Flashback Friday

I decided that although many wonderful and must-be-told tales arise from the marker-fumed haze of my classroom there are some delightful moments that just deserve to be shared again. Hence the title Flashback Friday. I mostly picked Friday because it was the only day of the week that provided the much needed alliteration for such an awesome trip back through time.

I would like to point out that I DO KNOW that today is Thursday ... but not for long. Unless you are a night owl and your life is so boring you are stalking ME right now then it will be Friday by the time you read this (or later ...).

This shnazzy (I see you red squiggle but this is a word ... I used it in my youth) little gem dates back to my first year in the trenches ... I mean classroom ... no, I mean the trenches. I was teaching writing and had started a quick mini lesson on what to do if we cannot spell a word. Believe it or not I would have kids break down in tears if they could not spell a word on their own. TEARS!! You can't tie your own shoes or button your own pants and spelling is your biggest concern?! But alas my constant pleas to sound it out and do their best were a failure. So in this lesson, that I so thoughtfully prepared, I modeled what to do when coming across a dreaded unknown word. Here's how it panned out -

As I was writing a sentence I stopped and pretended not know how to spell a word.

Me: "Oh no! I don't know how to spell this word."

Student: "WHAT?! You a grown woman."

First off - thank you for noticing. Second - maybe I should have started looking into acting as a career. I mean I did just convince a 6 year-old that I couldn't spell. That's rare talent right there. A diamond in the rough!

Future Dermatologist??

Ah - the first story. There will never be another like it .... Really there won't be. I have yet to experience the same event twice in the classroom. Although that does not stop me from pondering ways to better react to the situation. You know like those "Pick Your Own Ending" books. Problem is ... I don't think this book has an end. I'm living my very own NeverEnding Story (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088323/) minus the creepy yet cuddly dog/dragon.

Right - story time.

Once a month my school counselor comes in and teaches guidance lessons to the kiddos. This particular lesson was about using nice words and not making people feel bad. He started the lesson by displaying a big smiley happy face (named Mr. Smiley oddly enough). He explained that Mr. Smiley was very happy but when people say mean things it hurts him on the inside. He had the kids say mean things to Mr. Smiley and as they did he crumpled the paper up. Then he explained that saying nice things helps Mr. Smiley feel better. The kids proceeded to say nice things to Mr. Smiley as the counselor uncrumpled (yup - just made up a word) the paper. He further explained that Mr. Smiley felt better but wasn't the same. One student commented that he was no longer smooth. Trying to incorporate the word smooth into the lesson the following situation occurred:

Counselor: What can we do to make people feel smooth?

Student: LOTION!!

After a moment of great laughter from all the counselor rephrased his question to "What can we do to make people feel smooth on the inside?"

Just another day in paradise!

Never thought I would join the blogging world. Also never thought I would become a teacher. Nevertheless - here I am .... blogging about teaching.

My whole life I wanted to become a veterinarian but I figured teaching was pretty close (and it required WAY less science classes). Really the only differences are that my "patients" can talk and I get paid far less. The bonus of teaching though is that I encounter situations that I could NEVER fabricate even in my wildest dreams. J.K Rowling would kill for story starters from my room. Often times I find myself saying "Really? That just happened!?" or thinking "Why did I spend five years obtaining a degree to work with small, wild, children?".

However the FACT is that every day I wake up I choose to go teach boogery, needy, unpredictable yet absolutely adorable kiddos instead of selling oranges off the freeway off ramps. And with that choice comes quotes and stories a plenty.