Second Wind

I think the pups are all worn out. Haha. Cooper is laying on the couch arm rest, Theo is in my lap, and Lucy is laying on the lobster bed, the text read.

It was hardly surprising-- Lucy and her buddies had been playing for at least 90 minutes, so Heidi headed over to pick our puppy up from her playdate. But the minute she appeared, just after Cooper's person, the dogs were in full swing again-- running and tumbling and wrestling throughout the small condo.

As she told me the tale, I laughed. "Don't you remember that from when you were a kid? You could be bored out of your mind with your cousins or your friends, but the minute your mom showed up to say it was time to go home? There were soooo many things left to do!"

Arigato Francis

Tonight was the family dinner for my brother's birthday. What can I say? The guy likes dumplings, and so as I was planning the menu, I figured a lobster potsticker might be a good appetizer. I have made filled wontons and dumplings in the past, and although they are generally successful, there have been some notable fails. Plus, I don't make them regularly enough to have a go-to recipe, or wrapper, or technique. As such, I did what many 21st century cooks do: I turned to the internet.

Recently, I noticed that whenever my sixth grade students search for something, they automatically start with images. To me that makes no sense whatsoever, but most of the kids in my class are very visual, and they are actually rather adept at finding useful information by clicking on a picture link. "Why do you do that?" I asked a student the other day.

"It's easier than reading," he told me.

Today I was looking for old-fashioned written recipes, and I had actually found a couple of promising leads, when I saw the website "Cooking with Dog". I couldn't end my search without at least a look there. It turned out to be a YouTube show hosted by a French Poodle named Francis. Francis narrates the videos in heavily accented English as a Japanese woman cooks from her kitchen. I know right? It's a nutty concept, but I must tell you, Francis and that lady really know their gyoza! There were several tips and tricks that helped me make some delicious potstickers.

And hey kids! I didn't have to read a word.

National Humor Month

April is many "national" months-- poetry, of course, and also lawn and garden, grilled cheese, soft pretzel, garlic, jazz appreciation, and humor. My students speculate that the last is because of April Fools Day, and whether they are right or not, I like that they're thinking.

Yesterday's poetry challenge was to write a cinquain about an animal, and today the Jolly Rancher Challenge was to tell me a joke about an animal. If I laugh, you win!

I spent the day laughing! Here are some of the best:

Where do killer whales play music?
the Orca-stra

Did you hear I'm moving to Australia to work in a zoo?
Don't worry, I'm koalified.

Why can't T-rexes clap their hands?
Because they're dead.

Why did the sheep get a ticket?
illegal ewe turn

What do you do when your dog eats your pencil?
Use a pen.

Why are pterodactyls so quiet in the bathroom?
Their p is silent.

Knock knock
Who's there?
Cows go
Cows go who?
No! Cows go moo!

You would think a snail without his shell would be a little quicker,
but actually he's more sluggish.

Home Teams

As the warm weather arrives, that long walk to my car when I leave school is definitely enhanced by all the soccer practices, baseball games, tennis matches, pick-up basketball one-on-ones, runners, dog walkers, and play grounders that I pass along the way. So much energy is energizing, and it feels good to be in the middle of it all.

Border Patrol

Sometimes the best-performing students think that they have earned the right to take liberty with classroom rules and procedures. I get it-- in a perfect world, people who usually understand the task at hand and do what they should would not necessarily have to stay in their seats and listen to directions.

And yet? In sixth grade? They do.

Although I try to keep my instruction brief and to the point so that I can check in with everyone as they work, I guess I wasn't quite succinct enough for a particular student today. She was out of her seat and interrupting me every thirty seconds. Finally, after re-directing her several times, I told her that if she got up one more time I would keep her for lunch detention AND email her parents.

It was this last threat that widened her eyes and closed her mouth. Later, when I stopped by to monitor her progress, my remark was still on her mind.

"You shouldn't threaten people like that," she told me.

"Okay," I shrugged, "next time I'll just give you the detention and send the email."

Her jaw dropped "You wouldn't!"

"I would."

"What would you even say in your email?" she asked in a tone that implied she expected to stump me.

"I would say, I'm writing to tell you that I kept Franny for lunch detention today because she was disruptive. She left her seat several times during instruction and her behavior was a distraction to herself and others," I rattled off a boilerplate message that I've sent a few times before.

"No!" she cried. "My mom would kill me!"

"Then stay. in. your. seat." I told her, "and you'll survive to learn another day!"

Education in Action

The subject of job openings came up in my intervention class this morning. One of the students wondered if the assistant principal who had taken over an unexpected vacancy in his elementary school would be the principal. "She will have to apply for the job," I told him, "but she might get it."

"I'm going to apply!" he said.

"You can apply," I told him, "but if you don't have the requirements you won't get very far."

"What about for teachers?" he asked.

"There are requirements for us, too," I answered.

"Is it a test?" he wanted to know.

"You have to have a license," I said, "and to get it you need to have a college degree AND pass a test."

"I think I could pass the test," he declared. "That should be enough."

"Talk to the state department of education," I laughed.

His tone changed. "How do I contact them?"

"They have a website," I answered helpfully, and gave him the address.

He spent a few minutes looking at it on his iPad. "Can I have some paper?" he asked. "I'm going to write them a letter explaining why I think they should change the rules."

I handed him some loose leaf.

"Do we have envelopes?" he checked, and when I gave him the thumbs up he added, "and stamps?"

"Yep," I confirmed.

"Good," he nodded, "because I have some strong supporting reasons and a lot of evidence. My letter is going to be very persuasive."

To the Mattresses

You might think you're being frugal holding on to that mattress for over ten years, well beyond its practical life. But you would be wrong, because when you buy a new one, looking forward to some restful nights at last, nights without rolling into the valleys your body has abraded into that once very comfortable top-of-the-line pillow top, you will find that none of your bedsheets fit the new mattress, and you will have to go purchase more before you can sleep.

BUT if decluttering your linen closet gives you joy, then there's an unintended benefit of your investment.

Sweet dreams!