Then my teacher, Miss Schuyler, had an idea. She told me to watch as she faced the blackboard. "What hand am I holding the ruler in?" she asked. "Right," I answered. Then she turned around to face me, still holding the ruler in the same hand. "Now what hand am I holding it in?" In that moment, my confusion gave way to glorious relief. I wasn't doomed to ignorance after all.
Now that I have children of my own, I look to their teachers for the same kind of imagination, persistence and commitment to learning that Miss Schuyler demonstrated 28 years ago. You'll meet a few of these teachers through the links below: Each has been honored for excellence in teaching by The Disney Channel Salutes the American Teacher series, and each share the belief that teachers and parents must work together to help our children develop their full potential. Naturally, they were eager to share their favorite learning projects.
The following activities help illuminate subjects such as math, science and history. I enjoyed testing them out on my brood because it gave me a chance to be teacher for the day. My kids decided they liked playing reporters, rocket scientists, chemists and historians--all in the interest of learning, of course. The experience also reminded me that few things are more exhilarating than seeing the look on the face of a child who suddenly "gets it." That must be what keeps good teachers like these (and Miss Schuyler) going.
