Ahhhh, Reading

How did he do it? Years ago I had a history teacher who made a living reading the newspaper. He never actually read to us, but instead sat behind his desk flipping page after page, droning over sports scores and national happenings. Everyone once in a while he would share whether his stocks were doing good or not. We in turn were quiet as happy clams because it meant that he was not actually instructing us and in turn giving out loads of homework.

Yesterday, I received a few 'prop' gifts for Christmas. One item was a newspaper. With the hustle and bustle of our Thursday Christmas parties, I never got around to unwinding the rubber band until today.

"Kids, before we get out of here today, you need to clean out your desk," I'm sure this is a standing order in most schools the last day before a break. As I wandered through the room checking on the various bottomless pits, I spotted the newspaper at the front of the room, still rolled neatly together. What a great opportunity to see what's in the news,... or so I thought.

There's something about me calmly reading in class that draws 4th graders - like passers-by to an accident, they just have to stop and see what's going on. Perhaps it's the look of peace on my face that sends out a non-verbal signal that says 'Help ME! I'm way to relaxed right now and need to talk about someone who has a cousin who has a pet that nearly got run over by the lawnmower years ago.'

As I unfolded each section and began to read different articles I can honestly say that I didn't make it through a single one. I did however learn that one boy wrestles a lot, another girl is working on a drawing for me, I was informed that the country that eats the most bread is Turkey, there's a birthday coming up in the spring time and would it be okay to bring a treat, another boy wanted me to know that he's leaving a paper in his desk which is done, but not due until we return,..... Yep, didn't finish one article. As I took a deep breath, glanced at the clock to see if the 10 minute cleaning period was almost over, I thought of my former teacher with wonderment - for he had mastered something that remains intangible to me - peace while reading. Merry Christmas Everyone.

Need to Know,.. or just,.. No Need

Coming back to school after a snow day is similar to the last day of school ... nobody is in the right mindset for education. Everyone carries on about what they did on their 'free day' from school. Everyone talks about the 'one more day' aspect, "We needed just one more snow day to round out the week!" Everyone shares what traditions they carried out in order to attain the elusive day, "I wore my pajamas inside out and backwards." ... "Well, I did that too, but I also put a huge spoon under my pillow!" Then the bell rings and the students show up.

Today's much like any other - it's every family every day. I'm moving beyond the 'every child every day' approach because I've realized one crucial element to helping every child every day is also helping every parent every day. Here, let me explain with a little something I like to call,... my daily encounter of the "Huh?"

"MR. KELLY!!!!!!" screams an impatient child. "MY MOM WANTS TO KNOW WHEN THE HOLIDAY PARTY IS!!!!"

"Huh? ... (slight pause) It's next week," I was stuck between answering the question and trying to figure out why she doesn't know this already. "I've been writing it in the newsletter for the past three weeks, as well as it being posted on line and in the school newsletter."

"Well my mom doesn't read those things, so she told me to find out from you!" and there you have it. In a nutshell, life has become to hectic to take time to search for information. It's become similar to our need for the feed me quick answer society in which we live. I'm guilty of it as well. I seldom get around to reading the classroom newsletter that my own children bring home,... but I also don't ask questions, so my 'in the dark' fatherly persona remains unblemished. Tip #1: Whenever there is an event at the school and the school along with the teacher both send out weekly news, chances are,... it's in there. Now you have no need to know what is already known.

Popcorn Snow

We've all experienced it,... you're at home doing your own thing, when suddenly you are hit with the smell of buttered popcorn floating through the air. Go ahead, take a few moments to breath in deeply and test your olfactory senses. The smell is intoxicating, mouth watering, and says to the body, it's time to relax and enjoy a good movie or book while munching on some corn.

The picture changes,... I'm in school teaching metric measurement to 21 eager learners who suffer from one form or another of metric measurement phobia, only because they had their parents say, "I hate metrics! Didn't get it when I was in school and I don't get it now. Nobody uses metric, sept those soft drink companies and Canadians. Good luck, you're on your own!"

"As we learn to count to ten, we discover that there are ten millimeters in a centime... ,"

"WHAT'S THAT SMELL?" one student blurts out.

"POPCORN!!!" others cry in unison.

"Where's it coming from? Do we get popcorn today? Will they bring it before recess? What time is recess? I LOVE popcorn! " the comments and questions begin flying.

"Okay. I have no prior knowledge of moms making popcorn for us today, but I do smell it as well. If they bring it to our classroom, then it will be here,... and we'll eat it. If not,... then we won't,....... eat it," I find that being real specific with directions and information helps somewhat, sort of, possibly, perhaps. "Let's get back to metrics for now. We have the 10 millimeters which make up 1 centimeter (pointing at the overhead screen with ruler displayed). You then have 10 centimeters which make up a decim...,"

"LOOK! SNOW!!" a window sitter calls out, drawing attention to the snow blowing around the playground.

"Oh, COOL!" a boy begins to lean over his desk in order to get a closer look at the snow fall.

"People, we all know what SNOW looks like! Remember what Mr. Kelly said. We don't need to get all excited each time it snows!" my teacher want-to-be jumped in on the action to remind the kids what I had said days before when it snowed the first time. What I had actually said was, it's exciting to see snow fall for the first time of the year, but let's not get hung up on it for twenty minutes jumping up and down pointing at each individual flake - let's take it in and move on. Which is what I was attempting to do with the metric system - unsuccessfully.

After the go-ahead finger point, head nod by my little room-mom of a student and the room settled back down to a dull buzz, I noticed a kid in the back of the room waving his arm in the air as if he were about to burst. A good question or answer is like helium for the hand in a classroom; the better the question or answer, the higher the hand goes,.. literally raising students out of their chair - I've seen it with my own eyes several times. "Yes, what is it?"

"Mr. Kelly, I got it! They are making popcorn to celebrate the snow!!" And there it was,... the double whammy. The mention of popcorn and snow all in one sentence - the class was gone!