Thankfully after a painful math lesson today she has agreed to my not doing the math workshop the way she is envisioning it. In all fairness, it wasn't set up until a week and a half before I took over and even then the groups were not established. RM went to a big professional development training over the summer to do workshops so I know she is eager and excited to see that come to fruition, but the truth is that I have no idea what she sees in this for her "big picture" and with not having the groups established, it is just not working at all. So we abandoned ship and she will return to this concept after I'm gone. Whew- now I can teach some math lessons and stop fretting about what I'm doing!
We have continued with our plant unit. Our plants are growing nicely- though admittedly we have a few student's whose plants have not sprouted yet. There were some tears this morning when we came in and some of the cups were still bare of anything green. I encouraged those students and told them that maybe their seedlings were just taking a long rest before growing. And then, promptly after school, I made sure I added seeds to those cups and extra fertilizer! I know- that's cheating- but I don't care! I don't want any tears in my class over some dag gone seed that chose not to germinate!
Other than the actual planting, my science unit is going painfully slow. There is just no time for science at the end of the day. I know I have to get this down- and I will- but I need school to be about 2 additional hours a day in order to fit everything in!
OK, so for those that know me personally, they know that I'm a bit of a prude and a wee bit protective of my children. My 11 year old son, however, is allowed to carry a pocket knife (where appropriate- never school) and has a flint and steel in his pocket all the time as well- he is responsible and has been taught proper behavior with them- that they are NOT toys and shouldn't be treated as such. My girls have never carried anything like that and I doubt any of them would ever want to. So I understand- boys are different. I get it. I have a good friend who would refuse to let her sons play with guns- she would come to my house for a play date and insist that Alex's Buzz Lightyear radar gun be put up because she didn't want her children exposed to shooting things. That's fine- I did as she asked and respected how she wanted to raise her children. I wasn't surprised though, when her oldest son was six and was sitting at the breakfast table eating his toast when he proudly proclaimed, "Look Mommy! I made a gun!" and "shot" her with his toast that he bit into the shape of a handgun. Boys are special breed. We get it.
But even with my "boy mommy training" I still encounter things that take me off guard and really unnerve me.
For Good News today I had a student proudly exclaim that he was able to play with his Christmas present early this past weekend. When I looked at him surprised about this and asked why he would get a Christmas present so early, his response was "because it is huntin' season!" His response when I asked what his gift is going to be was simply "a 12-gauge"
OK. Um, did he just say what I think he just said?
So here is where my "you must have and maintain a poker face when students tell you something that shocks you because you don't want them to catch you off guard" lecture came into play. My facial expressions are easy to read I have been told (but I'm working on it). I clarified with him that it was a 12-gauge shotgun he was talking about and he sheepishly said it was. He was getting an idea that Mrs. Leece was not as thrilled about his Christmas gift perhaps as he was.
Now, I can say all kinds of things here but I will hold my tongue. Do I know for sure that he was actually telling me the TRUTH? No. Do I know he wasn't? No. Do some students grossly exaggerate the truth or even make things up hoping that their friends will think they are "cool" oh yes. I have learned quickly that what one parents thinks is "ok" for their child might horrify another parent. We all choose to raise our kids our own ways. But given how often this student talks about going hunting with his grandfather, I honestly think he probably is getting a shotgun for Christmas. Do I think this child has violent tendencies? Oh no- not at all. He is a gentle soft spoken good mannered little boy and I think he is just having some fun with his grandfather. A grandfather who I think is a wee bit loony for his choice in Christmas presents, but I digress.
My point of all of this-- how do I respond to this "good news"? "Oh yay Timmy! Have fun shooting your 12-gauge shotgun" or how about "Oh yay Michael- shoot a couple times for me!" I don't remember exactly WHAT I said, but I know I didn't have a good poker face on at that moment and I will bet my life that I said something about him being careful and safe and making sure he never touched that gun without an adult right there with him. Yikes!
Oh, and of course as is almost always the case- when one student starts talking about a topic, they all want to share their knowledge about it- so then I had a couple more students wanting to share their hunting and gun stories. Oy- why can't we always talk about bunnies and flowers!?
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