Follies from the classroom

As I teacher I encounter many funny moments. Students say and do the funniest things. I have said for years that I would love to write a book. A student said something today that cracked me up, so I thought I would share a couple of my favorite "follies" from the past month or two.

-Today in my afterschool class one of my second graders was whining that he didn't want to do his math. I explained to him that by doing his work he was making his brain grow by building dendrites. He looked at me with a serious face and said "But I don't want to be Ivan Einstein" ( I don't think he has to worry - at least for the moment.)

- Last month a teacher friend of mine was discussing Martin Luther King. She told the students that they didn't have to come to school on Monday because we were celebrating someone. She asked the students if anyone knew who they were celebrating. One very enthusiastic student raised her hand eager to share. "I know she says - Don King". ( well uh.... no)

- A couple of weeks ago I was meeting with a student one on one. Out of the blue she tells me with excitement - Mrs. Swaine, you smell like my friend . ( I didn't even want to touch this one but simply said, oh really?) Yeah, she said and she thought for a moment. I think you smell like peppermint and puppies. ( I guess this is a compliment coming from an 8 year old)

- We recently got a new first grade teacher who is Japanese - her name is Mrs. Hokonohara. We made some changes with students because of the new teacher. I asked the students to tell me the name of their "homeroom" teacher ( just so I could confirm - we have 200 first graders and it is hard to keep up with everyone). One student very proudly told me that his teachers name is Mrs. Kokonomoro.( well, good try)

and finally... one of my favorites from last year.

- We have a very culturally diverse school .We have students from just about everywhere in the world. The 5th graders have to take a physical fitness test in the spring. The teacher was having them fill in their own bubble sheets. One of the questions was about ethnicity. Many of the students were not quite sure what to mark. One student has a mother from Ethiopia and a father from Poland. She asked "what do I mark?" the teacher told her to mark whatever she wanted but suggested she mark "African American". The students best friend chimes up ( who is totally Caucasian) and says - my mom is from South Africa and my father is from Ireland,does that mean that I am African American too? ( good point)