I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it: I love teaching third graders. They have a unique blend of honesty and a desire to please their teachers. I've had - and overheard - quite a few interesting conversations this year.
Usually math class is not their favorite, but after having a math class with various multiplication activities:
"Can we do this every day for math?"
"This is the only time we hope math class isn't soon over."
Two boys entering the classroom one morning:
"I want to be an astronaut so I can go to Mars."
...and then commenced the debate about whether or not there is life on Mars.
Me to a student who had for no reason taken his shoes off: "Why are your shoes off?"
Student: "It's much better."
One student talking about an invention he hoped to make one day:
"You put the baby in the machine and it comes out crystal clean."
One boy found a key outside his house and thought he'd put up a poster for the missing key:
"People do it for dogs, why not keys?"
Student, to me, at the beginning of math class: "When are we going to start division?"
Me: "Today!"
*Loud gasps*
Me to the class: "Does anyone know anything about Shelly?" [who was absent]
Student: "I know she's alive... she has hair."
One boy, after being in the last row called to choose a birthday treat: “Oh well… We probably won’t get what we want, but life is life and sometimes it’s not fun.”
Student: “I think it would be appropriate to take this [donut] to art class.”
Me: “No, I do not think it would be.”
Student: “Oh… Well, everyone has an opinion.”
Same student, another time: “Eating is joyful. I like eating. It gives me joy.”
Billy, while we were waiting for him to finish putting things away and pray for lunch: “Faster, Billy, faster.”
One day I called on a boy to give an answer during class and noticed that he had thick, black streaks under both eyes (think baseball player). They were not there when he arrived at school, but with difficulty I ignored it, kept a straight face, and continued the lesson as he looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. Later I talked to him (the why is still a mystery) and asked him to clean it off. The rest of the day he walked around looking quite sickly.
Excerpts from students' writing about their grandparents:
"Grandmas are for giving gifts and for letting us do almost whatever we want."
"My grandma is the best and one whole clump of love."
"Grandpas are for playing. They act like kids when you’re playing."
