Sometimes things just go well...

There are times than being a teacher is kind of wonderful. Wednesday, Our school did its own Olympic Torch Relay.  A group of us formed an Olympic committee to make the most of this event.  Now note, world, I did not vote for the Olympics.  Remember I lived in Montreal during the 1976 Olympics and only recently was that debt paid,  In fact, I boycotted the Olympics, not that anyone noticed, but I did enjoy the excitement in the city when it was on.  Whatever your opinions the Olympics is taking place and I figure one might as well make the most of it.  Olympic ideals are worthy and my class and I are learning lots.

Anyway our first "event" was to do a simulation of the torch relay complete with the lighting of the cauldron.  It seemed a great idea at the time but it didn't seem so wonderful on Monday when I realized that we had a flag to make, skits to prepare etc.  and very little time to do it.

My class has been studying the history of the Olympics so Monday and Tuesday they researched and wrote skits and practiced.  We made up our judging criteria and they performed them.  I have to say never have I seen my class so motivated and engaged.  And they did an excellent job.  We chose two groups to do the explanations of the Olympic Torch relay for our assembly.

Each division was to represent a province or territory and we chose Quebec and thanks to one of my students and a marvelous SEA the flag was great!  My other big last moment part was putting a slide show together about the torch relay.  Thank goodness for the official Olympic website! Did I really say that?

It was an amazing morning.  After our assembly with our own adopted Olympic athlete  present,  a torchbearer from each division passed the torch and then joining the relay so that all 12 children came into together as one of my students got to light the cauldron.  No real fire involved I assure you.

And to put the icing on the cake later that morning our junior boys won the city soccer tournament, the first time in the seven years our school has had grade six and seven that any team had won a city tournament trophy.

Now yesterday I think Halloween hit with them and fatigue with me but Wednesday was kind of a perfect morning.