No Need For A Substitute!

Okay, y'all, I was astounded by a kindergartner recently! Our lesson was on listening, and we had just finished reading a story called Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen. Howard, a little white rabbit, had had a terrible, rotten, no good, very bad day. He'd gotten into trouble and danger 5 different times, all because he didn't listen to his teachers and friends. Just before Howard decided to change his ways, the book showed a double page of pictures summing up the problems of his day. There was a picture of Howard with his ears caught in a ceiling fan, one of him lying on the cafeteria floor after slipping on a banana peel, one of his alligator friend's snout wrapped up in Howard's yoyo, one of this same friend's dress splattered with paint, and one of Howard with a black eye. As I read this page to the class, a ginger haired little girl raised her hand. I said, "Whatcha need, Sweetie?" As cool as a cucumber, this child walked to the front of the class and said, "I think we could call these consequences." Then she proceeded to point to each picture and explain to her friends how each problem Howard had was a consequence of his poor listening skills! My eyes got as big as saucers and my jaw dropped, as we had not even mentioned the word "consequence"! I'm signing this girl up to substitute for me if I ever have to miss her class! By the way, her teacher, who was working in the back of the room, stopped what she was doing, looked at me, put her hand over her mouth, and cracked up silently!

Empathy Zinger

One day I taught a 2nd grade class a lesson on empathy. After our story was over, we were discussing ways that our world would be improved if everybody would put themselves in other people's shoes and treat them the way they'd want to be treated. Children said that we wouldn't have robbers and wars and bullies. We wouldn't have children having to go to the principal's office. We wouldn't have playground and bus issues. As a fitting end to the conversation, one freckle-faced girl with big blue eyes raised her hand, and in all innocent seriousness, said, "And Miss Mimi, we wouldn't need you!"

"It Was A Mistake"

Two of my end-of-the-year goals are to do a needs assessment and an evaluation of my guidance program with the students. Since they're very young, I just informally ask survey questions in class, and the children raise their hands to indicate yes or no. After I scan the room and get the total number for each survey item, I quickly announce the score, write it down, and move to the next question. Well yesterday, I did an evaluation of my program with some first graders. On each item, I'd have anywhere from 0 to 6 children who answered no, they didn't like something about guidance class. I'd say something such as, "39 to 3" after counting hands on each question. After class was over, we sang and danced to a song, which is how we end most classes. I noticed that a curly haired blond boy was standing about a foot away from me, not singing or dancing. He looked serious, so I figured he was was waiting to talk to me as the class dismissed. I asked, "Do you need me?", and he looked at me with big solemn eyes. "Miss Mimi, I made a mistake. I accidentally didn't raise my hand on some of your questions, but I really do like you and everything we do in guidance. I just made a mistake." I wouldn't have thought much about it, except for the fact that the child's chin was wobbling and his eyes were filling with tears. What I think happened is that he didn't raise his hand when I asked who liked guidance class and again when I asked if he thought I taught important things. Then I think he felt guilty, ashamed, or sorry, and possibly he thought he had hurt my feelings. Anyway, I reassured him that it was no big deal and that it wouldn't take but a second for me to change the scores by 1 vote. He threw his arms around my waist, dried his eyes, and went on back to class. Something about that encounter just tugged at my heart strings, because I think it took a lot of courage for him to come "confess" to me. What a sweetheart!

Future Actor?

                   

I have a new child on my caseload, and he's a scream! Each morning I go check on him, and today he had me laughing my head off. His teacher gives him a daily 1-10 behavior rating, and he's moved from a 3 to a consistent 8 in about 10 days, which I think is impressive! He has set a goal for himself to earn a 10, which is the highest score, even though I've told him that an 8 is fine. I said that I doubt I'd ever go above an 8 with my own behavior. Disagreeing, he held up two fists and started flashing all 10 fingers in the air. When I asked what he was doing, he said that he was giving me the score he thought my behavior deserved, and that it would take him a while because it would be a million. "That's absolutely not true," I said. "Just ask my husband. He'd give me a zero sometimes!" The curly-haired boy flashed a grin and said, "Yep, my sister would give me a -1. I'm all gross and rumpled when I wake up in the morning. My hair's all tangled up, and my breath smells horrible. When I get close to my sister, she says, 'Ooh, get away, get away!' and slaps her hand at me. She's 12 and she's such a fashionista!" The whole while he was telling this story, he was acting it out, going from demonstrating his squinty-eyed sleepy look to his sister's outraged hand-swatting to her diva look, complete with a model's pose. Needless to say, this second grader has personality plus, and I already look forward to our early morning check-ins. I also regret the fact that he wasn't referred to me sooner, as next year he'll be at our sister intermediate school. Some kids just bring an extra jolt of joy to my life!

Talented Twins

    As I got ready to hit the road for home this afternoon, I passed a little boy from our in-school daycare as he walked down the hall. "Miss Mimi, guess what! I can burp the alphabet!" Laughing, he entered the boys' restroom. As I continued on toward the exit doors, his identical twin brother rounded the corner. "Hey", I said. "Your brother says he can burp the alphabet." Grinning, the twin said, "Yep, he can!" "Can you do it, too?" I asked. "No," he said, "I can't even burp at all." Curious, I asked, "Well, will you try so I can see what he's talking about?" Lowering his chin toward his chest, the freckle-faced boy made a belching sound and simultaneously said, "A (belch) B (belch) C", and then cracked up. "Oh my goodness, that's quite a talent!" I said. "Maybe we should have Ms. Byrd (our principal) put your brother on the announcements tomorrow and let you show everybody!" Delighted, the child scampered into the restroom where I guess he told his brother to get ready to perform. What a happy way to leave the building on a rainy Wednesday, and what a unique melody to have stuck in my head all the way home!

All I Had To Wear

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a darling kindergarten boy who's in love with a little girl in his class. It's mutual, and one day recently he wore his "engagement outfit" to school to show his teachers. Later, the "bride's" mom told the teacher that she (the "fiancé" ) had selected the clothes her "groom" wore that day! The two families are friends and socialize together, which explains how the little girl had access to the little boy's wardrobe! Anyway, today I went to check on the blond-haired boy, which is something I do every morning. With his hands in his pockets, he confidently walked to the door to greet me, sporting khaki pants, a black and white-striped shirt (untucked, of course) and a caddy-wampus beige plaid clip-on tie. His athletic shoes were once again orange. With a serious tone of voice, he look at me with his blue eyes and said, "This is all I had to wear." Two things tickle me about this scenario. First, the little freckle-faced cutie surely didn't need to add a tie when he was down to the last outfit in his closet and on his way to kindergarten. And secondly, I taught his class an hour later and noticed that he had ditched the dress shirt and tie in favor of a plain gray t-shirt! Seriously, this child loves to entertain, and his teacher and I are  an appreciative and willing audience!