Laugh Lines January 2005

Not So New
Teachers are required to wear picture I.D. badges in our district. I've aged a little since I had my picture taken several years ago.

There are days when I wear my badge on my belt, which places it about eye level for my kindergartners. As I was standing in front of the line waiting for everyone to get quiet, I heard a little voice say, "Mrs. Kern, you look so new in this picture."
Connie Kern
Deer Park, TX

Rote Method
I was teaching my third grade class a technique for memorizing spelling words. We would say the word and then spell it. I explained to the class that the Rote Method was to say it over and over again. When I stopped talking, I noticed the whole class was saying, "Rote, rote, rote…"
Kevin B. Parsons
Forestville, CA

Good Question
In our Social Studies class, we were discussing the difference between a city, a state and our country. While waiting in line for the restroom one morning, one of my kindergarten students asked me if Washington, D.C. was a state. Trying to explain this in terms that a kindergartner would understand, I responded by saying that each state had a large city that was called a capital and Washington, D.C. was the capital of all of the states in the United States of America. The student responded by asking, "If Washington, D.C. is the capital, than what is the lower case?"
Ashlee Haspeslagh
Galion, OH

Overexcited
As part of a research lesson with my sixth grade library class, I taught the basics of a Works Cited List.

The students were given the assignment of writing their own sample list during the next class. On the chalkboard, I detailed the elements that should be included, but this time neglected to write the words Works Cited at the top.

When going over the assignment, I noticed that one student had misunderstood and titled his paper, "We're Excited List."
Phyllis Harrison
Baldwin, NY

Literally Speaking
Each year in kindergarten, one of the most important beginning-of-the-year lessons for our class is learning how to enter their lunch numbers into the computer. I have a photocopied picture of the keyboard that my students use to practice with. In the beginning of the school year, I print their lunch numbers on pieces of paper. After a while, they have to practice from memory. One student was practicing his number using the piece of paper. I finally took it from him and, wanting him to enter the number from memory, said, "Now do it without looking." He covered his eyes and said, "I don't think I can."
Ellen Baldwin
Gulfport, MS