Pay Your Bills Mr. Principal!

Yesterday we had a power outage that lasted almost an hour.  It happened right in the middle of lunch and of course the kids were all acting a little wild. I had just dismissed my 2nd grade class to lunch, so I went to stand out in the halls since my library has no outside windows and it is completely dark in there without lights on.  Kindergarten was walking back in from recess and one of the boys at the end of the line turned around and told me "Mr. Principal must have forgotten to pay the bill, that's why we ain't got no lights on." 

Identity Crisis

Apparently without my knowledge the school I work for has replaced the librarian from last year with an entirely different person this year. 

About two years ago I went through a phase where I was trying new things with my hair.  I let it grow out really long.  I highlighted it with blond streaks, which really lightened it (I have naturally medium brown hair.)  Then I went completely blond.  Well, I'm not good at maintenance, so I dyed it back to my natural hair color so I wouldn't have to have it colored so often.  I then had it cut into a short bob and dyed it dark brown to cover the grays I'm starting to notice.  The last change occurred last December, almost a year ago.  Since then I have not changed my cut or color.  Well during all those changes the kids would always make a big deal out of it and want to know what I did.  I tried to just ignore them and pretend everything was the same.  I mean really, do I need 500 kids giving me their opinion on my hair choices? 

Well back to this year.  I have not changed anything since last December, so all the kids who had me last year have seen this hair style and color since before last Christmas.  Today I learned from a 1st grade teacher that she has had to convince one of her students that I was the same library teacher as last year.  She kept asking her teacher what happened to Mrs. Honey and who was this new lady with the same name.  She has apparently been very worried and has asked several teachers if they knew what was wrong with Mrs. Honey and where she went.

So now I'm not even sure who I am anymore. 

I think I'll dye my hair red next week! 

Boys will be boys

This comment was overheard while lining up 5th graders to leave my classroom.  Friday was the day before a Pee Wee football on Saturday morning, so all my 4th and 5th grade boys who are on the team were wearing their football jerseys to school that day.  Two of my football playing 5th graders were lined up next to each other. 

Boy 1 to Boy 2:  "Tommy, you smell good" 

I tried so hard not to laugh as I asked him what he just said.  

Sabotage

I wish that parents knew all the ways that they sabotage teachers.  First of all, don't always assume the teacher is wrong and that your child is being picked on.  It amazing how that story changes from the moment it happens, till they get home to you.  Also give teachers a break,  some parents can't manage their own 2 kids, yet think we should be able to manage 25 with no mistakes.  Hey we lose stuff too and sometimes we just forget.  I have never met a teacher who was out to get a kid.  Don't bad mouth your child's teacher in front of them and then wonder why your child is in trouble for disrespecting the teacher.   


And finally, what started me on this post in the first place, if your child is one of the worst students in the school and has severe behavior problems along with a healthy does of ADHD,  do NOT and I repeat DO NOT send him to school first thing in the morning with a 32oz bottle of MT. DEW!  Are you really surprised that your kid didn't make it to lunch before he was suspended, again?  Wasn't today his first day back from a 3-day suspension for all the stuff he pulled last week?  Um, yes it was.   

Do you get the question?

My lesson for 2nd grade this week is about library manners.  For example, don't run, talk quietly, put books back in the proper place etc.  The kids had a page to color with examples of different library behaviors and they had to color the good behaviors.  On the back of their paper I told them to write two ways they could be polite to others in the library.  Pretty simple question, right?  Wrong!  Half the answers I got back said "Be Polite to Others in the Library."  What!  That was the question.  After the first student gave me that answer, I tried to explain that I wanted ways they could be polite to others.  What do the next three kids answer?  The EXACT same answer as before.   Do they not get it, or were they just not listening?

How Many Hermit Crabs Do You Have ?

Apparently today was the day to one-up the librarian.  I was showing my hermit crabs to kindergarten and reading them a few books about hermit crabs.  I have 2 hermit crabs and I gave them a bath and let the kids look at them and watch them crawl around.  Suddenly one student was telling me about his hermit crabs.  Then the next kid had to tell me about his 7 hermit crabs, then the next kid wanted to tell me about ALL 10 of his hermit crabs.  Suddenly my two just looked sad and lonely. 

And don't even get me started on the kid who cried and screamed when I brought the cage out.  I thought he was going to make a run for the door!

An Apple A Day

I had a first today!  A student actually brought me an apple.  It was the sweetest thing ever.  I love kids!

Spleen Facing Out Please

One of my lessons that I teach every year is the parts of a book. We always go over the cover and spine first. Today in third grade when I asked what we call the part of the book is on the outside and along the back one boy said it was the spleen.

So if you put a book back on the shelf please make sure it's right side up with the spleen facing out. Thank you!