{how far to heaven?}

foot. pound. mile. cup. teaspoon. centimeter.

in math my students and i were exploring measurement. why do we have to measure things? how do we measure things? what is human error?

to incorporate the holiday season, we set off across the classroom measuring in gingerbread men. yes, that's right, gingerbread men. students colored and decorated gingerbread men cut outs and began on a list of measuring chairs, desks, book shelves, doors, and walls. i asked each student to measure one additional item of their choice. as students shared their findings, some shared the height of a friend or the length of the white board...

as i asked for any final sharers, one little fella in the front row shot up his hand in excitement.

me: "and what did you measure?"

little fella: "how many gingerbread men do you think it would take to get to heaven? that's what i'm going to measure."

me (all smiles): "oh, and how are you going to measure that?"

little fella (very, very serious): "i guess when i float up to heaven i'll just take it with me and measure while i'm on my way up! gee, that's going to take a lot of gingerbread men."


so adorable. really, where do i get these kids.

{kids say the darndest things}

"out of office due to illness." 

i frequently keep in contact with several parents in my classroom by e-mail and phone. this is the instant reply i got back from one parent's e-mail after sending an e-mail updating her about how things were going in the classroom... "out of office due to illness." 

as her kiddo came in the classroom i asked him if his mom was feeling better, the conversation went a little like this:

kiddo:  "kinda. she's been sick for a few days."

me:  "oh, does she have the flu?"

kiddo:  "no, she has pneumonia and marijuana."

me: "she has marijuana!?! i don't think so..."

kiddo: "yeah. she does. i'm sure she does."


i didn't press him with more questions because i knew he was pretty sure of himself, but i giggled inside.
later that day, i shot his mom another e-mail, telling her the little rumor her angel was spreading.  she relied back with a "WWWWwwwwwhHHHHHAHAAAAATTTT!?!!?!?!"  and told me that she didn't know if she should be hysterically laughing or horrified.  both, i think, would be an appropriate reaction :)

oh, kids.  they say the darndest things, even when they don't mean to. 

{stories from room 3/4}

life would be SO GRAND if everyone just burst out into song and dance periodically.  (seriously, how joyful would that be!?  answer: COMPLETELY.)  well, it just so happens that my dream isn't so far fetched.  my cherubs FREQUENTLY BURST out in to song (see previous post!) and BUST out dance moves (yes, ALL in unison!).  we're like the miniature high school musical. it's quite remarkable.  and i'm not sure how they do it!  as their teacher, i ALWAYS want to join in and and create a spectacular dance party (i mean, we're learning about action verbs... i could totally make a lesson out of that... kinestetic learning at its best!  it could be SO educational!)  however,  i resist my urge to throw up my hands and dish out my 'hawk in the sky'... you know, trying to keep my professional appearance.  but really... nine year old boys singing taylor swift and bobbing up and down like oomp-loompas... clearly, all the ingredients for a solid dance party. 

my kids are gold.  although sometimes challenging, sometimes stressful, and sometimes sweaty and stinky, but they are so, so sweet.  they make me smile so much.

so here's a story that a mom passed down to me today... precious.

i live across from the grocery store.  not exactly across... more like in the relative area.  being a small town, several of my students know where my hide out is from 5pm-7am.  in fact, a few of the neighboring kiddos have waved me down to say hello or to ask for help with their assignments.  lucky for them, they are adorable, and i can't resist. 

so on goes the story... one of my little ones was firmly believed that i lived across from the grocery store.  what is across from the grocery store?  a hotel.  when he drove pass the accommodations, he would always point out to his parents, "oh, that's where my teacher lives!"  

he's parents were a little skeptical, and during a conference asked how my living situation was.  i told them that i loved it!  they were somewhat complexed and started to ask me how i cooked things.  after i explained that i was living in an apartment, they started to chuckle and said that they had pictured me living in a hotel hovered over a hot pot every night trying to make supper. 

oh, these kids are cute.  it makes me wonder what other stories have come out of room 3/4...

{when you're happy and you know it, clap your hands}

what do you do when fifteen children simultaneously burst out in song?  now, this is something i should be used to... i mean, i've worked at a summer camp for four years and i am known to hum a little "great big moose", "boy and a girl in a little canoe" or "your mama don't where no socks" from time to time.  but this was nothing like i've ever experienced!  strange, bizarre, beautiful, and fabulousness all at the same time :) 

as i was giving my children the run down of the day's schedule, i was explaining this prayer card i was going to pass out that had different bible verses to look up when you are ..."sad or if you are happy..." that's when the kids jumped in...  "AND YOU KNOW IT CLAP YOUR HANDS!"  they continued with this rendition for several, what seemed like minutes!  while i, stunned and complexed waved my arms to try to quiet them down but was so struck with the joyfulness that i couldn't help but smile, laugh... and well... clap!  yes, i'd have to say that i'm happy and i know it. 

{pants on fire}

so, i may have fibbed a little to my small friends... (i know what you're thinking... and who works at a catholic school?)  but before you start shaking your head and giving me the "tisk, tisk. shame on you"  face, let me just say, it was ALL for the sake of learning! 

here's my story:  i had planned a FABULOUS, if i do say so myself, lesson on cause and effect.  it was complete with an excellent read aloud picture book that supported the cause (and effect... ha!), partner problem solving activities, higher order thinking questions, and included some rockin' guided learning modeling too.  FABULOUS.  as i introduced the lesson i needed something epic that my small friends could totally relate to and that would stick to the sole of their shoes.  answer: puppies.  no kid can resist puppies. 
WALLAH!  so came the fib:  "this weekend when i was visiting my best friend i left my shoes out by the front door and her puppy chewed up my shoes.  beCAUSE i left my shoes out the puppy chewed them up.  cause and effect, anyone?"  you should have seen those hands shoot up.  (insert angel choir here.)   teacher's dream.  the munchkins nailed it.  before we could move on however, the story (of my best friend who does NOT have a dog)  started to unravel. 

lovely child number one, "oh, so is that why you are wearing different shoes today?"  (what?  boy friend, you've memorized my shoe collection?)

yours truly:  "oh, no... he chewed up my tennis shoes."  i busted out, trying to move on.   

lovely child number two, "oh no!  not your nice tennis shoes that you wore for the marathon!?"  (dude.  why are these children paying attention to my feet?) 

yours truly:  "hum... no, it was an older pair."  (okay... are we finished?!)

third lovely child, "what kind of dog was it?" 

(okay... i can't stop now!!) "she just got it.  it's an adorable black lab." 

all of the children at once: "oh... one time our dog..."

hum.  you're probably thinking-- why didn't you just tell the truth?  they probably would have still grasped the concept and you could have just moved on with the lesson.  that's where you are wrong.  it's all about the magic, people. to them, it was real-- they made a connection-- they got it (and came up with hundreds of other cause and effect examples that included their pets, i might add)! i bet if you ask any of my kiddos for an example of cause and effect they'll bring you back to the scene of that gosh darn cute black lab that chewed on my old pair of tennis shoes.  it's all in the presentation that learning occurs, people.   

as for this liar, liar... i suppose it's a good thing my class is heading to confession tomorrow... because my pants are on fire. 

{so... you want me to run?}

today was the best. day.  ever.  EVER.  it was our school marathon day where my little athletes and i set out for a day of walking, running, skipping, and... well, complaining of feet aches. as we ventured out to the camping area out of town, i was a little skeptical of how i would survive my kiddos would keep up.  but it was WONDERFUL.  not only did i get to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, but i got to participate in hilarious kid discussions including puppy pimples (i don't even know..), retirement, and halloween decorations, AND i witnessed my fourth grade boys singing and dancing to taylor swift, children practicing math facts-- willingly!, and kiddos with hot coco mustaches (some were more like beards!)  my 15 kiddos and i reached a stellar combined miles of 205.  SUCH ROCK STARS.  i've never seen my crew work so hard.  i am SO proud. 

oh, and i didn't even get to the BEST PART-- i got to wear sweat pants to work!  (YAHOO!)

{raise that roof}

i am well known for my (fabulous? amazing? epic? sometimes dangerous?) hand motions.  i'm not sure when this characteristic of mine came about (maybe from all those church songs! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfrqAqShfQ), but i've always felt the need to "show" people with my hands by painting.. or motioning an image with my flailing arms. if you watch closely, i can't sit still (yes, even in church!) i'm always toe tapping, finger wiggling, body rocking, or fidgeting.  which is probably why i relate to kids so well (because they can't sit still either!)

my kids too are realizing my over use of fabulous hand motions...

student:  ms. s, why do you always do this? (raising the roof) And this? (throwing and waving hands up in the air)

i didn't have the heart to tell her that the second is used as a venting exercise, which means i am probably screaming in my head and on the verge of wanting to tear my hair out... so i went with this more catholic school appropriate answer: "oh! it means i'm praising God."  (which is sometimes true :) )

humm... and what did i find my little rascals doing the next day... rasin' the roof.

{ready, set, GROW!}

my kiddos and i have been working on a germination experiment for some time now... how long?  oh, FOUR WEEKS!  after getting my kids all excited about being scientists, making hypothesises, and doing experiments our first attempt FAILED miserably, and i must confess-- i saw it coming!  we used very sad looking seeds that seemed to already hit their expiration date.  so, i talked to the kids about "what happens when an experiment fails"... try, try again!  this time, using seeds that seemed a little more promising from my mother.  monday rolls around, and do you know what i find??? MOLDY SEEDS!  shoot!!!
some of my little friends have confronted me about the disaster... and i keep saying, "oh, maybe they need more water?" 
so tomorrow i'm going to prepare for this little confession:  i can't make plants grow... seriously!! several of my good  friends can tell you that i've killed a cactus or two (to which they said, "gee!  you're less nurturing than a desert!" hummm... thanks, friends.)  but this lady has been cursed with the opposite of a green thumb (black finger? brown pinkie? if we're talking color wheel, then red toe!) 

all i have to say is thank goodness i don't have to grow my own food :)

p.s. favorite quote from the day: child eating hamburger:  "oh no...ms. s, my onion ate my cheese!!"

{we all drool on our pillows sometimes}

i adore elementary kids.  a) they love giving hugs and b) they love making you homemade presents.  hence, why i love this tiny second grader.  i see this kiddo two times a week for computer class.  she doesn't always follow directions, but she sure has a cheerful smile.  among the chaos at the end of today, a little hand holding a handmade card waved in front of my face.  i took the card and the hug that came with it as the giver scurried away to her classroom.  as i opened the card, what did i find?  a portrait of myself in a field of flowers.  precious.  she also included a little sticker... "we all drool on our pillows sometimes."  how could you not smile!  yes, we all drool on our pillows sometimes, but fortunately, it's usually dry by morning :)  thanks for the reminder!   

{will you play solitaire with me?}

sometimes i just roll my eyes and laugh inside.  oh, children: the little aliens that are so mischievous... yet, are so darn cute that you don't mind.  which brings me to my next story-- we (the teachers)  have been TRAPPED inside with the kids for TWO recesses.  do you know what happens when kids aren't able to run wild and free?  they turn into monkeys, sharks, and emus (shout out for my camp people-- holla!).  any YES, a combined species.  (PICTURE IT-- that combo is fierce... did you put that baby into a mental picture, yet?  UFTAH!)   these are the days that teachers have the urge to  "call in sick"  or schedule doctors appointments but resist because they are professions who love their job (most of the time)....   you may be unaware, but teachers not only double as nurses, physiologists, counselors, mothers, yes- zookeepers, janitors, cheerleaders, and detectives (a few of our many roles) but one of our overlooked gifts is rhw role of a meteorologists.  we can tell you when a storm is coming DAYS in advance.  how?  the way our children act-- no lie, ask any teacher and they'll agree.  Anyways, on with the story... as I'm trying to camouflage myself from my little friends (who by now have become natural disasters), one little guy who is playing lego's notices that my spirit-o-meter would be much higher if i was taking part in the festivities.  he walks over to me...

child: "do you know how to play solitaire?" 
me: (where is he going with this?  does he not notice this book i'm holding up to escape from this juggle?)  "yes, i do!  it's a fun game!"
child:  "do you want to play solitaire with me?"
me: (i tilt my head and smile.. hum?)  "isn't solitaire a one person game?" 
child:  "oh, yeah."  (as he scampers off to play lego's with his friends )

i can't figure out how the little ones who make you want to tear your hair out are the same little ones that make you smile the most and keep you coming back day after day.  it must be the "alien" in them :)

{jiminy cricket}

are those cheers i hear?  applause?  sounds of fireworks??  perhaps it is just my imagination, however, I HAVE SURVIVED MY FIRST WEEK OF TEACHING!!  (and i think that deserves some fireworks!) the week started off great-- my kids are great and the staff are great and my school is great! smiles all around :)

of course, i have some characters in my class... my little ones always seem to give me a chuckle :)

see example a:   i have one little einstein (and yes, i'll refer to him as little einstein) who is like a little mad scientist-- he has the wide eyes and chin scratching to a T!.  today, while on his trip to the bathroom he found a cricket in the hall.  and like any eight year old, he decided to bring the little cricket back to class.  of course, little E\einstein is not the kind of kid who would hide it in his desk or put it in his pocket for safe keeping... as he entered to a moderately quiet classroom of mathematicians, little einstein proudly announced, "look what i have!!!" and if you work with children you know that "show and tell" trumps any work that is in progress.  so, as the students did their "ooohhhs" and "awwwhhhs" a few of my students thought "this would be the perfect pet!"  "what type of food do critckets eat?"  "do you have a tank where we could store him?"  since no math could be done with a cricket bouncing around the room, i did some quick thinking and grabbed a bottle from our science experiments and put the fella in it.  as any teacher would know, you can't set the little bugger out for all to see.  so, i hid it behind a stack of books so that it wouldn't be a distraction.... as i grabbed my purse and my room keys, i caught a glimpse of the little container with the cricket.  oh, little einstein.  as i released the bugger back into mother nature, i just couldn't help but think...  what a lucky star i've wished on to get these kiddos all year long :)

{back to school}

with a week of workshops under my belt and a solid two days of lesson planning, i think i'm ready for the lights, cameras... i mean, kids. the room is more or less in order and i have a general plan... and if things start to crumble, i have hours and hours of camp songs in the back pocket (thank you cyc!)

school starts... MONDAY!!! i know, i too would like to know who decided to stuff a bunch of kids into a non air conditioned building during the heat of the summer... luckily, the first week of school is my favorite-- the children still have halos and nothing compares to the first use of a crayon or the factory smell of a new text book. mmmmm... back to school. even after 17 years, the thrill still remains!

{the start}

there has been an excessive amount of fist pumping and roof raising lately... i know what you're thinking, "from the queen of hand motions? i expect nothing less!" however, the EXCESSIVE-- meaning between every word i type, no joke!-- is in celebration because THIS GIRL HAS GOT A JOB!!! that's right! i am a fully-employed-real-grown-up-with-a-job!! WHOOP WHOOP! although the initial excitement has not worn off (will it ever?) my sleeping patterns are finally back to normal after a week of 3am list making and classroom planning (yes, i admit it- i was THAT excited!) :) I am thrilled to be on this new adventure and just waiting until my heart EXPLODES of excitement!

so raise those kiddy cocktails and not-so-much kiddy cocktails—here’s to a year full of joys, triumphs, and… finding a place to live. may our adventures be happy and our love like the capital of Ireland…. always Dublin.