Reformer Rap

This week we are learning about reform movements of the 1800s as well as the Progressive Era (a period of social activism and reform during the 1890s to 1920s).  Topics include the temperance movement, increased educational opportunities, improved working conditions, food safety regulations, improving city life, as well as political reforms.  

 For some reason, whenever I am getting ready to start this unit about reformers, I always think of the song Informer by Snow (a one-hit-wonder from the early '90s).  I decided I was going to write my own lyrics and create a rap about reformers!  As I've mentioned before, I am ALWAYS trying to find new and engaging ways to present information to my students and music is a really fun way to do this.  I used the GarageBand application on my Mac to record the song! Here is my version (you can follow along to the lyrics written below):

Reformer Rap Lyrics

Hey yo’ what’s up class? I’m Gold Rush and

I’m here to represent the U to the S to the History…

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you I get minimum wage,

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You say you don’t need an education,

but Horace Mann he said you need one

He took land taxes and started a fund

so you can get schooled and have lots of fun

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, I won’t be treated like a slave

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You see that food that you’ve been eatin’

Well check out the label and get to readin’

The Jungle exposed meat inspection and the

FDA created for our protection

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, many peeps have been saved

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

You work decent hours with heat and light

But some people didn’t and that wasn’t right

Labor unions formed and started to fight

Now you get over time for workin’ at night, reformer

(pause)

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, I get a minimum wage

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

My girl, Dorothea Dix, conditions for the mentally ill she fixed

Jane Addams…helped people get up and at ‘em

Jacob Riis, his photographs create memories

Reformer, society will never be the same

Because you fought for a change

Because of you, my life won’t go down the drain

We've really got swag now (repeat twice)

 

Bears and Bulls

No, we aren't discussing sports teams, we are discussing stocks and the causes of the Great Depression.  I taught the students a little trick to remember the difference between an upward trending market (bull's horns go up= bull market) and an downward trending market (bear's claws go down= bear market):

We only cover some basic economic concepts during this course as they will be going more in depth next year.  I know my little trick works because the Social Studies teachers who get my students tell me they always know the difference between Bull/Bear markets without them having to review it!

Another way to introduce the students to the concepts of how stocks work is by playing a stock market simulation game.  There are some really great online simulations and some students are very familiar with the stock market, but for our purposes, I just wanted a quick little in-class activity to get us started with this topic.

Students had 3 fictitious companies in which to invest $60. I always personalize the companies with the names of kids in each class, for example, "Tyler's Toys", which is a small but fun way for me to get them hooked. The pairs of students decide how many shares they wanted to invest in each company.  We then rolled a die to see which company would be impacted by one of five random events, each event changing the value of the companies worth for better or for worse.  I based the variables on real events that have happened in recent years:


Variables

Event #1:  Study comes out proving your product has health risks, price of your shares drops by 50%

Event #2:  Oprah features your product on her show, price of your shares increases by 4.

Event #3:  CEO of your company is convicted of tax fraud, price of your shares goes down (divide current price in half, then divide in half again).

Event #4:  Car companies across the country layoff thousands of workers, people stop spending as much on non-necessities, price of your shares drops to $1.

Event #5:  Government gives everyone in America a stimulus check which increases spending across the country, price of your stock goes up by $3.

The goal was to gain money with smart investments, understand that playing the stock market is risky, and practice a little math (they had to calculate the new value of their stocks after each event). 

How I Became a Teacher

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week I thought it would be nice to share the story of how I became a teacher. It all started in second grade with a teacher named Mrs. Kelly Rich.  She was kind, caring, and inspired me to be my best.  That year we were to perform a class play called Little Bunny Sue and each student had to audition for a part in the play.  I wanted a small part somewhere in the back but Mrs. Rich picked me for the lead role.  I hesitated because I wasn't sure I could play such an important role.  She responded with full confidence in my abilities, which in turn gave me confidence to play the part.  From that point on, I decided I wanted to be a teacher just like Mrs. Rich, inspiring kids to be their very best!  I even made my little brothers and all the kids in the neighborhood come over to play 'school' with me throughout my childhood so I could play 'teacher'.  As I got older, my desire to become a teacher only got stronger.

(Miss Rush graduating from nursery school!)

 I had always loved American history.  I thoroughly enjoyed books, movies, and stories that were based on historical events such as the American Girl series.  I always thought it was fascinating to learn what it was like to live in other time periods.  I even saved up my allowance for a year to buy Kirsten, my first, and only (those things aren't cheap!), American Girl doll!!

When I took U.S. History with Mr. Terry Christy during my junior year of high school, I knew there was no turning back...this is what I wanted to do.  Mr. Christy was adored by every student who entered his classroom.  He had such enthusiasm for history and for teaching that you couldn't help but be interested in what he had to say.  In my eyes, he had it all...he loved history and loved to teach; two things that really inspired my future career choice.

 (high school graduation)

So, in the fall of 1999, off to college I went to major in Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Studies (my focus was U.S. History).  Because of the way the curriculum is set up in most colleges, you don't get to do your student teaching until your very last year.  By then, there is really no turning back!  I spent the first semester observing my mentor teacher, Mr. Marc Halsted, and taught a lesson here and there.

Then second semester arrived...time for me to teach full time...all on my own...training wheels off!  Suprisingly, it wasn't scary in front of the class but instead it felt really natural.  The scary part was just how much work it was.  While most of my non-teaching friends were still livin' it up during our last semester of college, I was spending hours at school, then coming home and spending hours reading, grading papers, and trying to come up with fun, engaging lessons.   I had to have a real soul-searching conversation with myself about whether or not I could do this kind of work for the better part of 35 years. Fortunately for me, my mentor teacher told me he thought I was a really talented, promising young teacher and that he really hoped I didn't give up.

(college graduation)

You know how this story ends because you are here reading my blog about teaching!  Although with this career choice comes an incredible amount of work, stress (mentally and emotionally), and responsibility, it also provides me with so much JOY.  My students are so funny and creative and I don't think I can express what it feels like to know that, even in some small way, I have taught someone something they didn't know before or that I played some role in helping them become the people they want to be.  I am one of the lucky ones...I knew from an early age what I was supposed to do with my life and that is TO TEACH.

I've had many, many teachers throughout the years to whom I am eternally grateful.  

Some of these people include, but certainly aren't limited to...

-Mrs. Rich...not only do our names sound alike but you planted that very first seed of the 'teaching' bug inside my brain

-Mrs. Diamond...for teaching me my times-tables

-Mrs. Mountford...for helping me master those darn 5-paragraph essays with which I am now torturing my sophomore students

-Mr. Christy...for showing me that enthusiasm is contagious

-Ms. Carter...for introducing me to my other love, Sociology!

-Mr. Halsted...for showing me the ropes of this business they call teaching

-Professor Nathan Godfried...from whom I learned so much about American history

"Better than a thousand days of diligent study, is one day with a great teacher." ~Chinese Proverb

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!