Hey everyone......It's been a busy week for me as I've spent the past few days subbing 3rd and 4th graders. I've mentioned before that I've been substitute teaching at the boys' school for the past year. I love it. I wrote about it here earlier in the year. So, what I adore most about it is when I find myself saying things like this......
"So, exactly what part of the math worksheet required you to glue your hand to the side of your face?"
You just don't find yourself spouting out gems like that in normal everyday conversation.
Or, yesterday when I had to tell my third grade class that although I know they think they are being helpful, I do not want to hear "any more unsolicited advice" from them. Because what usually happens is it starts out with one well meaning, yet talkative student, who is frantically waving his arm, dying to help out with a directive such as.... "when you give us the spelling test, you need to tell us each word so we know what to write!" It is then continued by ten other kids chiming in on various ways a spelling test may or may not be given. And then later always ends with something to the effect of...."We just got a new puppy and she pees all over the rug!"
Always.
But like I said, I love it. Third and fourth grade is so much fun. They have the unique combination of still being young enough to be easily entertained by my silly sense of humor, yet old enough to get my sarcasm. But the most important thing is you can use the "side eye" on them. The side eye is an important tool that can be accessed in any part of the room and shot across a myriad of desks and heads to hit the errant student with laser like precision. Because in the end, he or she always knows that what they are doing is wrong and is always on the lookout for impending reprimand. Once your eyes meet the alleged suspect holding a paper airplane about to be shot mid air, it's amusing to watch his entire body work in reverse slow motion to put it back in his desk. The "side eye" needs to continue for a few more seconds and then it slowly goes back to helping someone figure out where she lost her Hello Kitty barrette.
See, now in kindergarten and first grade "side eye" will not work. That's because they are moving too fast and their little squirrely bodies are never still long enough for "side eye" to to find a landing point. Plus the fact they never think they are doing any wrong....they are just living life as they see it should be lived.....being silly. In these grades it's all about crowd control and solving problems that range anywhere from a small scratch that involves the entire class scrambling for a bandage and a doctor to simply tying a shoe.
But what I love most is looking at those little faces that come to you in such earnest with all sorts of things to be said, asked and tattled. Like I said, I love it.
Ok....I'm off to clean my house! Talk to you soon....Karin
