ADORBZ Friday

I'm a bit less postive (new word!) these days as my teaching partner is out for a month due to health issues (I miss her already) and I thus have a bit less time to jot down what these little things are saying. Today had a couple of good ones, though.

I was trying to teach our Writer's Workshop and the kids kept getting me off track by asking strange personal questions. We're working on historical fiction (yeah, great) and so they kept asking me if there was electricity when I was born . . .and then if Kentucky has electricity . . .and then when I came to this country . . .so it was all off-topic, but things I felt like I had to clear up. But I went on a tangent for a bit when I felt a tapping on my shoulder. Emily had gotten up, gone to our daily schedule chart, taken the "Writer's Workshop" card and walked it to me, pointing.

I got back on track.

Later, one kid was asking for hints on a name for his main character. After a few of my suggestions didn't work, sweet little Danelcy said a word I never expected to be so adorable: "Scumbag."

She learns quickly

At the end of the last writing unit, Emily told me she'd write her next piece about me. So today they're gathering ideas for personal essays. I teased her about me not being in any of her ideas so far. She laughed and said, "Your Eggo."

"My ego?"

"Yes. Your ego!" She then laughed and started writing. When I came back around, one of her ideas was "Mr. Rice is annoying."

Delicious

Apparently this is the morning for treats for Mr. Rice. Roland approached me early this morning with a song and dance about how his sister is wanting to go to prom later this year, but it's expensive. So he's helping her by selling Rice Krispy Treats. It seems quasi-legal at best, but I love Rice Krispy treats so I'll allow it.

And Emily comes in and gives me and my partner each an apple. Old school, yo!

And the cycle begins anew . . .

The 2010-2011 school year has begun today. I have a new class and a new teaching partner. I've moved back down a grade, to 4th. I loved my kids last year, but 5th is an age group I'd sooner avoid. You may have noticed fewer posts as the year went on . . .I had to spend too much time maintaining order in the chaotic world of pre-pubescent awakening.

So my new class is younger and far more innocent (so far at least). In fact, they seem kind of immature. It's only the first day, of course, so things will improve. It's just quite a leap.

But never fear, even with only part of the class showing up (the New York Department of Education had the brilliant idea of starting school the day before a two-day holiday/four-day weekend), I've already run into some characters. Emily is an adorable go-getter, very bright and very willing to answer questions. She's been the first, so far, to get my jokes. Isaiah is going to be a funny one, I can tell.

And then there's Roland. Very smart, honestly, kind of a nerdy kid. For example, I was doing a read aloud from the book NERDS, about nerdy kids who are secretly special agents. In the prologue you meet the adult spy, a sort of American James Bond, who was recently sidelined do to "the accident." A cane is in his lap. I asked for ideas on what that was about and answers were mostly things like "Maybe he fell down the steps," or "He might have twisted his ankle." That wasn't good enough for good old Roland. His theory?

"Perhaps an enemy constructed some sort of device that crippled his leg."

I like him already.