I Gotta Blog

Yesterday was one of those days in kindergarten that reminds me, "I need to blog a whole lot more... this stuff is good."

While on recess duty yesterday, I had two children come up to me to report that a little boy in the first grade had flipped them off. This did not surprise me. This child has some special challenges... and he's always getting himself into trouble. Despite this fact, he is really a super cute kid. I called him over to talk to him about it and he denied it, of course, in front of his witnesses. So, instead we talked about what it means to use kind words and how we show kindness through our actions. At this point, I asked him, "So, can you promise me that you will never do it again?"
"Yeah, I promise." He then went to make a pinky promise, only to accidentally flip off the teacher. The best part was, he looked down at his hand, saw what he had done, and looked up in total shock and bewilderment, honestly wondering, "How did that get there?"
I didn't take offense, but I'm pretty sure that verified the fact that he was guilty! He then used his other hand to manipulate his fingers correctly for a pinky promise and assured me he would never do it again. :)

During the middle of our math lesson, I let one of my students, Byron go to use the restroom. The bathroom for the kindergarten is at the back side of our coat closet, and the wall between the classroom and the bathroom apparently isn't that thick. As I was attempting to teach, all of my students looked over at the wall to listen to what was apparently a five year old boy, serenading his class,

"My name is Byron! My name is Byron!
And I'm a boy! Yeah I'm a boy!
And I'm five ! I'm five!"

Yeah... I kind of had to remind him that we use quiet voices in the bathroom... I don't think he ever knew we could hear every word.

Rick... oh how do you say your name?

We're getting a house, and we had our offer accepted! When that happened, Nathan called the school, and they used the intercom to tell me. I answered with a big "Woo hoo!" When my kids asked me about it, I told them that their teacher was buying a house so that now she'll have a place to live when she gets married.

"Does that mean we call you Mrs. Molar now?"

For some reason, my students don't quite get how this whole marriage/change your name thing works. I am often asked this question... when I got engaged, when Nathan comes to visit, and when we decide to buy a house. And even more than that, they can't say Mulder... I'm going to be called after a large tooth for a large portion of my life. And my initials will be ARM. *sigh*

Even better than that though is that the name is Dutch, and my grandma knows how to say it and I can't. That's right... as of June 18th, my "I know how to say my own name" skills will be gone. Gone! It really is a big blow to your confidence when you realize you can't pronounce your own name.

That's okay, Rick can't say it either. :)

Communicating.... is.... hard

At parent teacher conferences a few weeks ago, I was asked by a parent, "could you please send home a reminder next time there is a day off of school? This last Friday, I had no idea there wasn't any school."

I thought this was an interesting comment, but tried to be kind in my response...

"Did you get this newsletter that I sent home at the beginning of the month?"
"Yes, I did get that."
"Okay, well, if you look right here under the announcements, you'll see that I have listed any days that we do not have school that month, including the day last week. Also, there's a calendar on the back of the newsletter that also marks those days. I always send this home each month, so keep an eye out for that. If you miss that though, I also put it on the homework. Did you get Kayla's homework last week?"
"Yes, I always read through her homework."
"Well, it's was written there to remind you to return the homework earlier this week. Also, have you gotten the school newsletter?"
"Yes, I did get that."
"They also put a list of important dates in the school newsletter. In fact, the school also sent home a neon pink note last week reminding the parents about the days off of school."
"I don't think I got that."
"Okay, well it's also listed on the marquee in front of the school, and if all else fails, the school calendar that was sent home at the beginning of the year is also on the school website, and I also have our kindergarten calendar on our class website that has all of the dates listed on there."

"I don't have the internet."

Immediately I wondered, "But can you read?" and then realized that this is probably my fault. Maybe I should have sent something home. :)

Shhh...

I have a student from SLCC that comes to teach a lesson in my class every now and then. When she's teaching, I usually sit among my students to help them remember to behave (proximity is everything). This last time, while reminding one of my sprawling children to sit up, I was reminded by one of my kindergartners, (one that is constantly... as in 15 thousand times a day... having to be reminded to pay attention.) "Miss Parrish, Shhhh... We gotta be quiet!"

Rick-ochet is Stylin!

Rick has his own sense of style. Either that, or he might have possibly forgotten his church shoes when going to Syracuse to watch conference with my family. That's okay though, since it seems that the style is infectious. To be sure that he didn't feel left out, Roo and Tim joined in by wearing their tenny's too. We could write a book about this... Tennis shoes among the Brethren...

The House

We're buying a house! I never expected to own my own home so soon, but it's happening! Nathan and I are in the process of closing on our very first home! Nathan will move in first, and then I will move in when we're married in June. June 18th to be exact....

We're so excited!

It's true. I really am becoming a real person. I've graduated from college. I've gone on a mission. I have a real job. I'm getting married. I'm buying a house. I once asked a friend, "How does it feel to be real? Does it hit all at once, or is it like the Velveteen Rabbit?" Well, I think Real really is like the Velveteen rabbit. Sometimes it hurts, and sometimes it's hard... and sometimes it's just plain wonderful!

And right now... I guess I'll just enjoy the fact that things seem to be working out right now. And it's wonderful!

Working... on something

In kindergarten, there is a half hour set aside every day for something we call "workshop time." This is a special time where the teacher takes some children aside for small group instruction, and the other children sit quietly at their desks to work on seatwork and other games/activities to reinforce the things that they are learning.

Well, that's the idea anyway. We're still working on the quietly... and the sitting... and the working...and the learning too. In other words, we're a work in progress.

A few weeks ago, my friend Max, blessed child that he is, sat quietly at workshop time, coloring his work, and glancing occasionally at his teacher out of the corner of his eye. Convinced that I was not watching, he then leapt out of his chair and pretended to karate chop/fight/attack some unknown, imaginary being. Finishing his fight, he glanced back at me, jumped back into his chair, and pretended to work again. This happened a few minutes later... and a few minutes later, until finally I called out, "Max! Sit down!"

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be in a five year old's brain again?