Shut Up

Whenever I hear a kid tell another kid to,"shut up," I try to reason with them:

I would get fired if I went around telling kids to, "shut up." If I can't say it, you FOR SURE can't say it.

If I hear a kid cursing, I ask them if they want to tell the curse word to their grandma over the phone. Usually, they decline. I tell them to only use words that they would use if their grandma was at school with them.

With a 13 month old...

...there are two modes:

Preventative maintenance.

or

Clean up.


My nieces' kid.

Middle School Advice

I always try to give the 5th graders some last minute advice before shipping them off to Middle School:

If you hang out with dogs, you may might get some fleas. Choose your friends wisely.

Peaceful Waves

I want to share this poem remembering the tsunami in Japan. It was written by a former student, Hadlea, who is going into 9th grade.


Peaceful Waves


The peaceful waves, they softly crash,
Who knew that they were yet to lash?
Upon the village, upon the shore,
Upon the sleeping city no more.
The giant tsunami with its wave of bricks,
Extinguishing all their candlewicks.
The daughters, delinquents and dads ran about,
Screaming aloud but who was to hear their shout?
No one, however, for they were all gone,
Awaiting the pearl gates at early dawn.
Although sadness fills the air,
And for many, sadness they cannot bear.
Poisonous fluids, gasses and more,
Flood their homes and businesses, straight to the core.
Just one candle, lit by their king,
Could blow their cities, villages, and everything.
Their homes, families and children live in fear,
For another quake that may be near.
Natural disasters happen again and again,
But the greatest help is from the volunteer men.
Hurricanes, tsunamis and much, much more,
Always affect those closest to the shore.
The peaceful waves, they softly crash,
Who knew that they were yet to lash.

Polite Pirate

With 2nd grade, I was playing a Drama game called "Through the Door" where one person is the director and they ask for a character to come through the door. Which ever kid is next in line has to walk through the door and say something as that character:

ZOE: Bring out the PIRATE!
ANNABELLE: Arr. I'm asking people to go on the plank.