Last week going to my happy place took on a whole new meaning. Last week was the week almost every student dreads- finals. It affects everyone differently. Some people can’t sleep, some can’t eat, and some just become Grumpy for a week. This week I become the eighth dwarf- Crazy. I don’t sleep well, have bizarre dreams, feel sick, and become a little paranoid. However last week I found a bunch of new ways to cope with finals week, and all of them involved Disney!
Photo Credit: Ami B-E
The end of the school year is nearing to a close. We’re all busy with finals, spring concerts and last minute field trips. The kids have spring fever and, admittedly, so do I. All the buzz has me dreaming of our summer trip to Disney World.
When my kids were younger, it was a regular thing for us to pull them out of school and head to Lake Buena Vista for a week. We would go during non-peak seasons when crowds and costs were lower. The teachers were great about it, and my daughters caught up easily.
Photo Credit: Beth L.
Looking back, I was a reluctant poetry writer as a student. You see, if it didn’t rhyme – I checked out. It was a challenge for me to get past my childhood views when I was a teacher. If you show any hesitation with children in your classroom, they see right through you. I could tell them it was not my favorite, but had to show them I could get past it and have some creative fun.
Copyright: J.B. Conway
Last week, I introduced you to the idea of writing poetry in the name of Disney. For National Poetry Month, I thought it was fitting to spend a bit of time exploring different types of poetry. Poetry is a great way for children and adults to express their love for the House of Mouse using the power of words.
In my first segment, I introduced acrostic poems. I wrote one about me, and also shared a hidden acrostic poem that is within Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. Acrostic poems are a way to get into the poetry groove, to learn about people/places/things, and to have fun. The best part about acrostic poems is that there really are no rules.
Do you and/or your children like to write poems? Have you ever used Disney characters, people, places, and things to let your inner poet shine?
If you haven’t, don’t worry about it. Now is the perfect time to join in for a little poetry fun. My plan is to introduce you to different styles of poems that you can use with your children. You can use them for fun, as part of a homeschool poetry lesson, while driving/flying to Disney World, or to try yourself as we head into National Poetry Month in April.
Photo Credit: Beth L.
What do you do when a child tells you that they don’t like to write? As a teacher, I have had worked with reluctant writers many times. Even children that once liked to write, may not always be enthusiastic about sitting down to write an essay, story, or general assignment. The fact is that most kids have a time in their academic careers where they move away from writing.
Imagine being trapped at home with your children thanks to a storm. Oh wait, I’m living this right now as I type. Rather than whine too much about the current weather, I have been thinking outside the box for something educational to do with my boys. Of course, something Disney immediately came to mind.
A mini-lesson on geography seems like a great place to start. As many people living the Disney Driven Life will know, kids of all ages are always asking to go back to their beloved magical lands. Why not take this opportunity to show kids just how near or far you are to Walt Disney World, or another Disney park?
Photo Credit: Beth L.
Memories of nearly annual trips to Walt Disney World as a child are plentiful. My parents are the first generation in our family’s Disney Driven Life. Disney items filled our house, and we always were doing things related to the House of Mouse. My husband and I continued this with our honeymoon in Disney almost ten years ago. Now, we are making memories with our two boys via adventures to Florida and within our daily lives.
September, in my mind, is synonymous with the end of summer and the beginning of school. Consequently, I grew up almost hating September. It was the month-that-must-not-be-named. My attitude changed somewhat after I got into college, as I started looking forward to September as the time by which I’d be back at school. My love affair with September came along soon after college when I was married. I discovered that September is a great time to go to Disney World! Low crowd levels and still summer (to my NJ mind) weather, lower resort rates, and decent park hours translates to a great value for my money.
Here is the third beta episode of The Disney Driven Life’s new LIVE show, Inner Mouse. In this week’s show Scott, John, and JL continue to work out the bugs of their new venture while discussing how the Disney brand can be incorporated into the realm of education.