Hi everyone,
This week was all about the Circus and perseverance! We were fortunate to have artists from the National Circus Project spend the week with us! It is such an intense and amazing week and there were so many “best parts!”
…..Monday morning the students were extremely excited to arrive to school because it was Circus Week! It is a highlight of the year for many students and staff. The week began with a show put on by Little Lou and Adam - National Circus Project artists. They are so talented! Students learned that they would need to persevere to learn the skills because it took Little Lou and Adam years to perfect their skills!
…..Each day the excitement continued and every time a group arrived for a workshops the smiles on their faces were a mile wide!
…..During the week I heard many positive statements from students when they were finally able to do a particular skill. Here are some of the statements I heard:
.…..”I’m doing it!”
…...I’m new to this school and I already learned the trick!
…..”Look at what I can do!”
…..In the middle of the week a new fifth grader arrived to our school and we so very much wanted to welcome him and have him be a part of the circus. I was amazed at his willingness to trust us! Lou and Adam asked him to come down to the gymnasium to try out all of the circus activities to determine what he would like to do in the show (which was only 3 days away!). I was so proud of his perseverance! He tried out all of the skills and settled on the flower sticks. By the end of the day he was improving and smiling!
…..If you have ever tried circus skills like spinning a plate, juggling, stilt walking, balancing, using a diabolo or flower sticks, you know that they are not easy to master. As a school we explained that students would need to persevere and keep trying even when something was hard. During the week I was proud of our students and noticed perseverance in every corner of the room!
…..We are so very grateful to our wonderful and supportive PTA for their work to insure that the National Circus Project program has continued for the past four years in a row. 5th grade students are the show group, which means that they are the group that works hard to learn skills and put on a show for the school on Friday afternoon for students and staff and Friday evening for families and friends. Students in the younger grades look forward to the day when they will be in the show too! While we tell them there are no guarantees, they hope to be in the show when they are fifth graders and actually plan on the skill they would like to do. I heard more than once this week: “When I’m in fifth grade I’m going to do __________ (fill in the blank with plate spinning, stilt walking, juggling, etc.) It’s so great that they are working toward a goal that is in the distant future!
…...As a special area teacher I only see my 5th grade students for PE class twice in a six-day cycle. Circus Week allows me the opportunity to work with the 5th graders every day. At the end of the week I feel like I have gotten to know them even better and I am grateful for that opportunity!
…...The growth that we see from our students from Monday to Friday is nothing short of miraculous! Students that are just beginning to juggle two scarves on Monday are juggling three scarves, juggling balls, and even basketballs! Students also grow in confidence and perseverance and each year I am reminded that this program is powerful and valuable in so many ways!
…….It was such a pleasure getting to know the circus artists this week! I loved their approach! They said that this week was not about the show, it was about the experience of the week and learning a new skill while persevering! They made a great connection between perseverance and learning many things, not just circus skills!
…..This was the first time my student teacher had the chance to be a part of Circus Week and it was awesome to be able to share this experience with him! He learned to juggle and was very proud of his new skill!
…..I had the chance to give out some Courage Cards this week to students who were showing the courage to do the right thing. One fourth grade student was working so hard to learn a skill and he did not give up! As he was working hard and trying again and again another fourth grade student who had mastered the skill came over to help him. He did not leave his classmate until he was able to get it! I had goosebumps watching this unfold and gave them both Courage Cards for their teamwork and perseverance!
…..A fifth grade student in the balance group was working on a new skill. The idea was to take some props from the side and put them together and balance them. One student took two foam hurdles, put them together and said: “I call this the pause button!” He was right….it looked exactly like a pause button!
…..One of the things that I love about my school is the fact that we come together in unexpected ways. Without my asking or facilitating I noticed that there were circus-themed activities throughout the school! The K-1 classroom had a “How tall are you?” measurement card in the hallway that had circus pictures on it, a kindergarten counting activity included a circus theme, a fourth grade class was given a homework assignment to write about their favorite circus skill and the Library display case included lots of books about the circus! How great is that to work in a school that jumps on board with you?
…..Later in the week the acrobat team was working on their show routine. I was standing nearby and one fifth grader said: “This is exciting! Now I know how last year’s fifth graders felt!”
…..At the end of the week it was Show Time! The fifth grade students performed on Friday afternoon for students and staff and the cheers and applause were endless! The performers were nervous but got reassurance from our circus artists, their classroom teachers, and of course - me! The did a fantastic job! Friday night they also performed for their families and friends. This show was held at our middle school gymnasium so that we could accommodate a larger crowd. It was a packed house with standing room only! Our PTA made popcorn, had face painters available, and invited the audience to participate in some circus games while the performers were getting ready. So many of our fifth grade teachers came to the show too! The show was even better than the afternoon show (hard to believe it could be) and students and families were so proud! One of the best parts of the night however, was when a student was having trouble with a skill, kept trying, and was successful in the end. The crowd went wild! This kind of support is what we need and want daily for all of the challenges we face……..I hope students remember this experience and work to meet whatever challenges they face in life. I know I will remember the experience of Circus Week with a smile and a determination to persevere………..
…..…... I took so many pictures this week! Each one is priceless! Click here for pictures of our Circus Week and Circus Shows!
.....Fitness Frankie had fun too!
.....Fitness Frankie had fun too!
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| Little Lou and Fitness Frankie! |
I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week"! Visit my website: North Park Physical Education to find out more about our Physical Education program.
