Goodbye school, hello motherhood

This is the first year since I was five years old that I am not going to school this fall, as a student or a teacher. (Elementary school, middle and high school, college, substitute teaching, and finally teaching third grade for 10 years.) I can't quite articulate my feelings about that. I don't think I ever fully processed the end of that season of my life. Last spring was a whirlwind of teaching from home and then giving birth to my son a month before his due date. 

Sometimes I smile at how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time. Like when I see three pacifiers on my nightstand. Or when I consider it an accomplishment to shower. Or when I wonder what I was thinking to try to do a couple loads of laundry AND cook supper, all in one day. Or when a smile brings tears to my eyes. 

Now hearing about teachers preparing for another school year makes me miss it and almost wish I was going back. But I have the very best reason to stay at home. 

While in some ways I mourn the end of a season, I am also reveling in this new season. While part of me feels sad, I also choose to be present and to enjoy God's many blessings in this moment. Will I someday be a full-time teacher again? I don't know, and I'm thankful that I don't know what the future holds. If I knew, I would probably worry with dread or eagerly anticipate the future, both of which would cause me to miss out on the present season, which is a gift. 

For fun, I will leave you with some student stories that, in the craziness of the past couple years, I never shared. 

Words said to me, by a student: 

“I brought my lunch to school, but it’s not here.” 

Words said by me, to students: 

“Whoever is quacking, stop.” 

“Why did you bring a latex glove to school?” (This was before pandemic days. Now, that probably wouldn't be such a weird question!)

Student responses to the question "What problem do you have?" on a workbook page. (Again, pre-pandemic days, and I told them it could be a big or small problem.)

    I don’t like vegetables. 

    I have to set the table. 

    In the summer my parents said I have to read some days. 

    I sweat when I am nervous.

Same question, this time after distance learning had begun: 

    This coronavirus started up all of a sudden. I let it just do what it did and was thankful I got time with my family. 

Soon after the school year began, I asked them to share the hardest part of school: 

    Math is surprisingly hard this year.

    Having to get up early

    No swimming

    Definitely math

One day during science, we read that all living things reproduce. One student raised her hand and stated, “Technically only ladies have babies.” I replied, “It takes both males and females to reproduce,” and immediately regretted it and wondered what can of worms I had just opened and what kinds of emails I would be getting from parents that night. Another dear student raised his hand, and I was amused and relieved that instead of a question, he simply said, “That’s usually true. Except for some forms of algae…”

Finally, some similes about moms:

My mom is as nice as soft spread butter. 

My mom is as nice as a dolphin. 

My mom is as a nice as a pillow. 

My mom is as caring as a hug.

My mom is as busy as a business lady.

My mom is as helpful as a seeing eye dog.

My mom is as caring as a tree.

My mom is as busy as school.

My mom is as helpful as a pack of sled dogs.

My mom is as smart as turkey.

My mom is as smart as a smartphone.

My mom is as helpful as rain to the garden.

My mom is as nice as pie.

My mom is as nice as my grandma.

My mom is as funny as my dad. 

Boy, I sure will miss my third graders! 

Predictions, name suggestions, and blue pens

These are exciting times in my third grade classroom. A couple months ago I played a special game of hangman with my students.

Last week we looked at Old Wives' Tales to predict whether I was going to have a boy or girl. Fifteen students predicted a girl; ten predicted a boy; one predicted girl + boy.

I also asked for name suggestions, for both genders. My husband and I realized as we looked through the names that most third graders probably can't think of names outside of people they know. Four students suggested their own names. At least seven suggested a classmate's name. Many suggested siblings' or parents' names. One even suggested my name. And then there were five Graces, three Gracies, four Hopes, three Carters (which happens to be my  nephew's name), and three Bobs. There were a few creative standouts: Willie and Jase (Duck Dynasty fan, perhaps?) and Whon (creative spelling of Juan, I believe).

My husband and I found out the gender on Friday, so today the students broke a piñata to reveal the gender.

One blue pen slipped out and soon the boys were chanting, "It's a boy!"
It's fun to share this time with a class of 8-and 9-year old kiddos!

Eureka, the Trinity, and broken stopwatches

We're already almost a quarter of the way through the school year, and I just realized I haven't written any blog posts!

My current group of kids is full of life, energy, questions, and information!

One day I wrote "Eureka!" on the board in preparation for our social studies lesson. (In Greek, eureka means "I have found it.") Before we even began social studies, one boy raised his hand and asked, "Why did you write, 'I found it,' in Greek on the board?"

Typing this reminds me of questions that were asked while practicing Bible memory.
    "What are those curved lines there for?" (She meant the parentheses.)
    "Why are there three quotation marks?"
    "If Jesus died on earth, how could God be in heaven at the same time if Jesus is God?"
(This launched us into a discussion of the Trinity.... mainly, me inadequately trying to explain what I myself can't really comprehend.)

One boy proudly showed me his dead praying mantis that he found while at recess. He thought we could use it for a science experiment. I suggested he could stop waving it in my face, put it safely in a plastic bag, and take it home for his own science experiment.

Another boy was slightly appalled that I threw out a cheap stopwatch just because it wasn't working, and probably all it needed was a new battery. Since I got the stopwatch for free, I wasn't about to spend money on a battery, so I agreeably dug it out of the trashcan and gave it to him to take home. The next school day, he appeared at my desk proudly showing me a working stopwatch. He only had to fix two wires that were disconnected and buy a new battery. Since then, I've often seen him wearing it around his neck. I think he's also testing it to see how long the battery lasts. Now I see it's tucked safely in his desk.

Needless to say, my class sure is keeping me on my toes!

My mom is as pretty as a pony...

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and we've been preparing all week.

The students completed similes to write a simile poem about their moms. These are some of my favorites. (Despite what you may think, none of these were written with any hint of sarcasm.)

My mom is as… 

Busy as a teacher

Caring as a chicken

Nice as a party hat 

Smart as the smartest person in the world

Nice as Niagra Falls

Pretty as a pony

Smart as a cell phone

Nice as an eraser

Smart as a cashier

Helpful as a wheelchair

Smart as a man

Nice as Miss Abby (our classroom aide)

Busy as a roadside worker 

Happy Mother's Day! 

Tall tale

 A few weeks ago, we read a tall tale from our reading books. The students were then asked to write their own tall tales. This one was too good not to share with you. (I promise I did not change a thing except spelling, so you can easily read it. )

Once there was a lovely lady named Ashley. She was beautiful! She lived in Montana. But she had a huge problem. Every boy who saw her fainted because she was so pretty. And she wanted it to stop so she flew up into the sky and let herself fall to the ground. And she was very ugly but she was not hurt! She walked down the road pleased with herself. And every boy she saw said, “Ew!” Except for a boy named Oliver he was a handsome young man. And he fell in love with her because he didn’t care how she looked he cared about her heart. And they lived happily ever after! 

Have peace together

It's that time again... Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and therefore time for my students to write about their dreams after reading about and listening to King's dream. I hope you enjoy the hopeful, fresh, and innocent perspectives of my third graders as much as I do.

I would like to be an office person.  

I want to be an electrician because my dad is… I also want to ride horses. I will have to learn how to work with wires and horses.  

I have a dream of becoming an ocenogrfer. I will explore the depths. And I will discover plants and animals. Some will have never been discovered befour. I canNot wait.  

I would like to become a writer when I am sixteen. 

(A tiny piece of a long daydream revolving around horses): So I will take my horses to the beach and I will get on the horse and we will go in the shallow part of the water and ride and after that we will go home and me and the horses will drink lemonade and then we will go to the field and lay in the grass and have fun… (and she continues for two full pages.) 

I want to be a teacher because I love school. Even though I don’t like some things about school like math, science, and writing I still want to be a teacher.  

I want to be a football player. I don’t care which team I’m on I just want to be able to play football. But if posibol I want to play with the Eagles!  

I have a dream that all my sisters and brothers will get along. (She meant that quite literally.)

(In the true spirit of MLK): I would like to make this earth to have peace together. 

Merry Christmas!

Today was the last school day before Christmas break, and I like to show my love and appreciation for my students by giving each of them a small gift. Usually I secretly keep the gifts hidden away until I’m ready to surprise the students in the last few minutes of school. But I got to thinking that the anticipation of opening a gift is almost as good as the gift itself, so I tried something new this year. I set all 28 presents on a pile in the front of the classroom. I was not disappointed by the anticipatory looks and comments from kids who were pretty sure the presents were for them, but not 100% sure. With wide eyes full of glee, they exclaimed and inquired:
“Presents!”
“What are those?” (while pointing at the pile).
“Why are there so many presents?”
“When are we opening presents? First thing, or in the middle, or at the end?”

Earlier this week I asked students to write about Christmas. These were some of their responses: 

“One of my grandma’s rooms is fool fool of presents.” 

“I know some people who have fake Christmas trees. What’s the point?”

“My favorite part of Christmas is opening gifts and eating candy and sledding.”

“The best gift to my mom was a loving hug.”

“My favorite thing about Christmas is opening gifts. I will relax and wake up late and open gifts.”

“The best thing I ever got was a Leapfrog it’s like a tablet but teaches you stuff (almost).”

“My favorite part of the Christmas season is that it snows.”

“The best gift I ever got was Jesus Christ the Lord.” 

“The best gift I ever gave to someone is my love.”

“The best gift I ever gave was a book I gave to my sister that I wanted to keep for myself.”

Well I don't know about you, but I also will be relaxing, waking up late, opening gifts, giving loving hugs, and eating candy. (No sledding, though.) Merry Christmas!