Conversations With My Students
My time with my 4th graders is far too quickly coming to an end. This Tuesday (November 26th) is my last day with them. Twelve days (Tuesdays and Thursdays for 6 weeks) flew by in the blink of an eye, and even though being with them has made me even more sure than I was before about the fact that I don't want to teach older students, I really am going to miss these kids.
I usually post conversations I have with my students as my facebook status, but my friends are always telling me I need to put them all in one place. So. Without further ado, a few Conversations With My Students:
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Student: "Are you SURE you're in your twenties? I'm taller than you..."
----------------------------------
Two of the boys in my 4th grade class are, when they're together, trouble makers/pranksters and if they're near each other, that's not really a good thing for the teacher. I'm walking the class back from music this afternoon, and these two come RUNNING up to me from the back of the line.
Me: What's this? I *know* that both of you know how to walk properly in the hallway.
Student 1: Can we go to the bathroom?
Student 2: We both really need to go.
Student 1: Right now.
Me: You can go one at a time. (Student 2), you can wait until (student 1) gets back, and then you can go.
Student 2: *annoyed sigh*
Me: What? Is it actually an emergency?
Student 1: We didn't even really have to go...
----------------------------------
I asked one of my fourth graders what she was going to dress up as for Halloween on Thursday and her response was "Little Red Riding Hood, but like, if she was a murderer."
What's terrible though, is my response back to her was "Okay, but leave your murder weapons at home."
----------------------------------
A few of my female students were talking about the music video for Wrecking Ball today. I heard comments like "That video is SO disgusting!" and "She got ALL THE WAY naked in it! Why would she do that?" and so on, until finally one of the boys went over to them and said:
"She only did that because someone else did it first and she was trying to copy them. That's all music videos and everything else today is, just people trying to copy other people."
----------------------------------
After school, a student was working on a reading assignment.
Student 1: Puh.. pnnn... pin... Miss Wilcox? What's this p word?
Me: Pneumonia. The "p" is silent.
Student 2: I know what pnuh, nuh, new.. puh-nuh-mi..
Me: Ok, don't hurt yourself.
Judging from the blanks looks I got from both students, neither one of them understood my Finding Nemo reference.
----------------------------------
After school, some students are working on homework. They're all having problems with the same problem set, so they come the the back table to all work on it together. One student isn't paying ANY attention.
Me: You need to look at the problem in order to read it.
Student 1: *looks at me, then off in the opposite direction*
Me: I'm not playing around - look at the problem and read it.
Student: 1 You wanna fight, tough girl??
*I sit there, literally too stunned to say anything.*
Student 2 (to student 1): Oh you did not just say that.
Student 1 (looking down at his homework paper): I'm very sorry. I didn't mean it.
----------------------------------
We're walking past a chair that has a basketball sitting on it. All of the students, for some reason, find it necessary to touch the ball. One student picks it up and goes to bounce it.
Me: Put the ball down, come'on, what is this?
Student: It's a basketball, Miss Wilcox.
----------------------------------
I taught a lesson on poetry to my fourth graders, and during it I talked about how AWESOME Shel Silverstein is. I finished my lesson a little early, so the kids had time to do independent reading. One girl took out "Where The Sidewalk Ends" to read, and one of the boys went over to her desk.
Me: (Boy's name), what are you doing at (girl)'s desk? Go back to yours and take out your independent reading book.
Boy: One second, please Miss Wilcox? I have a REALLY important question for (girl).
Me: Ok, ask your question and then go read.
Boy (to girl): Can I borrow the other Shel Silverstein book?
This student who NEVER wants to do independent reading, and who does whatever he can to avoid having to sit and read on his own, sat at his desk READING Shel Silverstein and ENJOYING it.
----------------------------------
I cut my bangs over the weekend because I was bored.
Student: Where did you get your hair cut?
Me: I did it.
Student: That's not fair! My mom NEVER lets me cut my hair!
----------------------------------
After school. Some students stayed after to finish their homework. They were done with homework, and we got to talking about music.
Me: What's cool nowadays? I don't listen to the radio; I don't know what's cool.
Student: Well I listen to Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, umm.... Christina Aguilera.
Me: Oh! I listen to them too! But I probably don't know them for the same songs you do.
Student: What do you know by Jennifer Lopez?
Me (saying the first song that came to my mind): Umm... "Jenny From The Block"
Student: No? She sings "On The Floor" with Pittbull... Well, what about Britney Spears? Because I know her for, like, "Till The World Ends" and stuff like that.
Me: I know her for "Lucky" and "Oops I Did It Again" and... um...
Student: Those aren't even real song titles.
----------------------------------
After school, some of the students are playing with mircosoft Paint on the computers. They have it zoomed in to 800%, so it looks all pixel-ated.
Student: It's like it's in Mine Craft mode!
----------------------------------
One of my students is taking WAYYYY too long to pick out an independent reading book.
Me: You're done. I'm picking a book for you.
Student 1: I have to read whatever you pick?
Me: Yes. *Grabs the book Holes off the shelf* Have you read Holes before?
Student 1: Isn't there a movie called that?
Me: Yeah. The movie was based on the book.
Student 1: I liked the movie...
Me: Good! Then read the book. The book is better. Books are ALWAYS better.
Student 2: Yeah, I agree. Except for The Hunger Games; those books are soooo long.
----------------------------------
A student can't decide what book to read.
Me: Here, read "A Series of Unfortunate Events." *Hands him the book*
Student: What's it about?
Me: Umm... there's these three orphans and... you know, I really don't remember. It's been a long time since I've read it.
Student: Doesn't "unfortunate" mean it's sad?
Me: Why don't you read it and tell me all about it?
----------------------------------
Me: Show me what you're reading.
*Student holds up her book so I can read the back of it*
Me (reading out loud): Confessions of an untalented pop star...
Me: So it's about Hannah Montana?
Student: ... what? No...?
----------------------------------
Student: What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
Me: Rapunzel from Tangled
Student: You can't! Your hair is too short!
Me: So it's like Rapunzel from the end of the movie.
Student: I hope you have hair dye because her hair is brown at that point.
----------------------------------
Student 1: Is anybody born in 1963 even still alive?
Student 2: I think they're all dead by now. That was a long time ago.
Student 1: Yeah I guess. Or they're really, REALLY old.
----------------------------------
I usually post conversations I have with my students as my facebook status, but my friends are always telling me I need to put them all in one place. So. Without further ado, a few Conversations With My Students:
----------------------------------
Student: "Are you SURE you're in your twenties? I'm taller than you..."
----------------------------------
Two of the boys in my 4th grade class are, when they're together, trouble makers/pranksters and if they're near each other, that's not really a good thing for the teacher. I'm walking the class back from music this afternoon, and these two come RUNNING up to me from the back of the line.
Me: What's this? I *know* that both of you know how to walk properly in the hallway.
Student 1: Can we go to the bathroom?
Student 2: We both really need to go.
Student 1: Right now.
Me: You can go one at a time. (Student 2), you can wait until (student 1) gets back, and then you can go.
Student 2: *annoyed sigh*
Me: What? Is it actually an emergency?
Student 1: We didn't even really have to go...
----------------------------------
I asked one of my fourth graders what she was going to dress up as for Halloween on Thursday and her response was "Little Red Riding Hood, but like, if she was a murderer."
What's terrible though, is my response back to her was "Okay, but leave your murder weapons at home."
----------------------------------
A few of my female students were talking about the music video for Wrecking Ball today. I heard comments like "That video is SO disgusting!" and "She got ALL THE WAY naked in it! Why would she do that?" and so on, until finally one of the boys went over to them and said:
"She only did that because someone else did it first and she was trying to copy them. That's all music videos and everything else today is, just people trying to copy other people."
----------------------------------
After school, a student was working on a reading assignment.
Student 1: Puh.. pnnn... pin... Miss Wilcox? What's this p word?
Me: Pneumonia. The "p" is silent.
Student 2: I know what pnuh, nuh, new.. puh-nuh-mi..
Me: Ok, don't hurt yourself.
Judging from the blanks looks I got from both students, neither one of them understood my Finding Nemo reference.
----------------------------------
After school, some students are working on homework. They're all having problems with the same problem set, so they come the the back table to all work on it together. One student isn't paying ANY attention.
Me: You need to look at the problem in order to read it.
Student 1: *looks at me, then off in the opposite direction*
Me: I'm not playing around - look at the problem and read it.
Student: 1 You wanna fight, tough girl??
*I sit there, literally too stunned to say anything.*
Student 2 (to student 1): Oh you did not just say that.
Student 1 (looking down at his homework paper): I'm very sorry. I didn't mean it.
----------------------------------
We're walking past a chair that has a basketball sitting on it. All of the students, for some reason, find it necessary to touch the ball. One student picks it up and goes to bounce it.
Me: Put the ball down, come'on, what is this?
Student: It's a basketball, Miss Wilcox.
----------------------------------
I taught a lesson on poetry to my fourth graders, and during it I talked about how AWESOME Shel Silverstein is. I finished my lesson a little early, so the kids had time to do independent reading. One girl took out "Where The Sidewalk Ends" to read, and one of the boys went over to her desk.
Me: (Boy's name), what are you doing at (girl)'s desk? Go back to yours and take out your independent reading book.
Boy: One second, please Miss Wilcox? I have a REALLY important question for (girl).
Me: Ok, ask your question and then go read.
Boy (to girl): Can I borrow the other Shel Silverstein book?
This student who NEVER wants to do independent reading, and who does whatever he can to avoid having to sit and read on his own, sat at his desk READING Shel Silverstein and ENJOYING it.
----------------------------------
I cut my bangs over the weekend because I was bored.
Student: Where did you get your hair cut?
Me: I did it.
Student: That's not fair! My mom NEVER lets me cut my hair!
----------------------------------
After school. Some students stayed after to finish their homework. They were done with homework, and we got to talking about music.
Me: What's cool nowadays? I don't listen to the radio; I don't know what's cool.
Student: Well I listen to Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, umm.... Christina Aguilera.
Me: Oh! I listen to them too! But I probably don't know them for the same songs you do.
Student: What do you know by Jennifer Lopez?
Me (saying the first song that came to my mind): Umm... "Jenny From The Block"
Student: No? She sings "On The Floor" with Pittbull... Well, what about Britney Spears? Because I know her for, like, "Till The World Ends" and stuff like that.
Me: I know her for "Lucky" and "Oops I Did It Again" and... um...
Student: Those aren't even real song titles.
----------------------------------
After school, some of the students are playing with mircosoft Paint on the computers. They have it zoomed in to 800%, so it looks all pixel-ated.
Student: It's like it's in Mine Craft mode!
----------------------------------
One of my students is taking WAYYYY too long to pick out an independent reading book.
Me: You're done. I'm picking a book for you.
Student 1: I have to read whatever you pick?
Me: Yes. *Grabs the book Holes off the shelf* Have you read Holes before?
Student 1: Isn't there a movie called that?
Me: Yeah. The movie was based on the book.
Student 1: I liked the movie...
Me: Good! Then read the book. The book is better. Books are ALWAYS better.
Student 2: Yeah, I agree. Except for The Hunger Games; those books are soooo long.
----------------------------------
A student can't decide what book to read.
Me: Here, read "A Series of Unfortunate Events." *Hands him the book*
Student: What's it about?
Me: Umm... there's these three orphans and... you know, I really don't remember. It's been a long time since I've read it.
Student: Doesn't "unfortunate" mean it's sad?
Me: Why don't you read it and tell me all about it?
----------------------------------
Me: Show me what you're reading.
*Student holds up her book so I can read the back of it*
Me (reading out loud): Confessions of an untalented pop star...
Me: So it's about Hannah Montana?
Student: ... what? No...?
----------------------------------
Student: What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
Me: Rapunzel from Tangled
Student: You can't! Your hair is too short!
Me: So it's like Rapunzel from the end of the movie.
Student: I hope you have hair dye because her hair is brown at that point.
----------------------------------
Student 1: Is anybody born in 1963 even still alive?
Student 2: I think they're all dead by now. That was a long time ago.
Student 1: Yeah I guess. Or they're really, REALLY old.
----------------------------------
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