I must teach at Hogwarts

So, we have a student who has fallen in love with the Harry Potter series; enough so that Harrison quickly changed to Harry (with a lightening bolt above the a) which progressed to Harry Potter rather rappidly as well. This student has been known to write Harry Potter as his name on his paper and most recently came to school with a lightening bolt drawn on his forehead from the night before.

This students' love for the books has created a love for it among his friends. Thus today at recess they played "Harry Potter". The best part of this game is that as they run around with un-sharpened pencils (wands) we get to hear some wonderful things get yelled at each other, here are a few ...

"Just be Voldemort, someone has to!""Expelliarmus!" or "Expelisimus" (pronunciation is a problem)"You have to speak British, it's what they speak in the movies."

... being Harry Potter fans ourselves the 2nd grade teacher and I decided to join in on the fun. We decided we can dress in all black and pretend to be dementors when they get too close ( too bad they don't know their patronus charm yet).  I also decided to use my "Wingardium Leviosa" charm on a few of them and proceeded to watch them "float" up the play structures. 

... later in the day we decided that  "Petrificus Totalus" could come in handy in the classroom, just imagine students who can't talk or move but can hear everything you say :D

The Cheetah Game

So, recently my students have started to play a game that I can name nothing other than "The Cheetah Game". During this game the students run around growling and snarling and they pretend to claw one another, there are even hunters that the cheetahs try to "take down" So there are often cheetahs and hunters laying in the grass "playing dead" ... now this is by far the strangest game I have watched my students play but today this game once again got my attention as I heard something new ... while one student is chasing after another cheetah that I later learned to be her "sister" she yelled "Don't run away from me! I don't bite!" then she stopped in her tracks and yelled "Well, not that often!" and continued running after her "sister".

I am so glad that my students can help me stay entertained and alert during recess when I would really like to take a nap

"Well, I Guess You're Cooler Than I Thought!"

Aren't those the words that we just love to hear from children! The student who said this is famous for talking without thinking, for instance "It feels like you've had to much to drink at a wine party". So, when this came out of his mouth yesterday I was not the least bit surprised but what did surprise me is what made me cool ...

G- "Miss E do you know how to roller skate?" (completely off topic ... as always)
Me - "Yes I do, I even own a pair of roller blades."
G- "You do? Can we see them sometime."
N- "Well, I guess you're cooler than I thought."
Me- "Thank you. Now lets get back to work."

What makes you nice

This week was my schools' book fair and while standing around watching families shop the mother of a 4 year old cam up to me and said
Mom- "You're Miss E right?"
Miss E- "Yes, I am."
Mom- "My daughter thinks your are the nicest teacher in the school!"
Miss E- "Really?! Well, my class does love doing art with them on Fridays."
Mom- "Well, she came home and said "Mom, she is tall and has yellow hair ... plus it curly!" So in her mind that made you nice."
Both of us laugh

... I guess being tall with blonde curly hair is the key to niceness

"Like Being Drunk at a Wine Part" part 2

The same student who thinks the spinning thing make him feel like he was drunk at a wine party and had too much said the following to female student at recess recently

D- gets off of spinney thing and walks toward teachers and says "Whoa! I feel funny."
N- "Do you feel drunk?"
D- (funniest face ever being made at N) "No! Are you Crazy?"

... holding in laughter is so hard sometimes

3rd grade concerns

So, I babysit for a family that has a child with a severe disability that can impair his judgment and anger control. One school night I was babysitting and this child had anger control problems and the night ended with me holding the child and tying to sooth the child while the child kicked and hit at me for about an hour. Needless to say I was exhausted (but not hurt) that night and the next morning at school. Knowing that my very observant students would notice that something was wrong I told them an brief version of what happened and the were very concerned about why the child was not able to control anger. (They were also concerned about me but as soon as I told them I wasn't hurt they were more concerned about how a kid could have a problem that severe with anger control)

 ... so that is the preface to the adorable concern I got this weekOn Friday we were sitting, waiting for everyone to get to the right page in their workbooks and a student looks at me and says

A- Miss E did you babysit last night?
Me- No, Why?
A- You just seem tired today.
Me- Well I don't feel tired.
N- (blurts out) I don't think you seem tired, just chill

... it helps that N is the same student that thinks the spinning things makes you feel drunk

First signs of love

G- "What do you eat for dinner?"
Miss E- "Whatever I end up cooking."
G- "You mean your mom doesn't come and cook for you every night?"
Miss E- "No, I don't live with my mom."
G-"You mean you live alone! I never want to live alone!"
A- "Don't you have any friends you can live with?"
Miss E- "Yes I have friends but they are married or they don't live near me."
G & A- "Well you need new friends or a husband so you don't have to live alone."

... I'll take it as love and not that my kids think I'm pathetic