A while ago, I had a student ask me what a pun was. Imagine my joy and excitement that this girl, who up to this point had not shown much interest in class, wanted to learn something. I couldn't help but ask her why?And this is what she said:
"I just got a text from _______ that said 'thanks for blowing me off last night, no pun intended' and I didn't know what it meant."
Well, just how do you respond to that? I chose to be that mature adult I am, and turned my back and laughed. While I was composing myself, another student explained why I was laughing to which the girl cried out, rather loudly too, "Oh (insert full name of boy she was texting)!" and that was it.
The next day, as she walked into the classroom, I told her I was *thisclose* to having my word of the day be pun in honor of her. I thought she would just laugh and be embarrassed. I was mistaken. Instead, she told me that she told the boy what had happened and that he was embarrassed.
I don't know which is worse, knowing what she was doing, or knowing she had no embarrassment at telling her teacher what she was doing. However, I am pretty sure I will never forget what a pun is, and neither will she. Lesson learned.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Erasers don't belong in noses
Yes, this lesson is just what it sounds like. I really didn't think I would have this lesson in a high school. I really thought this was something kids learned in elementary school, and got out of their system. It appears this one girl missed this lesson.
We were in the computer lab working on an assignment when this girl raised her hand. This was still fairly early in the school year, and I did not know her name yet. So I walked over to see what was going on and she said, "Mrs. D. my pencil eraser is stuck up my nose." I just looked at her in shock and said the first thing I thought, "Why is your pencil eraser up your nose?" Thus begins the lesson.
"I was bored and wanted to see f it would fit, but now it won't come out. It will come out right? You have kids, it will come out on it's own right?"
Yeah, ok, I do have kids. However, my kids never stuck anything up their noses... at least not that I know of. I thought fast and told her hold the other nostril closed and try blowing it out; I had heard that worked on some of my friends who have had this unfortunate experience. Alas, for this girl, that didn't work. She spent 2/3rds of the day trying to get this eraser out of her nose. It did finally come out several ours later. Yes, she came to me to show me that it came out. As for me, I spent the rest of the day laughing and came home telling my children to never put anything up their noses.
This lesson: Don't assume that just because people have some years behind them taht they learned all of the lessons they should have. Some people are, umm... special and need some extra time. From this I learned to be more patient, and also that a sense of humor is necessary.
We were in the computer lab working on an assignment when this girl raised her hand. This was still fairly early in the school year, and I did not know her name yet. So I walked over to see what was going on and she said, "Mrs. D. my pencil eraser is stuck up my nose." I just looked at her in shock and said the first thing I thought, "Why is your pencil eraser up your nose?" Thus begins the lesson.
"I was bored and wanted to see f it would fit, but now it won't come out. It will come out right? You have kids, it will come out on it's own right?"
Yeah, ok, I do have kids. However, my kids never stuck anything up their noses... at least not that I know of. I thought fast and told her hold the other nostril closed and try blowing it out; I had heard that worked on some of my friends who have had this unfortunate experience. Alas, for this girl, that didn't work. She spent 2/3rds of the day trying to get this eraser out of her nose. It did finally come out several ours later. Yes, she came to me to show me that it came out. As for me, I spent the rest of the day laughing and came home telling my children to never put anything up their noses.
This lesson: Don't assume that just because people have some years behind them taht they learned all of the lessons they should have. Some people are, umm... special and need some extra time. From this I learned to be more patient, and also that a sense of humor is necessary.
About me
So who am I? I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a granddaughter, cousin, aunt, sister-in-law, niece, neighbor, friend, and a teacher. I learn something in each of these relationships. When I wake in the morning in my husbands arms, I learn that I am loved and that I am capable of love. When my children ask for me, I learn I am needed. When my oldest daughter asks my advice, I learn that I have something to say and that she is listening. When I talk to my friends, I learn I am worthy of good friends. But when I enter my classroom, that is where the real learning begins. It is there I learn I am not as smart as I thought I was. It is there where I gain another title: student.
I teach high school English at a rural high school. I have always tried to explain to my students that I learn more from them than they will learn from me. It never ceases to amaze me the things these students have to share. Sure, some of the time they are funny, but they are also sad as well. Welcome to my classroom. Hope you enjoy.
I teach high school English at a rural high school. I have always tried to explain to my students that I learn more from them than they will learn from me. It never ceases to amaze me the things these students have to share. Sure, some of the time they are funny, but they are also sad as well. Welcome to my classroom. Hope you enjoy.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)