Getting to Know You

Every year we decorate the classrooms with a certain theme. This year, we decorated them according to different decades in American history. The eras we chose: the 20s, 50s, 60s, and 80s. (Our central classroom was themed after Ellis Island). Bob and I were in charge of the 20s, so our classroom was titled "The Speakeasy" and covered with references to Prohibition, women's suffrage, Lindbergh's flight, flappers, zoot suits, art deco, expatriate authors and absinthe in Paris, the Harlem Renaissance and big band jazz/swing/Duke Ellington, and Black Tuesday.

This theme carried over into our introductory skits for the students. On the first day of class, teachers traditionally perform some sort of skit to explain to the students who we are and which class we will be teaching. At the beginning we told the students that this year, the American Home had a time machine and we would travel through different decades to find teachers. Representing the 1920s, I dressed up as a flapper, and Bob and I walked out and danced to some big band music for all the students. Our first audience loved it, and began cheering and clapping. Other groups were quiter but I think they all liked it, and we definitely had fun.