Most days I try to take a few minutes to read a fun book to the kids. Lately we've been reading Halloween books, and just yesterday we started the latest Junie B. Jones book, Junie B., First Grader: Boo...and I Mean It! So today I'm reading along and I look up to see two of my students sitting in the Indian Style-esque yoga position, hands resting palm-up on knees, thumbs and middle fingers touching, eyes closed. My first graders were meditating. I looked around to see that several more of them were doing it. They were as serious as I've ever seen them. One little boy even fell over backwards and just laid there with his eyes closed, hands still on his knees. I just about lost it. Once I started laughing, they were all trying to out-do each other with their yoga poses. One of them was even humming as he meditated. I don't know where on earth they got this from, but it sure did make my day much more enjoyable.
Another quick story: On Monday I was sitting at my desk grading some papers as the students were practicing their spelling words. One little boy (formerly known as Satan Junior) came up to me and said, "Miss Walker, me no speakee English." I said, "You can't speak English?" to which he responded, "Que?" I told him that if he can't speak English he can't be in my class, because we're an English speaking class, and he just kept saying, "Que? Que?" Finally I grabbed his hand and told him to come with me because we were going to have to take him to a bilingual class so that he can understand what's going on. Of course he didn't want that, so he gave up his fake Spanish monolingual status. As soon as he sat down, another little girl (the girl that started the yoga party today,) came up and said the exact same thing. I told her the same thing I told him, and she looked at me and said, "Taquito!" I couldn't stop laughing. Even when I've told the story to friends I've already been laughing so hard that I can't get the word out because I'm hearing her and seeing her say it in my head. Now, this probably wouldn't be quite so funny if you didn't know the girl- which none of you do- but ever since then, she keeps coming up to me like she has a question and she'll say, "Taquito!" I swear, it's been three days and she's still doing it!
Why "Taquito?" So random. It's moments like these that keep me from losing my sanity.
This Saturday’s Recipes by The Pioneer Woman
6 years ago
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3 comments:
Jennifer-
I'm sure your mom has told you this, but WRITE THESE THINGS DOWN !! You think you'll never forget them, but the mind becomes crowded - or in my case wanders off - and the details get away. These are some of the neatest stories and they will become family favorites. We have some that are still told from almost 30 years ago when Eddie and I started teaching. It's especially funny when you see that student all grown up in a few years, or find yourself teaching that child's child! We've all talked about compiling a book of the funny things that happen in our classes; you should be the one to finally do it.
I'm so glad there are people who can teach first graders. I'll grow and nurture them to that age, but give me a classroom of middle schoolers any day of the week. It takes a special person with special training to teach kindergarten and first grade. Hang in there.
Good stories! I'm glad you're able to have fun and laugh with your students.
so this is the closest I've ever come to forming tears from laughter. I can just see some little kids ignoring your story and doing yoga instead. Maybe they don't support halloween and were trying to meditate on good things instead of the raunchy things (halloween) you were bringing into the lesson that day
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