The Year 2066

That is the year that some of our 5th graders will turn 70. When the 5th graders figured out the year they will turn 70, one of the kids said, "Wow! 2066! There will propably be flying cars!" I remember thinking that about the year 2000 when I was a kid.

Some of the kids I am teaching were born AFTER 911. Some of these kids are awesome, but some of them are, like, wow. I just don't know.

I still believe that the future is bright. Even the worst class at my school has a majority of well behaved kids in it--it's just that the ill-behaved kids are way louder than the others.

The kids who do have it together are REALLY smart. I am so impressed with the way some of these kids think.

Imagine what kind of humor and creativity comes out of a 10 year old who grew up in a world where "The Simpsons" is on every day after school. When I was 10, I propably wouldn't have even understood most of the jokes on that show. Although, I can't complain about getting to watch the Buggsbunny Roadrunner Show--that was the BEST TV SHOW EVER!!!

Your Brain is a Butler

I was talking to the kids about CONCENTRATION. I told them that concentration is when you are thinking attentivly. I taught the word "attend" by using the example of a butler.

A butler will attend to your every need. He will wash your socks, fix your food, get you toys--what ever you need, he will do. I told them that when you concentrate, you brain is like a butler to whatever you are concentrating on.

Martin (1st grade) said, "I have a butler--my mom and dad--they cook for me!"

I also told them that they can be butlers for their teacher. I know their parents told them to do whatever their teacher tells them to do, so in a sense they are butlers for their teacher. I also told them that their teacher will never tell them to wash her socks!

I DID NOT TAPE HIM DOWN!

Just for the record--C.J. (kindergartener) was NOT taped to his seat!

However, C.J. was having trouble staying in his seat and I WANTED to tape him to it. I decided to take a chance. I know C.J.'s mom and I hoped she would approve of what I did, but I want to make it clear that he was NOT taped to his seat. I laid a piece of tape across C.J.'s lap and told him to imagine that he was taped to his seat. The deal was, If my class ended and he was still "taped down" then he would recieve a sticker. C.J. was very excited to try it.

He succeded.

I would like to take full credit for this idea, but I actually heard about it a long time ago when I was training to be a teacher. I heard that you can do the same thing with a piece of string if you are worried about being sued, but like I said, "I DID NOT TAPE HIM DOWN!!!!!!"

A Good Leader

This morning I saw Hannah (3rd grade) tying a kindergartener's shoe. Then, I saw her walking with her to make sure she made it o.k. to the cafeteria. Next, I saw her sitting with the kid at breakfast. Then later at breakfast, I was cleaning up a mess near where they were sitting and Hannah offered me her napkin to help clean up the mess.

I told all of this to a group of 5th graders as an example of leadership. I want them to be leaders for the younger kids at our school. One of the 5th grade girls remembered that when she was in kindergarten, she was lost and a 4th grader helped her find her class. She says that she never forgets that time. I asked her if she knew the 4th graders’ name and she didn't. It made me so proud of that kid--even though I didn't know who it was--I knew that it had to be one of my students at that time. I almost cried--but that doesn't make me a sissy--just a sensitive tough guy, right?

I Learned to Drive in Kindergarten

I am trying to teach the kindergarteners to walk in line. I compare it to when their parents are driving:


What happens if someone cuts in front of your mom in traffic? Does she honk at them? Sometimes. Does she say, "I'll show them!" and ram her car into theirs? NO! You have to be like that in line. You can't just shove another kid outta line just because they cut in front of you! You have to "honk" at them. Tell them, "Please don't cut in front of me."

Sometimes when your mom honks at people, they are rude to her. Sometimes when you tell a kid not to cut in front of you, they will be rude to you. You will learn that there are rude people all over the world, there's not much you can do about that. The rude people will learn their lesson the hard way. Someday they will be rude to their boss and get fired, or they will be rude to a policeman and get in trouble. You can teach them a lesson in kindness. If a kid sticks his tongue out at you, you just smile and wave at them.

At this point Jalen raises his hand, "If someone honks at my mom, she gives them the fanger!"

That's Gotta Hurt!

I walked into the classroom after all of the kids had entered the room. Joseph, a third grader, was doubled up on the floor with his hands around his mid-section. I asked him what was wrong and his response was, "He kicked me in my journals!"