Friday, September 26, 2008

The Number 8

MR. BOWERS: (While teaching a first grader how to identify numbers) See, Oswaldo, you can remember the number 8 because of the way it looks--see, it looks like someone who "ate" too much! Get it? Eight ate too much.
OSWALDO: Yes.
MR. BOWERS: Ok, now, what number is this again?
OSWALDO: 8
MR. BOWERS: And why is it the number 8?
OSWALDO: Because he's fat.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Concentration

MR. BOWERS: Ok, class, now that you know what concentration is, give me some examples of when people concentrate.
ELIJAH: When people are trying to raise the dead.
MR. BOWERS: Um, yeah, I guess they would have to concentrate to do that. All right, what else?

Friday, September 12, 2008

Waspseses

Every day at recess, I see Seiei standing on the blacktop and not playing.  I found out that he is afraid of wasps and he saw one out on the playground and now he is afraid to play.  I have tried offering to play with him and walk out there with him--nothing works.  Yesterday he started freaking out about Hurricane Ike so I told him, "Seiei, no, the hurricane is good--It will kill all the wasps!"

Friday, September 05, 2008

Don't Be The Guy at the Bar

Oren (4th grade) has had trouble behaving at our school forever. Today I may have had a breakthrough with him:

MR. BOWERS: Oren, do you play video games?
OREN: Yeah, I'm playin' Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
MR. BOWERS: Oh, I already finished that game. Are you having any trouble finishing any of the missions?
OREN: I can't get past the part where you break into that Snoop guy's house. I keep getting shot by the guy at the bar.
MR. BOWERS: I know what you mean. That part used to make me so mad until I figured it out. You have to use the "R3" button and your guy will crouch down and then you can crawl right past him--he won't see you. Anyway, you know how frustrating it is when you can't get past a level in the game and you have to keep trying over and over?
OREN: Yeah.
MR. BOWERS: Well, that's how frustrated I get when you won't let me teach in the classroom. I feel like you are that guy in the bar who is not letting me pass. You don't want to be that guy, do you?
OREN: No.

Now, I hope I don't get a call from Oren's mom because I was teaching him tips for playing Grand Theft Auto. Hey, his mom shouldn't let him play that game anyway!