Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General, Year End Activities

Keeping it calm during the last week of school…

To be honest, it isn’t really possible to keep calm and carry on during the last week of school. There is so much anticipation for the summer holidays that everyone is feeling a little giddy with excitement. However, it is possible to keep your students occupied and happy, and not push yourself too far towards further exhaustion by involving your students in an all-ages/all abilities project that takes little preparation and that can evolve over an afternoon or a few days.

Although workbooks and school materials may have begun to make their way home, usually you can find the bare minimum of materials the students will need to complete this project. What they need, they often make themselves or find in the school yard if you don’t have it in the classroom. The project involves students making a board game that employs elements of math, arts, and language. As an added challenge, perhaps they can include an aspect from a strand in science or social studies topic that will truly be a culmination of their learning over the year. Sometimes, however, the games are modeled on games they already know well, such as Pokemon or Mindcraft. Regardless of the genesis of ideas, students seem to have plenty of enthusiasm for creating a game and for fine-tuning it so that is will be successful.
Materials needed;
• Scrap paper for rough copies
• 1 sheet of legal-sized paper, car stock or poster board per person/group for final copy
• Pencils, erasers, markers
• Rulers

For the criteria for creating the board game, I ask students what elements make a game fun to play.
Criteria for Creating a Board Game;
• How many people can play?
• Will you need dice, spinners, or numbered cards, etc. for probability?
• What will you use to move across the board? (ex/ stones, coloured blocks, lumps of plasticine)
• What is the goal of the game?
• How can you win the game?
• What are some challenges that may prevent you from winning the game right away?
• Are there colourful graphics?
• Are the rules easy to understand?

Students seem to be happier to do this in partners, although some students prefer to work alone. Whether they work alone or in pairs, students plan to have a game day on the last day of school where they invite other students from other classes to play their game with them (your colleagues will love you for this!) When the weather is nice, students can play out doors in the school yard. Every year, I love to see everyone busy creating and playing and trouble-shooting their games, and then proudly sharing their creations with their peers. And, a fun, student-led activity is definitely a great way to end the school year.
Let the games begin!

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General, Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice

“Reconciliation through Education”

It would have been hard to miss the news coverage of the closing days of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission last week. With the tabling of the Report, any doubt, misinformation or ignorance has been addressed regarding the cruel treatment that Aboriginal children were forced to endure for over 100 years of Canada’s 148 years as a nation. What was also made abundantly clear is that this history was not taught in Canadian schools in the past, and at present is still not expected to be taught by all teachers all across the country. Last week, many Canadians heard for the first time in detail the horrors that over 150,000 children experienced while attending residential schools across Canada between 1840 and 1996. Throughout the 360 pages of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report, the accounts of 7,000 Survivors document the hunger, sickness, physical and sexual abuse, torture, humiliation and fear perpetrated by their educators and guardians in these schools. And if there was ever any doubt about the severity of the effects of the residential school system on Aboriginal children and families, this legacy in Canadian history was so calculated and so thorough in its aims that it is now considered a “cultural genocide”.
None the less, a week has passed, and the media has turned to other timely events. Where does that leave us? The talk of reconciliation is becoming distant, along with the concern of the general public. As teachers at this critical time we have the opportunity, responsibility even, to not let reconciliation become just another passing news item. Taking to heart what Manitoba Justice Murray Sinclair said in his closing remarks, there must be “reconciliation through education”. As Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation inquiry into the terrible legacy of Canada’s Indian Residential School System, Justice Sinclair urged educators to close the gap in our understanding about this shared history and walk with the Survivors and their families towards reconciliation. There is no better time than the present. Regardless of the fact that curricula across the country will take time to change, there are many ways that teachers can start the learning right now: beginning in the primary grades, by reading and discussing books like; Shi Shi Etko, Shin Chi’s Canoe, When I was Eight, Not my Girl, Arctic Stories, to name a few, or, following the lead of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society’s initiative, by planting a Heart Garden at your school to commemorate the children lost and those who survived.
Now that it is over, it is not enough to simply have acknowledged the testimony of the Survivors and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and we cannot honour the lives of the generations of Aboriginal children and families who were affected by the residential school system if we wait for other teachers to teach this history. It is our responsibility as educators to open the dialogue now and to learn and grow in this new chapter of reconciliation between settler and Indigenous peoples. Indeed, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has admitted that “for reconciliation to succeed, we must also renew our commitment to educating Ontarians on the role that treaties and the residential school legacy play in Canada’s past, present and future.” So, although many teachers in the past may have faced scrutiny or a lack of support from colleagues and administration as they endeavoured to teach the truth about the Aboriginal residential school system in Canada, we can now consider Premier Wynne’s statement and Justice Sinclair’s words of ‘reconciliation through education’ as a rallying call to all educators to do what is right not just once, but every year we teach.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General

Adaptation and going with the flow

Teaching is a profession that typically attracts people who are caring, nurturing, creative, and curious. Skilled at thinking on their feet, teachers are also an adaptable bunch. And good thing, too, because the changes that pop up in a teacher’s life are numerous and often unpredictable.

Here are a few examples of abrupt and significant situations you may have encountered where your adaptation skills have come into play; you think you know what you will be teaching in September, and then – a new grade level, a new classroom, perhaps even a new assignment are all handed to you; or you get your assignment and begin the school year with 24 students then, three weeks later, due to an enrolment increase or decrease, half of your students are switched up for a different set; or you prepare an outdoor fieldtrip and you have to cancel at the last minute because of inclement weather; or, your plans for a lesson get sidelined because someone in your class throws up, or trips walking around some desks and gets a nose bleed, or refuses to cooperate; or you find that no one is listening to you, or there is a lockdown practice or fire drill, or you forgot to make enough photo copies….

All of these examples come with varying degrees of stress. Regardless of how well-developed one’s adaptation skills may be, the topsy-turvy nature of our day-to-day job makes it exciting and, at the same time, sometimes very difficult. What is critical during any upheaval is to maintain professionalism as this can give you time to calmly reflect on the situation and help you decide how to proceed, thereby avoiding a hasty reaction with potential to say or do something inappropriate. In the heat of the moment, it may sound like an oversimplification, but remember to breathe. Of course, teaching is not the only profession where one has to react to change minute to minute, but it is definitely a valuable skill for teachers. Should you be looking to change schools or assignments, emphasizing traits such as adaptability and being able to work under pressure would be good points to include on a resume. Similarly, before a job interview, it may help to be prepared with an example that highlights your ability to think on your feet, switch gears and carry on.

As we head into June, a time in the school year with plenty of upheaval, it may seem difficult to summon up the energy to keep things in perspective. You’ve been adapting and thinking on your feet all year. But hold on to those amazing adaptation skills to help see you through to the end. There is always something new around the corner and it’s a good idea to be ready for whatever comes your way.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove Diverse Learning Needs, General

Fine Weather for an Outdoor Library

Only recently have we been able to take advantage of some lovely warm, sunny days. Spring time has been rather elusive, bringing exceptionally cold weather and very muddy school yard conditions. So it was with great joy this week that we were able to take our class library outdoors, along with sunhats and sunglasses, to sit on the front lawn under the shade of an enormous maple tree. At the beginning of the week, we were in sparse shade, but the students noticed that by the end of the week, the leaves on the tree had filled out and there was plenty of shade for 20 of us to spread out in.

On the way out of the front doors of the school, I let the office know where we were going in case they needed to find us. Once outside and using the shade of the reading tree as our reading space, the students sat wherever they wanted and however they wanted. Some sat cross legged, alone with their books, while others lay on their backs, tummies or their sides to read. One student who tends towards anxiety, however, was really only able to take advantage of the fact that he could lie down in the grass with a book over his face. He was enjoying the relaxing more than the reading, and it was clearly what he needed to do at that moment. After his break, he came back into our discussion circle, relaxed and happy.

Our school is on a quiet street, but even with a few distractions such as vehicles going by or a person walking their dog on the sidewalk, the students were calm and very quiet. Considering I would usually describe my group of students as ‘high energy and talkative’ rather than ‘calm and quiet’, this was a pleasant transformation. I believe being outdoors had everything to do with this. Before reading a story to them , I asked the students if they found that they read less, the same or more when we brought our reading outside. They overwhelmingly claimed that it was not only more, but a LOT more reading that they were able to enjoy when we were outside. As a French Immersion teacher, I couldn’t have been happier to see and hear that my students were able to focus and read in French.

Our outdoor library, such as it is, consists of a few bins of books from our classroom library that we bring out to the front lawn. It is really not any different than when we have our reading time in the classroom – it just feels a whole lot more special because it’s outside. Now the students expect every reading block to take place under the reading tree. It is a delightful time in our day.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove Diverse Learning Needs, General, Learning in a Real Life Context

Water Day, Earth Day and Poetry

The ideology of an eight year old can be inspiring and heart warming. In the form of a poem, it is also honest.

For International Water Day (March 22), my students researched and experimented outdoors to see what they could find out about water. We turned this project into Water Week by creating a bulletin board in the main hall sharing water facts written on large paper raindrops. In preparation for Earth Day (April 22), students looked for signs of spring in and around the school yard. They found helicopter seeds, worm castings, clumps of moss growing in dirt and on bits of tree bark, early dandelion leaves, and trees and shrubs in bud. From the school yard, they also heard and learned to identify birds and their songs; Cardinal (easy to locate from his song and brilliant red plumage), Chickadee, Canada goose, Robin, and Mallard duck (we observed a couple, male and female, as they waddled around the schoolyard one rainy day across from our portable).

Sadly, Earth Day was no celebration at our school. Ironically, it was the day the city decided to cut down all the trees lining the sidewalk along the school fence as all of the trees had become victims of the Emerald Ash Borer. Seven trees were limbed, their branches tossed into the hopper for chipping, and the trunks sawed down to the ground in chunks, right beside our portable. Some of them were 45 years old. The fact that the city and the school board will be replanting 16 new trees in and around the school yard was a bit of a consolation to the students, however, they pined for a tree they named, “Hug Me” which grew outside the school yard gate a few metres from our classroom.

The students were brimming with questions and thoughts about what they had recently learned and witnessed.With April being Poetry Month, what better way to express yourself than in poetry? We had already explored many different forms of poetry, but to consolidate their thoughts without the constraints of a rhyming scheme (a thrill and challenge for some, a cause for deep anxiety for others), the students could share their ideas in a repetition poem that began, “Je veux vivre dans un monde où…” (I want to live in a world where…). This turned out to be a great form for a poem because everyone had something to say and by repeating the phrase, their poems took shape while their thoughts filled the page; I want to live in a world where trees don’t get sick and die; where you can hear bird songs instead of machines; where everyone has clean water to drink; where there are no iPads or iPhones; where people are nice to each other… Some students ended their poems with a rallying call, “Help me make this world!”

Their poems, written in colourful letters and decorated with drawings and images cut from magazines, will be proudly displayed for the school community at our Literacy Café in May. They are not all talk, either, for along with their proclamations for a better world, students have organized a school yard clean up and sprouted seeds for our school garden. Some have asked for help writing letters to the government to ask for protection of the Blue Whales in the St Lawrence Seaway and the Blanding’s Turtle in a wetland that was recently paved over and build up for a convention centre. In an effort to raise awareness, other students in the class have prepared messages for the morning announcements sharing what they have learned about water and about the Earth, and others still want to help out by having a class garage sale to raise money to protect the Great Lakes, “the last great supply of fresh drinking water on Earth” (quote from Waterlife, National Film Board of Canada, 2009). And so the inspiration continues and the stewardship begins.

Photo of Beverly Papove
Beverly Papove Celebrating Success, Diverse Learning Needs, General

A Year of Septembers

My colleague and I have had a challenging class since September. In fact, we are calling this year “The Year of Septembers” because although the students have come a long way, they are still very unsettled and we still spend a considerable amount of time re-establishing class rules and expectations. Thankfully, my colleague, who teaches English to my French Immersion students, is an amazing, funny, dedicated and sincere individual. What’s more, we are both on the same page when it comes to where we are with the students and where we’d like them to progress.

Our biggest challenge this year has been getting support for over 7 of our 19 students who came into grade 3 with a variety of issues and difficulties in learning. We have probably been a thorn in the side of the administration in our efforts to get additional in-class support for a few of the higher-needs students. However, it has been worth it as we have begun to see incremental improvements in learning skills and overall collaborative behaviour within our group. But it has taken great effort! We have often been exasperated with strategies that worked one week and then became ineffective the following. Our aim has been to express our collective expectations to the class so the students will understand that we are a team. This is especially important given that my colleague is only in the class for an hour at the beginning of the day, which has the added challenge of instructional time set aside for morning announcements and the national anthem. To help set the tone, I greet the students with my colleague as they come into the portable, allowing her the time to speak individually to certain students and to help them get settled into their morning routine.

During the week, we meet briefly to bring eachother up to date, to review goals and to cowrite email correspondence to parents. We support eachother with regard to behavioural goals as well as curriculum goals. This has been an absolute necessity as lessons and whole days have fallen apart due to extreme behavioural challenges and consequent interruptions in engagement in the class that have translated into a divergence from the lessons geared to meet curriuculum expectations. None the less, the students are learning and growing and progressing, and after many series of meetings with administration and parents, appropriate supports are being put in place to help us help the students with high needs, which in turn, has allowed us to also meet the various needs of all the other students. It has been an exhausting year thus far, but there has emmerged a sort of cohesion out of the often chaotic environment. Although every month has felt like September, my colleague and I are happy to see the pay-off in the successes of all the students.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove Anti-bullying, General, Social Justice

Safe and Accepting Schools in today’s Social/Political Climate

All teachers are familiar with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s initiative for teaching inclusion;

“A safe, inclusive and accepting school environment is a necessary condition for student success. Students cannot be expected to reach their potential in an environment where they feel insecure and intimidated. We are committed to providing all students with the supports they need to learn, grow and achieve.
Building a positive and inclusive school climate requires a focused effort on developing healthy and respectful relationships throughout the whole school and surrounding community, among and between students and adults. “

We respect this philosophy and we would not deny our students the full application of this mandate. And yet, for all the anti-bullying lessons, resources, activities; for all the lessons and discussions on civics and character education within our schools, I cannot help but feel as if I am complicit in perpetuating a myth that grown-ups know how to behave properly – when in fact, outside of our schools, our society is anything but civil, respectful, and devoid of bullies. For examples of intolerance and disrespect, we need look no further than the relentless doses of hysteria, stereotyping and racism in our newspapers and in our laws. The media is rife with stories pitting Us against Them, creating fear about Others, and discrimination based on clothing, skin colour, or mother tongue. Meanwhile in stark contrast in our classrooms, we are reading books such as “Children like Me”, promoting diversity and trying our best to ensure that our students learn about community and how Social Justice applies to everyone in our society.

Feeling overwhelmed by the latest news stories, I have been thinking about young students who, on the way to school, or once within its confines, may be unexpected targets of the divisive environment where ignorance, scapegoating, blaming, shaming, guilt by virtue of association, and racial profiling may have trickled down. Our anti-bullying initiatives may be only a Bandaid solution to circumstances of inconceivable scope and which are completely out of our control. Children who are subjected to this intolerance have to navigate through the quagmire with little or no grasp on the realities and myths that may be associated with their lives, and as in many cases of intimidation, because it is insidious nature, teachers may have no clue what these children have to endure. As visible minorities, or as minorities suspected of an affiliation, no matter how remote, children risk being targets of ignorance and vitriol from other children or adults in the community. Sadly, we have so many brutal historical examples of just this type of situation. Therefore, it is essential that, we as teachers, remember to be aware and have empathy to help all of our students feel secure and free from intimidation so that they can learn, grow and achieve, even when we may not fully understand the greater issues that they may be dealing with – politically, religiously or culturally.

And, without a doubt, the world has always been so. Danger from bigotry and intolerance existed long before the implementation of the Safe and Accepting Schools Act in Ontario. We can only hope that the effort we put into promoting diversity and ensuring students are educated within a safe and accepting school environment will eventually make the myth of a society of respectful, civic-minded people a reality. In the meantime, it is worthwhile to make sure that our students know we are an ally they can depend on for help should they need it.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General

Sharing your Experience with Others

I recently asked several colleagues a question; “Is there a tip someone has shared with you that has been helpful in your teaching practice and that you would pass on to a new teacher?” The colleagues who contributed their ideas range from relatively new teachers – 5 years in the classroom – to those a few years away from retirement, as well as a vice principal who has just completed all her courses and requirements to become a principal. Most people responded immediately and enthusiastically, while others needed more time to think of just one thing to share.
Responses vary in categories from classroom management to collaborating with colleagues and organizing lesson plans and resources. Some pearls of wisdom come with explanations while others are self-explanatory or open to interpretation. I was happy, but not surprised, to find all of the comments to be useful reminders of how to achieve a well-balanced and respectful working and learning environment.
A Sampler of Tips for Teachers
• “Align yourself with like-minded colleagues who are realistic, resilient, and creative, and have a sense of humour! It makes the job enjoyable and more productive!”
• “I’m not sure who told me this, but I’ve discovered: Sometimes throwing the lesson plan out the window can create the most meaningful and memorable teaching moments.”
• “Don’t worry if your students “like” you or think you are cool. Be fair and warmly strict and they will like you by the end of the year.”
• “Beg, borrow and steal if you need to! This really translates into not being afraid to ask for help with resources or lessons. Too often teachers reinvent the wheel rather than pooling or sharing resources.”
• “Choose a few things to focus on. Don’t try to be perfect at everything your first year.”
• “Make friends with the school custodian.”
• “Bow down to the office chief administrator! She is often the hub of the school and can be a wonderful source of information about everything school related when you need help. And don’t forget Secretary’s Day or celebrate it with a small, impromptu “thank you” on any other day of the school year to show your appreciation.”
• “Never contact a parent about an issue regarding their child’s behaviour on a Friday when it can wait until Monday. Why cause unnecessary concern or misunderstanding over the weekend?”
• “Let students “play” with manipulatives, regardless of their age. There is always a lot more learning going on than meets the eye.”
• “Be nice with everyone. You are the best model for appropriate behaviour for your students.”
• “Look for ‘invisible students’, the ones who are good academically, tend to be quiet and who rarely ask for assistance. These students may be easy to over-look in a class with high behavioural or academic challenges but need your attention just as much.”
• “Go the Ronald Morrish way! (author of “With All Due Respect – Keys for Building Effective School Discipline”) Greet your students by their names at the door as they come into the classroom, and expect them to acknowledge and thank you for holding the door open for them. I use this to help to identify that the classroom door is the threshold into a respectful learning environment.”

There are plenty more to be added to this list and many of them are common sense. Building common sense and respect into your teaching practice makes for a much more fulfilling work environment and can contribute to professional growth. If it is useful, let it be used!

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General

What is a District Review?

Next week, our school will be under District Review. We have known this for months, of course, and have been guided by an excited administration on what to expect and how to prepare for something called the “Walk About”. With all of the lead up to the visit, one can definitely detect some anxiety in the air. Making a comparison, I guess it is a bit like having company coming and wanting to be sure that you are ready and that your place looks great.
District Reviews generally take place every five years. In essence, a review is when the administrative members of the school district come to a school to see what is going on. They take notes, ask questions, and try to get a general feel for the school environment. Afterwards, the team makes a report highlighting what the school is doing well with regard to school board mandates and initiatives, and includes suggestions for areas that could use more focus.
The “Walk About”, which is the main part of the Review, seems to generate the most anxiety amongst teachers because superintendents, principals and vice principals from other schools join the school’s administration on a tour of the site, visiting classrooms and chatting with teachers and students. You may be in the middle of a lesson when the team drops by. They will look around your classroom and try to be as discreet as possible as they make their observations. The moment one of the members crouches down to quietly ask one of your students; “What are you learning?” and “Why are you learning that?” can be a little unnerving. Reviewing anchor charts, posters and messages on the classroom walls may make it easier for students to answer questions regarding their learning environment. In addition, you may want to make sure Big Ideas are clearly posted and that the students know to expect someone may ask them questions about their learning goals for the lesson.
While a School District Review is a big responsibility for the school administration and may seem like a distraction from your day-to-day teaching, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for you to take stock of how your classroom presents and how effectively you are communicating on a regular basis with your students regarding their Learning Goals. Take a look around. Do you still have Christmas decorations up in February? Does your class library need some organization? Are your bulletin boards interesting and informative? Would any of your students be able to answer the questions, “What are you learning and why?”? Review what you are already doing. This is not the time for you to change your practice and try to outdo yourself. Rather than being anxious about a District Review it may be more productive to take an objective look at your classroom, do some tidying up and make sure you are ready for visitors.

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove Building Inclusion, General

The Power of Show and Tell

There is a table in my classroom that is called La table de découvertes (Discovery Table). On it you can find things that I have collected with my family, mostly when my own children were young; there are some seashells, plenty of rocks, 2 bird’s nests, a small log gnawed and shaped by beavers, snake skin molt, a stick covered in tracks made by an insect infestation under the bark, feathers, and pine cones. It is a corner of the classroom where students can visit and touch, marvel and wonder. And it is because of La table de découvertes that Show and Tell (La présentation) has made a comeback in my classroom this year. It wasn’t in my daily plans or my Long Range Plans, but because of its success, I will now be sure to include it every year.

In September, a student asked if she could bring in something for the Discovery Table. She was very excited because she had some shells she wanted to share with the class. The student presented the shells, broken and whole, which she had found on a beach while on holiday. Every student wanted to see and touch the shells as if they had never seen such things before. They asked her which was her favourite, and she told them why they were special to her. This was our first Présentation.
Initially, it was this one student who wanted to share her treasures with the class. Soon she was bringing in something every day until her mother began to be concerned that perhaps it was creating a problem.

After all, among the many items this student brought in, there was a small cupboard filled with origami stars; two small carved statues from a hot country (she wasn’t sure which one), and a zip lock bag of her cat’s orange fur. Everything was presented in detail, accurate or not, and everyone watched and listened and asked appropriate questions afterwards. I was able to tell the mother that everyone was always interested in what her daughter brought to school.

After a few weeks, eventually other students, even the quietest ones, started coming up to me, asking if they could present something to the class. Students would bring in special items from home or simply find cool rocks in the school yard and want to present them because they had a funny shape or a shiny spot on them (Rocks are a big deal in our classroom).

Now our presentations are a regular event at the end of most days, with a few flexible guidelines. This is what works for us:
1) 15 minutes for Show and Tell.
2) 3 students present within that time period. This allows time for each child to speak in as much detail as they like about what they are showing and to pass around their items. The audience also doesn’t have time to lose interest.
3) Some days we present while sitting in a circle on the floor; other days students sit at their desks while the presenter stands in front of a small table where they can display their items.
4) Limit the follow-up question period to 3 questions or comments.

What I love about Show and Tell is that it is a student lead activity that is easy to facilitate. It gives students a true sense of agency as they talk like an expert in front of their peers about something that may or may not be in our Grade 3 curriculum – like sharks or cat fur – and have an audience that is actively listening and genuinely interested in what a presenter is showing and talking about. It is also an opportunity for students to be seen in a leadership role by their peers and to get a boost to their self-esteem.

Since the primary focus in French Immersion education is oral communication, Show and Tell is a clear choice as an activity that allows for a student to “acquire a strong oral foundation in the French language and focus on communicating in French” (Ontario Curriculum, French as a Second Language). The value of developing public speaking skills can also not be overlooked, as it takes great courage at any age, to ‘hold the floor’ and talk in front of one’s peers. As stated in the Language curriculum, students are encouraged to, “communicate – that is, read, listen, view, speak, write, and represent – effectively and with confidence”. Although some students may not have the confidence to volunteer, I haven’t made a schedule indicating the days when everyone is obliged to bring something to talk about. Instead, I have quietly asked a few students if they would like to bring in something to share with the class. It may take a few days or weeks before they are ready, but, following the example of the students who have gone before, everyone who has brought something in does a fine job presenting and fielding questions.

Finally, the benefits of Show and Tell go beyond the presenter to include all students in the audience. These students learn to practice listening actively and respectfully during presentations as well as how to follow up with pertinent questions. Probably the best thing of all, however, is that there is no evaluation of Show and Tell. While I do evaluate Book Talk presentations or projects with outlines and rubrics, I feel that the dynamic, impromptu nature of Show and Tell would be ruined if there were grades placed on the students’ performance, and it would no longer be a wonderful, relaxed way to finish the school day where oral presentation skills are practiced, treasures are shared, and students lead the show.