Logan: Look teacher I found a feffer! (holding up a feather)
Teacher: Wow, that is a feather!
Logan: It's my feffer. I found it.
Teacher: Where did you find that feather Logan?
Logan: I found it on the grass over there.
Teacher: Oh, well I'm glad you found it!
Cameron: What did Logan find teacher?
Teacher: Show him Logan.
Logan: See, I found a feffer!
Cameron: That is not a feffer!
Logan: Yes it is! I found it!
Cameron: Yea but it's not a feffer Logan!
Logan: Yes it is a feffer, from a bird!
Cameron: But it's not called a feffer Logan!! It's called a FEDDER.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
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I was cleaning off my tables after some pretty amazing rock painting had occurred and I heard a child in the bathroom yelling. "Hey! Hey! Oh Hey! Hello? Hey!" I listened to him for a minute and then figured he may need some help so I walked into the bathroom to check on him. I rounded the corner and found him perched on the edge of the toilet seat peering around the dividers to see the child that occupied the toilet down the row. "Hey!" he yelled again, the other child ignored him. "Um, heeeeyyyyyy" he said again, still no answer. "Hey hey hey" he continued until the other child looked up at him. He smiled and said, "Hey I'm poopin'!" then he fanned his palm in front of his nose and cried, "whooey". Kids.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Honesty is the best policy
This week in preschool we are learning all about mud and rocks! So what better way to discover rocks than to go out and get some to look at and explore!?!
That's what we did, my class and I went on a Rock Hunt!
It was really nothing special, just a walk along the river trail. . . . trying to keep the children from toppling into the rushing abyss. . . .no biggie!
On our walk we found A LOT of rocks! The kids were excited, I was excited. We also found some other things along the trail, like dog poop. . . not so excitied.
As our little line of explorers plodded along we passed and were passed by several different people. A woman with her dog, three female joggers, a family with a couple kids, some grandparents, none of these people caught the childrens attention at all. . . .until he came along. He was a nice looking gentleman who was maybe around forty years old and he was jogging with a friend. There was nothing wrong with this guy, he wasn't funny looking or overweight he just looked like a regular guy! There was just one little problem, he wasn't wearing a shirt. "No big deal?" you say. Hmmm. Really big deal for preschoolers. They all stopped dead in their tracks and stared as he approached and then, as he started to pass them, the comments started. "Ewwww!!!!" They called in unison. "He don't got a shirt on! That's dibusting"! one boy cried. "So gross" called others, "put your shirt on dude"! My fellow teacher and I tried to quiet them, but there's just no way to shhh 22 four real olds yelling "ewwwww" in unison. . . it CAN'T be done! We might as well have been trying to dam up that river with toothpicks for all the good our shhhing was doing. So we gave up, we stood in silence, heads down, until he passed, and then. . . . we started to laugh.
Forgive us Mr. Stranger if we made you feel bad but what can I say? Kids are honest. Really, really, honest.
That's what we did, my class and I went on a Rock Hunt!
It was really nothing special, just a walk along the river trail. . . . trying to keep the children from toppling into the rushing abyss. . . .no biggie!
On our walk we found A LOT of rocks! The kids were excited, I was excited. We also found some other things along the trail, like dog poop. . . not so excitied.
As our little line of explorers plodded along we passed and were passed by several different people. A woman with her dog, three female joggers, a family with a couple kids, some grandparents, none of these people caught the childrens attention at all. . . .until he came along. He was a nice looking gentleman who was maybe around forty years old and he was jogging with a friend. There was nothing wrong with this guy, he wasn't funny looking or overweight he just looked like a regular guy! There was just one little problem, he wasn't wearing a shirt. "No big deal?" you say. Hmmm. Really big deal for preschoolers. They all stopped dead in their tracks and stared as he approached and then, as he started to pass them, the comments started. "Ewwww!!!!" They called in unison. "He don't got a shirt on! That's dibusting"! one boy cried. "So gross" called others, "put your shirt on dude"! My fellow teacher and I tried to quiet them, but there's just no way to shhh 22 four real olds yelling "ewwwww" in unison. . . it CAN'T be done! We might as well have been trying to dam up that river with toothpicks for all the good our shhhing was doing. So we gave up, we stood in silence, heads down, until he passed, and then. . . . we started to laugh.
Forgive us Mr. Stranger if we made you feel bad but what can I say? Kids are honest. Really, really, honest.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Self-esteem
There is a boy in my class that is obsessed with two things, himself and corndogs. . . we'll call him "Tony".
Usually when it is time to clean up one activity and move onto another I put on some music to help the kids get moving. On a rainy Tuesday I put on a song that had a really good beat so the kids got excited. Tony in particular really started grooving, he was wiggling his hips and poking his bottom out. I noticed, however, that her wasn't really cleaning while he danced, he was watching something. I turned to see what it was and realised he was watching himself in the mirror! This amused me. I continued to watch him and he continued to watch himself. His moves got more intense and began to include "gang like" hand gestures and some serious facial movement. He was rockin out! He never once took his eyes off that mirror though. The song ended and we moved on with our day.
At lunch time I noticed that Tony had positioned himself at the table so that he could once again see himself in the mirror. Throughout the meal I watched him watch himself. He watched himself pass the peas, he watched himself talk to his friends, he watched himself pour his milk, and he watched himself chew! I held back laughter! He was just so confidant! There was nothing more amazing to this kid than his own reflection! He would occassionally knock a friend in the face with a bowl of food because he wasn't watching where he was passing it!
I was considering why exactly I thought this was so humorous. Why should it be so funny that he loves himself so much? Out in the world it's considered vanity but in his little world he's just figuring out who he is! It's too bad that we can't all be that facinated with our own reflection. Time and other people start to make that reflection look different than it did when we were four. How often do any of us stop to dance in front of a mirror and how many of us like what we see when we do?
I think Tony has the right idea.
Usually when it is time to clean up one activity and move onto another I put on some music to help the kids get moving. On a rainy Tuesday I put on a song that had a really good beat so the kids got excited. Tony in particular really started grooving, he was wiggling his hips and poking his bottom out. I noticed, however, that her wasn't really cleaning while he danced, he was watching something. I turned to see what it was and realised he was watching himself in the mirror! This amused me. I continued to watch him and he continued to watch himself. His moves got more intense and began to include "gang like" hand gestures and some serious facial movement. He was rockin out! He never once took his eyes off that mirror though. The song ended and we moved on with our day.
At lunch time I noticed that Tony had positioned himself at the table so that he could once again see himself in the mirror. Throughout the meal I watched him watch himself. He watched himself pass the peas, he watched himself talk to his friends, he watched himself pour his milk, and he watched himself chew! I held back laughter! He was just so confidant! There was nothing more amazing to this kid than his own reflection! He would occassionally knock a friend in the face with a bowl of food because he wasn't watching where he was passing it!
I was considering why exactly I thought this was so humorous. Why should it be so funny that he loves himself so much? Out in the world it's considered vanity but in his little world he's just figuring out who he is! It's too bad that we can't all be that facinated with our own reflection. Time and other people start to make that reflection look different than it did when we were four. How often do any of us stop to dance in front of a mirror and how many of us like what we see when we do?
I think Tony has the right idea.
A "hairy" situation
A Hairy situation
I had a boy in my class who had, to put it nicely, hair issues. He had a short haircut that was desperately in need of a trim. He liked his hair though and it never seemed to bother him that it was in his eyes or ears. On a particularly bad hair day the children were lining up to go outside and I overheard this conversation:
A- I’m the line leader!
S- I’m next! I’ll hold the door open!
A- (turning to face S) You’re right behind me dude! That’s awesome!
S- It’s so awesome.
A-(really staring at S) Whoa S! You have HUGE hair!
S- Ya I know.
A- You probably need a haircut.
S- Ya I know but I can’t have one!
A- Your hair is so huge dude!
T- It’s like mongous hair dude.
S- I know but I can’t have a haircut.
A- Why?
T- Yeah why dude?
S- My mom says my heads shaped like a football!
A- A football!?!?
T- Football is awesome dude.
A- So awesome!
S- YEAH!
I had a boy in my class who had, to put it nicely, hair issues. He had a short haircut that was desperately in need of a trim. He liked his hair though and it never seemed to bother him that it was in his eyes or ears. On a particularly bad hair day the children were lining up to go outside and I overheard this conversation:
A- I’m the line leader!
S- I’m next! I’ll hold the door open!
A- (turning to face S) You’re right behind me dude! That’s awesome!
S- It’s so awesome.
A-(really staring at S) Whoa S! You have HUGE hair!
S- Ya I know.
A- You probably need a haircut.
S- Ya I know but I can’t have one!
A- Your hair is so huge dude!
T- It’s like mongous hair dude.
S- I know but I can’t have a haircut.
A- Why?
T- Yeah why dude?
S- My mom says my heads shaped like a football!
A- A football!?!?
T- Football is awesome dude.
A- So awesome!
S- YEAH!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Baby brother???
Baby brother
The other day I was getting my children ready to come in off the playground. I overheard the following conversation:
A- I don’t have a sister. No sister at all.
B- I have a sister! She is bigger than me.
A- My sister is not bigger than me. She is little. More little than me. Well, actually it’s a, she’s a brother and she is only 2 year months old!
B-Like a baby?
A- yes he is a baby brother and she is 2 year months old.
C- Does your baby eat food?
A- No he doesn’t like food, only just bottles.
C- How about bananas? Does it eat bananas.
A- Yes he loves bananas, only in his bottle.
D-A banana bottle! What!?!?
A-Yeah, my baby only likes banana bottles! *laughs*
B- Does it eat anything asides banana bottles?
A- Sure it eats some other stuff
C- Like it likes macaroni and cheese?
D- Oh I love macaroni and cheese! It eats macaroni and cheese in a bottle?
A- No just with a spoon, not a bottle! That’s weird.
B- I like mac and cheese too!
C- How about noodles?
E- Or corndogs! I love corndogs!
A- Yea she would eat all that stuff. She likes food.
C- I don’t have a baby at my house.
A- Yeah, me neither.
The other day I was getting my children ready to come in off the playground. I overheard the following conversation:
A- I don’t have a sister. No sister at all.
B- I have a sister! She is bigger than me.
A- My sister is not bigger than me. She is little. More little than me. Well, actually it’s a, she’s a brother and she is only 2 year months old!
B-Like a baby?
A- yes he is a baby brother and she is 2 year months old.
C- Does your baby eat food?
A- No he doesn’t like food, only just bottles.
C- How about bananas? Does it eat bananas.
A- Yes he loves bananas, only in his bottle.
D-A banana bottle! What!?!?
A-Yeah, my baby only likes banana bottles! *laughs*
B- Does it eat anything asides banana bottles?
A- Sure it eats some other stuff
C- Like it likes macaroni and cheese?
D- Oh I love macaroni and cheese! It eats macaroni and cheese in a bottle?
A- No just with a spoon, not a bottle! That’s weird.
B- I like mac and cheese too!
C- How about noodles?
E- Or corndogs! I love corndogs!
A- Yea she would eat all that stuff. She likes food.
C- I don’t have a baby at my house.
A- Yeah, me neither.
Beware the goob!
Beware the goob!
On Saint Patrick’s Day I was cleaning up the dirty lunch dishes. My kids were on their mats reading books or doing some basic milling around the room going to the bathroom and getting drinks. I bent down to pick up a half eaten bowl of apple sauce and accidentally stuck my finger in it. I switched the bowl to my left hand and cupped the saucy finger in my right palm. I turned to get a paper towel when Sally appeared beside me. “Teacher, what is that”? she asked looking at my cupped hand. “Just a goober” I replied. She cocked her head to the side and leaned in closer to my hand to see if she could see what was inside. “Did you catch a leprechaun”? she said with great enthusiasm. As she spoke Steve stepped up next to her, “A leprechaun? Teacher! You have a leprechaun? Let me see it”. He reached up to pull open my hand. “No”, I said pulling my hand from his reach, “it’s not a leprechaun it’s just a little goober”. Steve pulled a nasty face, “A goob? What in the heck is a goob? Is it like a leprechaun”? He stared up at me with wide eyes. “Teacher’s caught a goob”! Sally shouted to the whole class. All around the room heads started popping up and turning towards me. “Guys! I didn’t catch a goob. I said it was a goober”. I tried explaining, “My finger got in the applesauce when I was cleaning up. That’s all. No leprechaun. No goob”. Several heads turned away from me losing interest in the entire ordeal but not Sally and Steve. . . They were off to tell their friends! I watched them for a few seconds and then turned to wipe my finger off. I gave my hand a quick roll in the paper towel and tossed it. No sooner had I stepped away from the trash can than Sally and Steve returned to my side with Jerry. “Teacher! We told Jerry you caught a goob. Show him”! Steve exclaimed. As he spoke he noticed my hand was no longer cupped, it was just sitting there empty. “Um teacher? Where’s the goob”? he asked with concern. I looked at him and began to explain again about the goob, “Buddy there was no goob. I just got some stuff on my finger and I wiped it off on a paper towel and threw it in the trash”. Steve gazed at me for a moment and then whipped himself over to the trash can, “It’s in here? You threw the goob away in here? I don’t see it. Where is it? Teacher, I don’t see the goob”. I could tell that explaining things again was not going to help, in his mind there was a little creature loose in our classroom and I was the one who’d let it escape! I thought for a quick second and then answered him, “Steve, the goob is not in the garbage can. I- I- uh, I ate it”! The phrase escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Steve’s expression went from surprise to doubt to. . . What was this? Disgust! His tongue draped out of his mouth and his eyes closed. “You a-a-ate the goob”? he said slowly. I watched as he pulled his hands around his middle and sucked in some air. “Eww, that is so gross”, he gulped and then he began to gag. A quick small gag at first and then they became deeper and closer together. “He’s gonna puke” Sally commented as she stepped backwards away from us both. “Steve, honey, I didn’t eat the goob. It was just applesauce! It wasn’t gross, I swear”! I back pedaled as fast as I could to stop the dry heaving. Steve stared at me for a minute. He stopped gagging. He started smiling. “Applesauce”! he cried. “Goobs are applesauce! Teacher you are so weird”! He skipped away happily knowing all was right with the world. I sighed with relief and returned to clearing the table, I was almost done when Gary approached me, “Um teacher? What’s a goob”? Here we go again!
On Saint Patrick’s Day I was cleaning up the dirty lunch dishes. My kids were on their mats reading books or doing some basic milling around the room going to the bathroom and getting drinks. I bent down to pick up a half eaten bowl of apple sauce and accidentally stuck my finger in it. I switched the bowl to my left hand and cupped the saucy finger in my right palm. I turned to get a paper towel when Sally appeared beside me. “Teacher, what is that”? she asked looking at my cupped hand. “Just a goober” I replied. She cocked her head to the side and leaned in closer to my hand to see if she could see what was inside. “Did you catch a leprechaun”? she said with great enthusiasm. As she spoke Steve stepped up next to her, “A leprechaun? Teacher! You have a leprechaun? Let me see it”. He reached up to pull open my hand. “No”, I said pulling my hand from his reach, “it’s not a leprechaun it’s just a little goober”. Steve pulled a nasty face, “A goob? What in the heck is a goob? Is it like a leprechaun”? He stared up at me with wide eyes. “Teacher’s caught a goob”! Sally shouted to the whole class. All around the room heads started popping up and turning towards me. “Guys! I didn’t catch a goob. I said it was a goober”. I tried explaining, “My finger got in the applesauce when I was cleaning up. That’s all. No leprechaun. No goob”. Several heads turned away from me losing interest in the entire ordeal but not Sally and Steve. . . They were off to tell their friends! I watched them for a few seconds and then turned to wipe my finger off. I gave my hand a quick roll in the paper towel and tossed it. No sooner had I stepped away from the trash can than Sally and Steve returned to my side with Jerry. “Teacher! We told Jerry you caught a goob. Show him”! Steve exclaimed. As he spoke he noticed my hand was no longer cupped, it was just sitting there empty. “Um teacher? Where’s the goob”? he asked with concern. I looked at him and began to explain again about the goob, “Buddy there was no goob. I just got some stuff on my finger and I wiped it off on a paper towel and threw it in the trash”. Steve gazed at me for a moment and then whipped himself over to the trash can, “It’s in here? You threw the goob away in here? I don’t see it. Where is it? Teacher, I don’t see the goob”. I could tell that explaining things again was not going to help, in his mind there was a little creature loose in our classroom and I was the one who’d let it escape! I thought for a quick second and then answered him, “Steve, the goob is not in the garbage can. I- I- uh, I ate it”! The phrase escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Steve’s expression went from surprise to doubt to. . . What was this? Disgust! His tongue draped out of his mouth and his eyes closed. “You a-a-ate the goob”? he said slowly. I watched as he pulled his hands around his middle and sucked in some air. “Eww, that is so gross”, he gulped and then he began to gag. A quick small gag at first and then they became deeper and closer together. “He’s gonna puke” Sally commented as she stepped backwards away from us both. “Steve, honey, I didn’t eat the goob. It was just applesauce! It wasn’t gross, I swear”! I back pedaled as fast as I could to stop the dry heaving. Steve stared at me for a minute. He stopped gagging. He started smiling. “Applesauce”! he cried. “Goobs are applesauce! Teacher you are so weird”! He skipped away happily knowing all was right with the world. I sighed with relief and returned to clearing the table, I was almost done when Gary approached me, “Um teacher? What’s a goob”? Here we go again!
"Soft. No Squeezin"
Soft. No Squeezin’!
In my classroom the children have a nap time everyday. The children are not required to sleep but the majority of them do. This time can be hard for those children who don’t like to sleep or find it difficult to lay down or to even be quiet. Awhile back I had a little boy who hated nap time. Nap times were never easy with him but one particular day was a little more interesting than the others. Larry had decided that his nap time was over. He started talking really loudly and was walking around the classroom trying to wake up the other children. “Please go back to your mat Larry” I said. “No” he replied. “It’s nap time buddy and we can’t wake up our friends” I said as I walked towards him to help him make his way back to his mat. When he saw that I was coming towards him he began to run away. I caught him quickly and grabbed hold of his hand to take him back to his mat. “ Stop! I don’t like you! I don’t want to nap! I want all the kids to be awake”! He squealed. I plopped him down on his mat and sat down next to him. “Go away! I don’t care about you!” He yelled. I looked over at him and said, “I’m not going to go away, I’m going to sit right here while you have a little rest okay?” At that point Larry began to kick me in the leg. He would kick and then immediately ask, “Did that hurt”? When I didn’t respond he would kick me again and ask, “How about now? Did that hurt”? I looked at him and said, “It’s not nice to kick and I really wish you wouldn’t kick me anymore’. He pondered that statement a moment and then said “I don’t care about you”! I only looked at him and said, “I’m sure sorry about that, I care about you.” He lye there quiet for a moment and then snuggled close to me, “are you mad at me teacher?” he asked. “No, I’m not mad. I’m happy you stopped kicking” I replied. Larry snuggled even closer and gave me a hug. “I love you teacher” he said. I then noticed that his hand had began creeping up from my stomach towards my chest. I gently slid his hand away. He hugged me again and rested his hand on my stomach. Soon, his hand began creeping towards my chest again. I slid his hand back towards him and held it against his chest for a moment, when I let go he put it back on my stomach and started moving it up towards my chest. “No, bud you gotta keep your hands to yourself.” “Pleeeeeeaaaassseee teacher”! He whined and tried to reach for me again, “I just wanna hug you! Pleeeeaaassseee”. I held his hand against his own chest and answered, “you already gave me a hug, just rest”. He lay there quietly but soon his hand was creeping back towards me, “No Larry. Don’t.” I stated firmly. “Ah pleeeaassseee” he said sweetly “I’ll be soft. No squeezing”! I could only laugh and shake my head. It was so innocent and yet so hilarious. I held his hand in mine until he fell asleep.
In my classroom the children have a nap time everyday. The children are not required to sleep but the majority of them do. This time can be hard for those children who don’t like to sleep or find it difficult to lay down or to even be quiet. Awhile back I had a little boy who hated nap time. Nap times were never easy with him but one particular day was a little more interesting than the others. Larry had decided that his nap time was over. He started talking really loudly and was walking around the classroom trying to wake up the other children. “Please go back to your mat Larry” I said. “No” he replied. “It’s nap time buddy and we can’t wake up our friends” I said as I walked towards him to help him make his way back to his mat. When he saw that I was coming towards him he began to run away. I caught him quickly and grabbed hold of his hand to take him back to his mat. “ Stop! I don’t like you! I don’t want to nap! I want all the kids to be awake”! He squealed. I plopped him down on his mat and sat down next to him. “Go away! I don’t care about you!” He yelled. I looked over at him and said, “I’m not going to go away, I’m going to sit right here while you have a little rest okay?” At that point Larry began to kick me in the leg. He would kick and then immediately ask, “Did that hurt”? When I didn’t respond he would kick me again and ask, “How about now? Did that hurt”? I looked at him and said, “It’s not nice to kick and I really wish you wouldn’t kick me anymore’. He pondered that statement a moment and then said “I don’t care about you”! I only looked at him and said, “I’m sure sorry about that, I care about you.” He lye there quiet for a moment and then snuggled close to me, “are you mad at me teacher?” he asked. “No, I’m not mad. I’m happy you stopped kicking” I replied. Larry snuggled even closer and gave me a hug. “I love you teacher” he said. I then noticed that his hand had began creeping up from my stomach towards my chest. I gently slid his hand away. He hugged me again and rested his hand on my stomach. Soon, his hand began creeping towards my chest again. I slid his hand back towards him and held it against his chest for a moment, when I let go he put it back on my stomach and started moving it up towards my chest. “No, bud you gotta keep your hands to yourself.” “Pleeeeeeaaaassseee teacher”! He whined and tried to reach for me again, “I just wanna hug you! Pleeeeaaassseee”. I held his hand against his own chest and answered, “you already gave me a hug, just rest”. He lay there quietly but soon his hand was creeping back towards me, “No Larry. Don’t.” I stated firmly. “Ah pleeeaassseee” he said sweetly “I’ll be soft. No squeezing”! I could only laugh and shake my head. It was so innocent and yet so hilarious. I held his hand in mine until he fell asleep.
Welcome to Kids say what!?!?
I work with preschoolers and everyday is an adventure. I'm always overhearing funny conversations or witnessing comical situations. I would come home and tell my family about the funny happenings of the day and they would always tell me that I had to write it down. . . so that's what I'm doing! I thought as long as I was writing it down I might as well share it with everyone.
These stories are good for a giggle but they also make you think about how much of our character and personality is developed in the early years.
I love my kids and think they are the greatest people to ever walk the earth and I feel privileged that they let me into their little worlds and wonderful minds.
Keep in mind names have been changed to protect the innocent!
Enjoy!
These stories are good for a giggle but they also make you think about how much of our character and personality is developed in the early years.
I love my kids and think they are the greatest people to ever walk the earth and I feel privileged that they let me into their little worlds and wonderful minds.
Keep in mind names have been changed to protect the innocent!
Enjoy!
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