English, Tennessee!

Since this is the first week I've taught kindergarten guidance classes, I don't know the children at all. Our school has around 100 ELL children this year, which means they're learning the English language. Well, in one class today, I noticed that two little boys weren't focusing or responding to my requests. Thinking that maybe they didn't understand English very well, and knowing that the teacher wasn't in the room to give me information on the students, I asked the class, "Is there anybody in here that doesn't speak English?" I asked with respect, figuring that the kids would let me know if they had a friend who needed help in this regard. Obviously this wasn't the wisest question I've ever asked, because a slew of hands flew up. "I speak English! Me too! I know English!" As I shook my head and laughed at myself for asking, an adorable blond "Dennis the Menace" looking little boy raised his hand and waited to be called on. With all earnestness, he said, "I speak English. I REALLY speak English.  I was born in English, Tennessee."  My intern and I looked at each other and discreetly cracked up!