Monster Mash

In honor of Halloween, I thought I’d share my favorite Halloween song.

Monster Mash  by Bobby Pickett

I was working in the lab, late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab, began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash, he did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
He did the mash, it caught on in a flash
He did the mash, he did the monster mash

From my laboratory in the castle east
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes
To get a jolt from my electrodes

They did the mash, they did the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They did the mash, it caught on in a flash
They did the mash, they did the monster mash

The zombies were having fun, the party had just begun
The guests included Wolfman, Dracula, and his son

The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive
With their vocal group, 'The Crypt-Kicker Five'

They played the mash, they played the monster mash
The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash
They played the mash, it caught on in a flash
They played the mash, they played the monster mash

Out from his coffin', Drac's voice did ring
Seems he was troubled by just one thing
He opened the lid and shook his fist and said
"Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?

It's now the mash, it's now the monster mash
The monster mash, it was graveyard smash
It's now the mash, it caught on in a flash
It's now the mash, it's now the monster mash

Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band
And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land
For you, the living this mash was meant too
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you

Then you can mash, then you can monster mash
The monster mash and do my graveyard smash
Then you can mash, you'll catch on in a flash
Then you can mash, then you can monster mash

Mash good!
Easy, Igor, you impetuous young boy
Mash good! Grrr!

Source: LyricFind

I Want You to Like Me

Recently I heard a discussion about how people do things just so someone else will like them. Many children and teenagers fall into this trip. Adults who have a low self-concept may do this often also.

Sometimes people will do something to impress another person, even when they know their actions is not right. Teens may commit a crime to impress their peers.

I also need to recognize that these students may act the same way to impress a teacher. They may try to be the teacher’s pet in order to gain favor from the teacher.

I need to make sure that all of my students feel respected and liked. I shouldn’t expect my students to act a certain way in order for me to like them or help them.

I try to make it clear to all of the students when I first meet them that I know nothing about their past and will not judge them. They will start in my classroom with a clean slate.

Now, if they get in trouble for misbehavior, they will have to pay the consequences, but they will do so in order to learn how to act appropriately. Nothing they can do will make me not like them or cause me to like them less.

It is important for students to feel this unconditional acceptance in order to succeed in the classroom. The students have to face this fear of being unaccepted by their peers and sometimes with their families. The classroom should be a safe place for them. If they aren’t having to worry about acceptance, they can focus on learning whether it is learning academic subjects or learning appropriate behavior.

This feeling of acceptance won’t happen overnight. I need to repeat this acceptance over and over in the classroom to my students. Not only do I need to say the words that they need to hear, but my actions need to reflect what I’m saying to them. I need to believe in what I’m saying as well as my students. Students can detect insincerity very easily.

Photo by Beth Rufener on Unsplash

Halloween Safety Tips

October 31st is Halloween. Even though many towns are now trying to encourage trick or treating on the weekend, many are still going out on October 31st. Many malls are having trick or treat in the mall. Our small town is closing off Main St. to allow children a safe area to trick or treat. 

Here are some safety tips for children and adults. 

Child: 

·      Make sure you wear bright colors so if it gets dark, cars can see you. 

·      Don't eat any candy until it has been checked by an adult. 

·      Don't wear a mask that makes it hard to see because you might trip and fall. 

·      Don't wear a costume that is too long that will cause you to trip. Ask an adult to shorten your costume with tape or staples.  

·      Put reflector tape on your costume so cars can see you more easily at night.

·      Carry a trick or treat bag/pail that is bright and has reflective tape on it.

Adults:

·      Drive slower than you normally do.

·      Avoid streets if possible, that may have large crowds of children trick or treating.

·      Avoid driving at night if possible.

·      Check your child’s candy before allowing them to eat it.

·      If your child is too old for trick or treating, have them be in charge of giving out candy.

·      Put reflector tape on your child’s costume so cars can see them more easily at night.

·      Give them a trick or treat bag/pail that is bright and has reflective tape on it.

What other safety tips do you have for Trick or Treating?

 Photo by Conner Baker on Unsplash