Today was the 100th day of school. As my students walked into class, saw their desks were moved around, saw their desks moved around into small stations, pandemonium fills the room. "It's HUNDREDS day..." "Whoooo-hoo! PARTY!". Now for a teacher with quite a bit of structure in the classroom, this may feel like bugs crawling under the skin. But, it is to be expected. I don't know why the 100th day of school is such a big deal, but to kids in younger grades, they seriously live for this day.

So, after the kids settle in a start their morning reading, I look over at Hunter's Day. He has a little sign for his forbidden homeless pencil shop that says OPEN taped to the side of his desk. Next to this usual sign, there is a sign that says "Happy Hundreds Day!"

The day, a little crazy continues on... the kids seemed pretty happy. There is a point in almost everyday where I am required to walk 6th graders from Music back to their classrooms. Now, this may not seem like a large task but I teach 2nd graders. When I talk, they listen. When I talk to 6th graders, most of them just keep talking. So, I decided last week that I was done having them walk all over me. I enforced the hall rule of NO TALKING. The girls are pretty good at it... the boys are another story. Today, I let the girls go. Then I let the boys ago about 5 at a time back to their class. The last group was waiting... and I asked them it they thought they could walk as quietly as the last class did. One young man said... "I can, but I am not sure these guys can. They are always talking. I guess they aren't front of the line material." It took everything for me to hold back and not die laughing.

Back to my classroom, I was having a little discussion with some kids who were counting 100 chocolate chips out. Jace says "Man, this is like going to work." "Why?" "Because it is SO hard." Then Jayden says "Yeah, well this is actually like mini-college. This is getting you ready for what you do in real college." Next time, I go to work or college, I want to count out 100 chocolate chips.

Towards the end of the day, I was reading some of their writing about what they would like to be doing when they are 100. One boy's, Tyson, says "When I am 100, I will be knocked people with my cane. I will not want them on my lawn and if they do, I will knock them out." After a good laugh, I, of course, made him change to something a bit less violent. So now he will be tapping people on their head with his cane.

Funny Things from the Past

1/9/08
A real conversation between two 2nd graders:
Anna: Lauren said she dumped you.
Hunter: Does she even know what dumped means?
Anna: Yeah, its when you get a divorce. And I dump you too.

Sometime last year during a group project:
Tameka: My mom says "love" is a big word.
Male student: No its not. It's only 4 letters... L-O-V-E.

1/14/08
After coming back from a half day meeting at the district, I pick up my kids from lunch recess. This is the conversation that took place.
Addison: Dude, Miss Berg... that sub was so cool. She let us do whatever we wanted. She said we could sit on the counters, lay under our desks, and just kind of do whatever until Track B comes in. Can you get her to come again when you leave again?
Miss Berg: (thinking) Yes, Addison. That is exactly what I will do. Throw out all of my hard work in teaching you structure so that you can do what you like...
Seriously, I wonder what these kids are thinking when they tell me stuff like this.

1/17/08
Ethan (speaking to a friend during indoor recess): Hey, did you see that video on YouTube....These are words that should never come out of a 7-year-old's mouth.

I need somewhere to collect my thoughts and remember things I hear...

I have been sucked in. I finally started a blog, mainly for myself. Crazy as it sounds, I need a place where I can record all the funny things kids say... why? Because I teach 2nd grade... and not a day passes where I don't get at least a little chuckle out of some of the things these kiddos say. I want to be able to remember these funny little things... it might help my sanity to read over them on a day when I want to gauge my eyes out because the kids are driving me crazy. Anyway, hopefully someone stubbles across this and gets a good laugh.