Ice skating with my seventh graders: A+ - they loved teaching their teacher how to skate. Also, I did not fall once, which made me feel quite smug considering the fact that at least one student confessed her burning desire to watch me “break [my] butt.”
Teaching a group of 29 students to play mafia after a field trip: D (Only because I was able to find some humor in the disaster that occurred as a result of my effort) - I happen to think mafia is one of the most fun and addictive group games ever. They were horrible at it and kept yelling “MISS!!! MY TICKET IS BLANK!!!!” immediately following my explanation of the fact that a) you must not tell anyone what your ticket says and b) a blank ticket means you are merely a villager. The kids who were in the mafia kept talking while they were supposed to be choosing the village-person to off. While they were deliberating who the killer might be, they all either screamed someone’s name at random simply because they had some sort of grudge with that person, or the mafioso had made it so obvious that it was pointless to even deliberate. Then they told me they hated the game and did not want to play anymore. I can’t imagine why.
When I conceded and went behind my desk to enter grades, they complained that they were bored and wanted to play a game. What is the mind of a seventh grader? How does it work?
