Ask a Teacher

Two weeks of school have already come and gone! Crazy how fast time flies by, isn't it? The past two weeks have reminded me of some of the funnier things about teaching second grade. Let me explain:

Ask a Teacher, they know everything:

Second graders are still at the age where they believe that adults just know everything. This is both funny, and sometimes tiring. Yesterday I was teaching a math lesson about how to solve "Some, Some More" math problems. Because I teach the English Language Transition (ELT) program, I do a lot of teaching in Spanish.

To help the students understand, I wrote "Some, Some More" in both English and Spanish on the white board. My students then asked me to write it in Chinese. Now I don't know any Chinese, but I decided I would give it a try. I drew some symbols under the Spanish. Gasps of amazement went out through the class.

"Holy cow! He can really do it!" was being whispered throughout the room. That made me smile, so I went ahead and wrote "Omesay, Omesay Oremay" (Pig-Latin) under the Chinese. Needless to say, my students were amazed.

Is there anything Mr. Tucker can't do?

That's How I Planned It!

Ever make a mistake? Yeah, that happens, but not to teachers. Everything we do "wrong" is really just a test for the students. This works out great because I get to constantly "test" my students in spelling :) both in Spanish and in English.

I bet the Teacher would like to know that:

My students are great, and I love working with them... unless it is during recess, or lunch when I am trying to make worksheets, clean messes, organize my desk, etc.

They are so funny though. The students at my school eat lunch in the classroom (yeah, what a bad setup, I know). Well, while they eat, I try to get stuff done. This is near impossible. There is always at least one student that is sitting at their desk thinking, "My mom sure likes to go to Walmart.... HEY, Mr. Tucker would like to know that!"

So they walk up to my desk and look at me. I am sure that they are wondering, "What is the BEST way to start such a wonderful story?" After a minute, they say, "Mr. Tucker? The other day... ... ... ... The other day..."

"Yes?" I say. My response seems to brake down a dam that was holding in the words. They come spilling out as fast as possible.

"I went to Walmart with my mom and we bought some Hot Cheetos, and we went with my little brother that is in first grade and I like to eat Hot Cheetoes and my mom likes to go to Walmart and sometimes I get to go to Walmart with her."

They then stand and wait, and I kid you not, they are hardly breathing as they wait to see how I respond. Not wanting them to feel bad, or know that their story had no point I say, "Wow! That is SOOOO cool!" As a big smile comes across their face, about 10 other students are thinking, "HEY, my mom likes Walmart too! I should let Mr. Tucker know!" So much for getting stuff done.

Making a Line:

I am sure I could go on all day about the funny things kids do, but this will be my last example today. Recess, Lunch, P.E., Music, Library, or just to get out, we are constantly needing to make a line and walk through the halls at school. This is one of the things that I know I did as a kid, but I still just don't get it. Think back to elementary school and making lines and you too will remember cutting in line. Oh how I hated that as a kid. "Hey, you can't cut in front of me!"

Well, my students too hate it. "Mr. Tucker!! So-and-so cut in line!!" they cry.

"So what?" I respond, "we are all going to the same place and will all get there within a couple seconds of each other." Not only that, but they hate going back to class from recess! Why the hurry? I always wonder what goes on in those little heads, "Man! Recess is over, now we have to do math! I wish I could spend more time out... Hey! Is that Joe cutting in line! Now I have to wait a whole extra second out at recess! I can't let this go untold! Someone needs to stop him!"