Emptyknitster

Last Friday my students were using ipads to reinforce their math skills. Sadly I was two ipads short and so, quickly going to solution, I asked the two students go to the computers and log onto my school website so they could play some math games. I didn't hear all the conversation at a nearby table but the final comment was, "Yes she used to be a teacher." Did they think that anyone having so much fun with them this year couldn't be a teacher OR did they somehow know I was going to turn in my retirement papers today!!!? YEA!! You read right - I'm retiring!

  The kiddos at school have said and done some things that have made me chuckle this year: 1. I was wearing my Born oxfords one day at school. They aren't the height of fashion or even close, but they are comfortable shoes for someone who's on their feet all day. Tristan, one of my third graders, walked up to me, looked down at my shoes and said, "My grandpa has shoes just like those." ("Kids," I thought.) "Oh," I said. "No, I mean JUST like them." Out the door he trotted, and to the store I went! When I told the young salesclerk why I was there buying new shoes, she was slightly offended. "Since I'm on my feet all day at work I wear them!"  Just saying, from the mouths of babes - it's a bitch getting old honey! 2. Shortly after Christmas a parent came into a fellow teacher's classroom. Unaware that he was interrupting a math class he wished everyone in the class a Happy New Year and hoped that all w...

I recently celebrated a birthday and received several surprises at school. One little girl brought a card and I was touched at how carefully it had been picked out. When you pull the kitten out it meows the song Happy Birthday. As I was admiring it she quietly said."And look at the basket that you pulled it out of,  I know how you like balls of yarn." Oh, in one short month she's got me all figured out! I also received a potholder from a little guy that worked all weekend on my late birthday gift! How thoughtful! He said at least five times during the day."I hope you liked the potholder I made you." He was so proud!

I've had early morning recess duty this week. It's like riding herd on cats - impossible! While doing my best to get 150 kiddos into the building after the bell, one of my little boys caught up and began walking with me. He said, "I smoked some weed yesterday." "Damn! Now I've got to call DFS. My whole day has changed in an instant!" I thought. Take a breath and get some details - DFS always wants detail, lots of details.... "You did this yesterday??" "Yes, my friend and I got into trouble. We started this fire in a grill and there were lots of weeds in it and there was a big fire and lots of smoke!" Whew, another bullet dodged!

I've only had my third graders for a week and a half but I've fallen in love! It's been a few years since I've had little third graders. For the last several years they have been 8 years old going on 16! Last week I wore a dress three times and Friday when I wore pants one of the little darling girls told me, "You didn't wear a dress today. You look like a princess when you do." I'm wearing a dress tomorrow!

Over the last few weeks the kiddos at school have come up with some interesting comments. This year I have the last of four little Holidays. Five years ago I had the oldest in the family, the next year the second sibling. We skipped a year then last year the third arrived at my door, and finally the last Holiday arrived this fall. Recently the youngest Holiday came to school with bright red marker all over her face, hands, arms and even in her hair. I asked what her parents had said. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes and replied, "They said that Mrs. G. sure wasn't going to be happy when she saw me." Evidently, I must be the force to be reckoned with in that family! I had a Professional Development meeting one morning and so I was out in the hall when a fifth grader I had taught a couple of years ago was walking slowly down the hall. When I saw this young man moving so slowly I put my arm around him and said, "Let's hurry to your classroom so you wo...

A year ago, when the blog began, I decided that there would be no whining! Mom always said,"If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all!" The blog has been quiet for almost a month. Today, I'm breaking my own rule. The wind has been blowing for weeks - up to 60 mile an hour gusts. Our roof is damaged, but thank goodness hubby is handy! It's no fun going out and trying to do a little gardening when you can hardly stand up. Then, the wind died down but this is what I woke up to this morning...  May 6th, 2010 At school, it's spring - everyone is getting "fed up" - including the kiddos! One little guy came to me this week and asked, "Just what process do I have to go through to get out of this class?" There's 20 days left buddy! "Pass third grade and I'll let you go to a new class in fourth grade!" When I got home today this is what I found peaking out.... Just maybe, things are looking up! 

When I was a very young girl, and there were only black and white tvs, there was a man named Art Linkletter who had a variety show during the day called "House Party". My mom would often watch it and I remember enjoying the section called, Kids Say the Darndest Things.  Because I'm a teacher I often get a chuckle at school over the things I'm told. The latest story reminded me of Mr. Linkletter and his kids. This week a boy in my class was relaying to me the sad death of his friend's dog as we were going to lunch: "Mrs. G. my friend's dog died a few days ago. He had two dogs, Sunny and Joan. Sunny died and they took it to the vet. They disintegrated him...." The little guy was struggling here, using his hands to show me the small size that Sunny had shrunk to, and saying the word disintegrate over and over looking up at me not quite sure I was understanding the information he was relaying to me. I put a two and two together and gently said, ...