eternally hopeful by my nature so I offered all of my students from the last year a chance to be “Summer Lion” by completing a series of challenges this summer.

The assignments are not hard and they somewhat relate to our year together.  The first assignment is to watch four TED talks.  I love TED talks and probably showed 5 or 6 of them to my students during the school year.  Next, I wanted them to play in an unorganized way, it corresponds with my instructions to them over breaks and the summer; be a kid and play. I make a simple request for my babies to read one book; I would really like them to read two, but anything is better than nothing.  We talked a lot about increasing human capital and their next task was learn a new skill; or, at least, try to learn a new skill.  The last assignment was for them to make their bed 30 times over the course of the summer; this was inspired by our former math team member who had a “make your bed” contest.  The idea is to be faithful and accomplish one thing every day.  I will make “Summer Lion” buttons for every kid who turns in a completed sheet on preview day.