The Joys in Teaching

You know that you love what you do when you laugh your way through most days.

On Friday my class had swimming and so we all got changed and walked together to the pool.  One of the highest students in my class forgot his shorts in the classroom, so when he changed back in to his clothes after swimming, he had no pants. He wrapped his towel around his waste and joined the class line wearing his t shirt, underwear, and towel. When we got back to class, we put our things away and lined up for music. The little boy asked if he could put his pants on; I said yes but to be quick. He grabbed his pants, and began waddling with his towel for a fast change in the CR (bathroom). With the whole class lining up facing him, he accidentally dropped his towel on the floor. The entire class saw. I tried so hard not to laugh... but it was just too much! The whole class was shaking so hard trying to suppress their laughter.  The little boy was so embarrassed; he picked his things up so fast and disappeared. I think I might have failed a little in my teacherhood at that moment :)

On Thursday, one of the little girls was talking to me after school. She was telling me all about her birthday.  She said that she likes her birthday, but that it also makes her feel sad.  I asked her why and she said, "It's because somebody died on my birthday." I became somber and asked her who, and she said, "Oh I have no idea." How sweet... and a little bit funny.

One of my students is so tactile. During chapel two Fridays ago he sat on the floor right next to my chair.  He began feeling my legs. When he went up, he would say "ouch ouch ouch ouch" and when he went down he said, "ahhh".  Ok, ok so I didn't shave that day... but it was so embarrassing. I bent over and told him to look forward and listen to the speaker.  It stopped for a little bit and then continued. I was hoping that if I ignored it, he would stop for good... FALSE.  "ouch ouch ouch, ahh... ouch ouch ouch, ahh". I looked around the room hoping that nobody else saw, and was so embarrassed to find my roommate (the 4th grade teacher) watching and laughing at the whole thing - a 2nd grader rubbing up and down his teacher's shin for a few humiliating minutes. I had to put a stop to this. So I bent down and told the little guy that he needed to keep his hands to himself.  Then this past Friday, to my dismay I sat down in my chair and started feeling hands rubbing my shin again. I looked down and there he was again.... I nipped it in the butt this time and kindly asked him to keep his hands in his lap. It worked :)

Having a classroom with children from many nations and languages makes class a little interesting :).   I had my students write about their favorite memory from second grade so far.  I looked up and saw most of my Korean students (9 of them) as well as my Swiss student over by the wall where the posters of our previously studied Bible verses are. I was so confused as to what they were copying down.  I then realized that they were writing down their favorite Bible MEMORY verse from the year. After a good laugh I tried to re-explain and tell them to write about their favorite story that happened to them this year. I watched as a Korean boy darted for a book (story) that he had read this year.  Haha my whole class was so confused. I had my American, Canadian, British and Australian students trying to explain to their peers what the assignment was about.... and what a memory is.... Ahhh language barriers, gotta love them :)

These are a few stories from the week... I can't wait to keep laughing in the weeks to come.