#classroomstories

The Right Voice at the Right Time

For weeks, he had a reason not to wear them. Every day, something different.

Then one day—he brought them.

I told him he looked good in them. Told him he didn’t have to wear them all day… just try them while working.

He wore them all day.

Sometimes what looks like resistance… isn’t. Sometimes it’s confidence waiting on the right voice.

The right words, from the right person, can change how a child sees himself.

Watch the work. It reveals everything.

— bluewolfpenman.com

A kid was trying to say they like eating Kinder egg chocolate things for a practice. Since we’re all beginners, he did not know what that meant in German. He didn’t even know Kinder was a German word.

So when he had to speak he said, “Ich esse gern Kinder.”

This translates to “I like to eat children.”

So in class we were talking about the difference between living and non living things. I asked students to raise their hands if they could think of an example of a living thing.

We had the usual kitties and puppies and even a dolphin thrown in there.

Then, one of my 4th grade students who is literally one the most foul mouth kids I have ever had the displeasure of interacting with raised his hand.

Me: "Yes sir, what is your example of a living thing?"

Him: "Well, I was going to go with the African Wild Ass and the common cock"

Me: struggles to gain composure and not throw the whiteboard marker at him

Him: "What?? Those are living things!"

Me: "Absolutely! A donkey and a rooster are excellent examples of living things"