The Poem of a Child..

On the poetry vein, in 3rd grade right now we are doing a poetry unit. Yesterday we were working on free verse and a student of mine asked if she could share her poem with me. It went a little something like this:

On Christmas Eve
We eat Mexican Food
On Christmas Eve
We sit around
On Christmas Eve
We eat Mexican Food
'Cause on Christmas Eve there's not a lot to do

When you're a Jew!

Funny Story

So, the students were doing an assignment today, and as I made my way around to correct them, I noticed that Jesse had written "farther" instead of "further." So I tried to correct him and the conversation went like this:

Mrs. Young: "Jesse, you mean further, not farther."

Jesse: "What?"

Mrs. Young: "You wrote farther, but it should say further."

Jesse: "So, F-A-R-T-H-E-R??"

Mrs. Young: "No, F-U!"

(Jesse didn't even bat an eye!)

Funny Student Story

Do you remember being in elementary school school and there is a Heather K. and a Heather R. in your class or Jed P. and a Jed A.?

Well, it happens almost every year that there is a large number of kids in my class with the same name. One year I had 4 Taylors--2 boys and 2 girls. Then another year, I had 3 Austins. This year there are 4 named Alex and 2 named Alec in 3rd grade!! (Couldn't these parents be a little more creative when choosing their names?!? --maybe they were all really be fans of Family Ties, right Morgan!) So, during roll call, they were asked what they would like to go by this year to differentiate them.

"Do you have a nick name or something else you'd like to be called since we have some many with the same name?" We've established the names they will go by when a little guy--who is very shy, quiet and serious, raises his had and says while trying not to look embarrassed:

Billy: "I have a nickname."
Teacher:"Oh yeah, what is it?"
Billy: "The Big Bomber"

Population of Egypt

So, today we are working on our country reports and I get to Seth's, who is doing Egypt, and he has listed for the population:
"First there were 76 people, then there were 117, and now there are 421."

I am thinking to myself....hmmm...I wonder where he came up with this. Was he looking under ancient civilizations or something???

Then I say, hey Seth, let's look in your book to make sure this is accuarte. We turn to the quick facts page and sure enough...the population of Egypt is 76,117,421. I almost cried laughing! He thought he was pretty funny too. But logically, he had remembered learning that commas are used in a list, so the numbers must have been listed in the order of population changes!

**Note: He had also listed "I Rock" as a neighboring country.**

Meet Pig Pen...

Meet my student Jesse. Seriously, he is the real Pig Pen. Each day, the kids bring in their homework for me to check. There has not been a single day that Jesse has brought in his homework without some sort of food stuck to it, or wadded up like a piece of garbage, or soaking wet from who-knows-what. He often forgets to put his name on his paper, but that is no problem, because identifying it a cinch! Great kid, just a bit of a piggy. The nice thing is, my school creates a pretty accepting environment, and he is not viewed as "the stinky kid" or "the dirty kid." They all just like eachother for whatever they bring to the table. Maybe we could each take a lesson from the kiddos!

Funny Student Story

I have always thought I should keep some sort of journal about the funny things my students do and say, so here is the first entry....

....a couple of days ago, I was standing in the hallway talking to a parent when her son, Benny, walked up.

He freezes and says, "oh my gosh...who is wearing Satsuma?" (The lotion I had just put on!!) Mind you, Benny is in 4th grade.

I was like, "oh, that's me."

Benny responds with, "Don't you love it, Mrs. Young? I have the same kind. Have you ever been to Larchmont Beauty Supply?? Because you would love it. They have the best scents and you can even create your own!!"

This wasn't totally out of character for Benny considering he is the only boy in the after school Jazz class and is usually seen on the yard braiding the girls' hair, but even most girls at that age don't recognize such smells and things! What a funny kid! :)