my grandma, my professional colleague 5 decades removed, has always told me that i should keep a record of all the goofy experiences which come with being a teacher - especially a teacher of younger grades - because you always think you'll remember it all, but don't.
...
in my fourth year teaching i moved to berlin and taught 6th grade for the first time (~11 year olds). in addition to teaching math i was also assigned a grade 6 homeroom. this means that in addition to meeting for five math lessons a week, this group of 24 kids and i met for two more lessons to work on organization, discuss social issues, and to generally work on the transition into the secondary school. this group of students would be my homeroom for the next 5 years. they are now in 11th grade....
at the end of grade 6 there is a weeklong "camping" trip with outward bound, in the middle of nowhere with accommodations in a CASTLE (really roughing it...), for team building and what-not. the first time i went on on this trip to chaperone was with my grade 6 homeroom.
the days are filled with hikes, team challenges, games, etc... and on the last evening the students get to organize a disco, dress up, finally have access to all the sweets they brought with them but which were confiscated on the way to camp - and to just hang out with each other. in a CASTLE.
so, i'm standing in one of the halls as a kid plays the grand piano and a few other students are hanging around listening - and one of my students runs up to me, nearly hyperventilating (a signature of hers, i would quickly discover)
E: msK, lilly is stuck in the tree!!
me: what do you mean?
E: she's climbed all the way to the top of the tree and won't come down! i'm very scared!
me: ok, slow down. will you show me where the tree is? why did she climb so far up?
E: we got into an argument and she got upset and started climbing a tee! there it is!
we approach the tree.
there is no kid in the tree.
there is, however, a child's dress hanging off of a branch and a pair of shoes on the ground below it.
this child literally jumped out of her clothes. and ran away.
me: did anybody see where she went?
E: no! i'm so scared!
me: i know, but there's nothing to worry about. thank you for finding me. you can go inside, i'll find lilly.
so i grabbed the clothes and wandered around the property until i finally found this tiny creature sitting on the forest ground, hugging her knees in nothing but her underoos.
me: ...hey, kiddo, how are you doing? ...i think these are yours... ...do you wan'em?
...
in my fourth year teaching i moved to berlin and taught 6th grade for the first time (~11 year olds). in addition to teaching math i was also assigned a grade 6 homeroom. this means that in addition to meeting for five math lessons a week, this group of 24 kids and i met for two more lessons to work on organization, discuss social issues, and to generally work on the transition into the secondary school. this group of students would be my homeroom for the next 5 years. they are now in 11th grade....
at the end of grade 6 there is a weeklong "camping" trip with outward bound, in the middle of nowhere with accommodations in a CASTLE (really roughing it...), for team building and what-not. the first time i went on on this trip to chaperone was with my grade 6 homeroom.
the days are filled with hikes, team challenges, games, etc... and on the last evening the students get to organize a disco, dress up, finally have access to all the sweets they brought with them but which were confiscated on the way to camp - and to just hang out with each other. in a CASTLE.
so, i'm standing in one of the halls as a kid plays the grand piano and a few other students are hanging around listening - and one of my students runs up to me, nearly hyperventilating (a signature of hers, i would quickly discover)
E: msK, lilly is stuck in the tree!!me: what do you mean?
E: she's climbed all the way to the top of the tree and won't come down! i'm very scared!
me: ok, slow down. will you show me where the tree is? why did she climb so far up?
E: we got into an argument and she got upset and started climbing a tee! there it is!
we approach the tree.
there is no kid in the tree.
there is, however, a child's dress hanging off of a branch and a pair of shoes on the ground below it.
this child literally jumped out of her clothes. and ran away.
me: did anybody see where she went?
E: no! i'm so scared!
me: i know, but there's nothing to worry about. thank you for finding me. you can go inside, i'll find lilly.
so i grabbed the clothes and wandered around the property until i finally found this tiny creature sitting on the forest ground, hugging her knees in nothing but her underoos.
me: ...hey, kiddo, how are you doing? ...i think these are yours... ...do you wan'em?
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