It's the small things

I planned an activity where kids were using a laptop to guide themselves through a computer simulation about movement. I've been trying to encourage my kids to be present, not just physically, but intellectually and emotionally. I'm a really predictable teacher, kids should know what I'm about to say and do next from patterns they have observed, but that only happens when you are present. So I was asking them to be present in the lab. To use their time to learn some new knowledge, not just finish the assignment, but to make predictions and observations about physics, instead of thinking about whatever.

So it's a challenge. It's hard to encourage kids to be present when there is so much going on in their lives. 

I see 90 kids per day. I have an hour of planning time and a 35 minute lunch. It gets frustrating, BUT then there is that ONE moment...

Today in lab I walked up behind a kid at his laptop, he was working alone, and I hear him say quietly to himself, "hum, 5 m/s, that's exactly what I thought". 

I about peed my pants! I yelped in excitement, causing him to jump in his lab stool. I started exclaiming, "yes, yes, yes, THANK YOU for being present!" Of course at this point the other kids are like, Miss, what are you talking about? What did he do? So I told them about his predicting and being present in the lesson and he turned bright red and I gave thanks for those little, small things that totally make my job worth it.