40 Questions

In the span of 5 minutes, here were many of the questions that were spat at me (I have forgotten the rest). Note that the first 11 have to do with my status, yet again...

1. Are you married?
2. Do you have a boyfriend?
3. Why not?
4. Do you not want a boyfriend?
5. Are you...nevermind.
6. Do you want kids?
7. Why don't you try to find a boyfriend?
8. Why don't you just go out and find one?
9. If you were in love and your boyfriend told you he had herpes, would you leave him?
10. Do you know what love is?
11. Have you been in love?

***
12. Why do you think scientists think the world will end in 2012?
13. Are dinosaurs real?
14. Did the world used to be all one big continent?
15. Who came up with language?
16. The alphabet?

Me: What is this, 40 questions??!!

Creative Genius

Student: Ms S--if you could be anything other than a Teacher what would you be?

Me: Maybe an artist?

Student: Can you draw?

Me: Nope. I like to create things.

Student: Like what?

...

Student: So if I gave you glue and scissors what would you make?

Me: A whole lot of nothing.

Student: The world was created out of nothing and you would have both glue and scissors!
Me: Yeah but I am not God.

Student: Where did the dinosaurs come from?

Forgot My Birthday

Student 1: Ms. S--you know what?
Me: Nope.
Student 1: Kids make fun of me. Wanna know why?

Me: Why?

Student 1: Because I forgot my birthday.

Me: You did?

Student 1: Yep. The teacher asked me when it was and I wasn't paying attention and then I forgot.

Student 2: So when is it?

Student 1: July 10.

Me: No, it's not--it's JUNE 10.

Student 1: Oh yeah. June 10.

Scissors!

Student 1: Ms. S--we only have THIS pair of scissors left??

Me: Well, yeah...that and the ones at my desk.

Student 1: Why?

Me: YOU KNOW WHY!

Student 1: Oh yeah--you threw them away!
Me: I sure did!
Student 2: Wait, why?
Student 1: Oh my goodness--have you not heard the story?? Ok, so _______________ decided that one day he wanted to scrape dog crap off his shoes in class and he used her scissors to do it. So then she threw what she thought were the right scissors away but then he came into class and said it was a different pair.
Student 2: Serious?
Me: Yeah. Awesome.

I am NOT a Science Teacher!

It was almost lunch when one student pipped up:

Student: We should do an experiment in class sometime.

Me: Oh really?

Student: Yeah.

Me: Like what? (I was thinking along the lines of the social experiments...)

Student: Like lava and explosions.

Me: Uh huh.

Student: Yeah it would be awesome!

Me: I am NOT a Science Teacher.

Student: Yeah, but it would be fun!

The Power of Peers

I have always heard the negative consequences of peers as mostly revolving around peer pressure and yet I am not so sure that that is all there is to the story.

Think of a football game--the stadium full of thousands of fans could almost explode at any moment with anticipation. The screaming, adoring crazies can't even seem to seat themselves for three straight hours and when they must leave their seat for that inevitable beer, they sprint down the stairs, tap their feet impatiently in line, and make a dash back up to their row. They can't wait to be back 'in it.'

Attending my very first professional game this year with my roommate I was amazed at the amount of energy, excitement, and gusto that exuded from almost every fan. What a great event to be a part of. Kara and I were privy to something so much bigger than either one of us or even both of us together.

What about exercising with a group of friends or celebrating someone's birthday? What about running a marathon with 10,000 people or brainstorming with one's colleagues for something really important?

So much better when you're together.

And so it is, I have found, with the group of middle schoolers that I see everyday. The week before Spring Break, two new students entered my class. They are brothers and I was curious to see how they would fair in this new environment, coming into it so late in the game. But within the hour, both boys were diligently doing their work, making small talk with other students, and telling funny stories.

I was so glad they wanted to share their stories with us (more on them another time).

Today was no exception. As I surveyed the classroom from behind my desk once again I saw these brothers cranking it while talking with their neighbors. I thought--now here is the power of a peer--not only are they discouraging their fellow classmates from acting up and pretending like they were in elementary school, but their work ethic is encouraging those around them to do what has been asked.

Thank the LORD for these two.
We'll see how it goes...

Spring Break

So the kids and I were off for the past 10 or so days. It was a wonderful and much-needed break from the craziness of school life. Not that I don't love them; I do, but even a wife needs a bit of time away from her husband even now and again...

We talked this morning about our Spring Breaks--what we did, what our favorite parts were, and if they were ready or not to return to school. I found this conversation with my twin 8th graders especially interesting...

Me: So, you guys went to Texas for break, huh?
Twin 1: Yep.
Twin 2: Nope.
Me: Wait, what?
Twin 1: Well I went.
Twin 2: And I didn't.
Me: How did that work?
Twin 1: Well, my sister, mom and I went and he stayed with dad.
Me: Oh (a bit confused). (To the other twin) Did you want to stay?
Twin 2: No. I wanted to go.
Twin 1: Yeah but there wasn't enough room in the van. There were already 8 of us.
Me: Uh huh. So how did you decide who would stay and who would go?
Twin 1: I just went.
Me: And you (other Twin) just stayed?
Twin 2: Yeah, it was just for the weekend.
Me: You went to Texas for a weekend??!!
Both Twins: Yep.
Twin 1: We went to visit my Grandma. She was too scared to come to visit us. So we went for the weekend.
Me: Well that was nice.
Twin 1: Yeah. And then we came back.
Twin 2: Yeah. And played football.

Clarification

Today I learned the difference between two very important terms, used often in Middle School, geek and nerd.

Nerd--A nerd is good and gets good grades.
Geek--A geek is bad but gets good grades. But, you must know that a geek can also be stupid. For example, he could get in a fight and get expelled. He can also get a spanking from his dad...

Who knew?

Invaded

Student A: Ms. S. What does invade mean?
Me: It means that a whole lot of people come into a place.
Student B: Yeah. They take it over.
Me: Yep.
Student C: Have you ever been invaded?
Me: Yep. By a whole bunch of Mexican kids.

I'm Mature

Within the first two minutes:

Student: Ms. S, can I borrow your marker?
Me: Yep.
Student: Guess what? I didn't write on myself yesterday.
Me: That's good, seeing that you are in 6th grade...
Student: Yep. I am mature. I am a man.

Check The Sewers!

Student: Ms. S, did you know that they sell rats at the pet store?
Me: Ew.
Student: Yeah. My brother was about to buy one.
Me: Seriously??
Student: Yeah. I was like, dude, don't BUY that--it's a rat!
Me: Good thinking.
Student: Yeah. I told him--you want a rat--go check the sewers.

2012

Nothing like talking about eschatology first thing in the morning.

Student: Ms. S, do you think the world will end in 2012?
Me: What do you think?
Student: I don't know.
Me: What makes you think that?
Student: Well a scientist said so.
Me: Gotcha. Well a lot of scientists and a lot of people have said that they knew when the world would end. What about 2000? Were they right? Did the world end? (Ha! Got 'em).
Student: Yeah good point.
Other student: Well, the world DID end for some poeople that year.

Duh, Ms. S

Funniest vocab word of the day for my first-grader:

Me: What's this word?
Student: (After a couple of adorable tries) Squeak.
Me: Very good. What squeaks?
Student: A duck.
Me: A DUCK?!
Student: Yeah. A toy duck. Especially if someone steps on it.
Me: Ha! Great point!
Student: Ms. S. Does a grasshopper squeak?
...

James Bond

Second-grade vocab words from today:

Fraud
Fond
Glee
Frantic

We took out our journals and began writing these words down until one student piped up:

Student: Ms. S. James Bond is a fraud.

The Choir Room

My classroom at the Middle School is directly above the Choir Room and boy is it a treat! Last semester all I heard was, "It's the climb..." I think they practiced that line alone about 100 times. Thank you Miley. Apparently this semester not only have they decided to move on from one song to several, but they've also decided to change it up, and change it up hard-core. The selection includes:

Friends are Friends Forever (Steve Green)
We are the World (MJ; newest edition; awesome)
Greece is the World (Greece)
Breaking Free (High School Musical)
All in this Together (HSM)
Some pep-band song I don't know the title or lyrics for

The even funnier thing is that my room at one of the Elementary Schools shares a wall with the music room. Can't tell you how many times I've heard "This land is my land, this land is your land..." Ok, not really...I don't know the songs they sing at the Elementary School these days, but it's brought back some pretty good memories...

Undefeated

Several of my students participate in sports--cross country, football, baseball, wrestling.

There's nothing quite like attending a middle school wrestling match of two of your students...Middle School Wrestling. Need I say more??

Today one student came in, showing me his medal. He was too proud:

Student: Ms. S. I'm undefeated!
Me: Oh yeah?
Student: Yup. 11-1.
Me: Awesome! So great! (What about the one loss?)
Student: Yup, I forget what losing feels like.

Dulces

Student: Ms. S, can we have some candy today. It's Friday.
Me: Well since it's Friday...sure.
Students: How much can we have?
Me: Three pieces.
Student: (Serious whinning) ONLY 3?
Me: How about we be thankful.
Student: Ok...(sigh) How about I am thankful.

We Wish We Were At The Beach

Go fish continues to amuse, even at the middle school level. Today two students created their own variation—1, 2, 3, flip, and whichever animal is stronger, more "beast" beats the other animal and takes the other card. He (or she) who has the most cards at the end, wins. Some good discussions arose today as a result:

Student: Ms. S, would a crab beat a turtle?
Me: I think so…
Student: Well, he could marry a lobster and then he would…

Student: Can you get gel out of jellyfishes?

Student: Ms. S. Can you get starfishes in Mexico?
Me: Yep.
Student: I KNEW IT! I am going to Mexico tomorrow!

Journal Entry: March 3, 2010

Today's journal:

Who should be paid more--a teacher, coach, or a professional athlete?

Of eight students, only one said a teacher. I could have framed his response. The others were all about the professional athletes. One student's explanation:

I think a professional athlete should because they work harder. All teachers do is yell at kids.

Encouragement Cards Part 3

Today began our testing--woo (50 second pause), hoo (another 50 second pause). As is the case for anyone, the kids were anything but thrilled to sit for hours and prove to the state that they know this equation or that, or that they can correctly form this thought or that.

Along with our ISTEP Pep Rally (yes, for real!), our school encouraged teachers to make encouragement cards for the kids. They were to be passed out right before the test began. I took this as an opportunity to bring out the big guns.

Here was one of my favorites:

(Caption: Tear it up!)

This afternoon I saw the recipient of this card.

Student: Ms. S. I got your card.
Me: You did?
Student: Yep.
Me: Awesome...
Student: And I tore it up!
Me: You did??
Student: Yep, I ripped it to pieces.
Me: Seriously?? (A little sad...)
Student: No, Ms. S. I tore up the test!
Me: You mean, you did well?
Student: (Groan...) Yes, Ms. S!