Signs of the Times

Today during one of my small groups, I was having students find sight words with a pointer on a pre-printed phonics mat that we use during this time. The word "we" is one of their sight words and I asked them all to find it. All of them did except for one boy who looked at me very puzzled.

I asked, "Can you not find it?"

He said, "No, it's not on here."

I said, "Yes, it is, look at the top row, it's right there (and pointed at the word)."

He said, "That's not how you spell we....you spell it W-I-I."

At which point we had to have a brief lesson on the difference between the game console wii and the word we. Fun times.

The things kids argue about...

So it's been a little while since I posted last, so I will post a couple of quotes from the last few days. Last week, two students were arguing as they walked back to the classroom from the gym (they have to walk outside through a breezeway). When we went to find out what they were arguing about, one little boy said:

"Do you think God is offended when the weather smells like steak?"

Apparently they though the cafeteria cooking lunch smelled like steak (which is definitely wasn't) and the boy thought God was offended by the smell and the girl he was arguing with did not. I mean really, where do these kids think of this stuff?

Life Advice from a Kindergartner

So today during writing I was conferencing with a few students and out of the blue, one of the little girls asks me if the boy at the table is going to be my boyfriend. I laughed and said...

"Well, first of all, I think he's a really cool guy, but I think he's a little too young for me, and second of all, I have a husband, and I don't think he would be very about me having a boyfriend."

She said, "WHAT? You have a husband? (which I had told her at least 5 times before) Then where are your kids?"

I said, "Well I don't have any yet. I just have a husband, but I don't have kids."

She said, "Well, when are you going to start growing babies in your tummy? You need to do that before you get too old you know."

I just laughed and said, "I don't know. I think I will one day." In my head I was thinking, gee thanks kid . I'm already freaking out a little about turning 30 this year. I don't know if I needed that life advice from you!

She did what?

So, being in a Kindergarten classroom, you are sure to run into your share of tattle tales. Our class actually isn't too bad about it, but there are a few. Today during our math workshop, students were working at different stations. I was talking with a group of students at their station when one of our sometime tattle talers ran up to me and said,

"Mrs. Barnett, she took that name in bain!"

My first response, "Wait, what? What happened?"

His reply, "She took that name in BAIN!!!"

Still confused, I asked the girl he was talking about what she had said, and she replied, "I JUST said, Oh my gosh. It's really not a big deal."

He responds, "Nah uh, she said the G-o-d word NOT gosh."

At this point I realize he was trying to tell me she had "taken the Lord's name in vain, NOT some name in bain."

Oh what a joy that was to try to explain to one girl why that might bother other people and give her some other options and choices of what to say instead of that . Oh, everyday I am learning something new!!!

Wait...What happened exactly?

This morning I was a little nervous about the day's events...field trip, substitute teacher for the second day AND my first observation by my university professor all in the same day. So, it was nice to be greeted by one of my friends with a big hug when she arrived this morning. After the hug, she proceeded to look up to me and say:

"Mrs. Barnett, I need a band-aid NOW!"

I said, "Why, what happend?"

She said, "I got bit by something! I was bit by some kind of animal!"

I said, "What? What bit you?"

She said, "I think it was a gerbil."

I said, "Where did you get bit by a gerbil."

Her answer, "On my finger!"

I said, "No, not where did it bite you, but where were you when you when it bit you? And how did it happen?"

She said, "I was at my friend's house waiting on the bus. I wanted to pet it, but I think my hand smelled like meat or cheese or something, and it bit me!"

Sure enough when I checked there was a little bite mark on her finger that I assume came from a gerbil. Now I can officially say that I have treated my first gerbil bite!

It was just one of those days

So today was a little crazy. Nothing earth shattering, just all kinds of little things throughout the day. One of the things that happened did make me laugh a little (on the inside as to not embarrass my kindergarten friend it happened to).

So, we finally got out to recess, which is usually a time I take a little bit of a deep breath, and all the kids do too. Its good for all of us. Well, we had not been out there even 2 minutes and one of my friends came up and yelled...

"Mrs. Barnett! Mrs. Barnett. _____ (name left out to protect my little friend :-)) has something gross all over her!"

So, I walk over, not all that concerned thinking she has a little dirt on her knee or something, and I walk up to find her back, from her neck to the back of her knees COVERED in mud. It seems she had been playing on the ledge that goes around the playground, slipped and busted it in a huge mud puddle. So, we had to take the long way out around the playground (so her friends wouldn't see her) to go back in and get her change of clothes out of her backpack. On our way back, I was asking her what happened and if it had been a good idea to play where she had been playing and she said....

"Well, I learned something. Don't ever play like you're walking the tight rope next to a mudpuddle!"

I think there's probably some wisdom in there somewhere!

Melt My Heart

So, there is a little friend in my class who has stolen my heart this semester. This morning she brought me a sweet little valentine snowglobe. On the way to lunch after talking about hearts and being each other's valentine in class, she looked up to me and said...

"Mrs. Barnett, My heart is in my chest, and my heart is beeping for you."

Melt my heart :-)