TALKIN' KIDS

WHAT IS …?

Sugar — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:01:13 +0000

I asked my students to describe several concepts.

What is Peace?
1. Peace is when everything is quiet. Peace is not by itself. You always have to have peace and quiet. They come like that.

2. Peace is when everybody is happy.

3. Peace is a “piece” of something. But I guess if you give everybody a piece of this and a piece of that, they’ll be happy. Unless one of ‘em wants a big piece.

What is Love?
1. Love is what you get when you see your mom. It comes with dads too but mostly it’s with moms.

2. Love means you’re not mad.

3. Love is when everybody is happy. (This was child #2 who described Peace.)

What is hope?
1. Hope is like a wish. Like, I hope I get a new bike – a two wheeler.

2. Hope is something that can get you out of trouble. When you say, I hope they don’t see this!

3. You gotta have hope to keep the bad stuff from happening. It works like magic.

What is Faith?
1. Faith is always doing the right thing and not telling lies. It’s what they say in church.

2. Faith is …um,… uh,…um

3. Faith is when you have faith in somebody. That means you can trust ‘em.

What is Truth?
1. (This is child #1 in Faith) Can I change mine to truth? Cuz that’s when you don’t tell lies. Besides, I don’t know what faith is. I think old people have it.

2. It’s always telling the truth.

3. Well, sometimes truth can get you in trouble so that’s when you don’t tell it.

What is Trust?
1. That’s when you have to trust somebody not to tell the truth. (This is child #3 above.)

2. You can trust your friends ’cause they think just like you. (Same kid)

3. Trust is when you know something is not gonna happen.

What is Community?
1. That’s where you live.

2. It’s your neighborhood!

3. It’s all the people on your block.

Are we a community at school?
1. No. ‘Cause you have to live in a community.

2. It’s where your house is.

3. We can’t be a community in here because you’re the only one that lives at school. Kids can’t live at school. We have a house.

I think I can fix this.

THE HUNGRY ASSISTANT

Sugar — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:18:10 +0000

One bright and sunny morning one of my assistants walked into the classroom, sat with a child and walked out. Upon her exit, I noticed a streak of bright red lipstick smeared from her top lip onto her cheek.

The child with whom my assistant was sitting walked up to me and stated…

“I think she’s been eating her lipstick again.”

Apparently, the kindergarten student informed my assistant of his observation which prompted her leave. Upon the return of my assistant, the student noticed there was no lipstick at all on her face and he said to her in surprise…

“Did you eat it all up?”

THE PRICE OF BEAUTY

Sugar — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:28:39 +0000

It isn’t often that I meet one of my students in a store. I was shopping in the cosmetics department recently when one of my young charges appeared by my side. I was eyeing a lipstick when he exclaimed…

“You’re gonna need more than that!”

Note: This is a true story written for the prompt at Magpie Tales. Photo – courtesy of Magpie Tales.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Sugar — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:49:16 +0000

It was the end of a long winter’s week and the children and I were seeking relief when I announced to the class…

“TGIF”

I asked the children if they know what that means. One of the kindergarten boys shouted…

“Payday!”

MAMA MIA!

Sugar — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:39:52 +0000

Recently, my classroom’s conversation turned to the topic of inappropriate language. One of my students complained…

“My mom won’t let me watch TV ’cause there might be bad words. But she takes me to grandma’s house and grandma says more bad words than anybody!”

Oh! Mama!

GRAVITY FOR SALE

Sugar — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:12:43 +0000

My students and I were discussing the Blue Moon when the subject turned to gravity. Later that morning, one of my young charges approached me and said…
“It’s a good thing we have ‘gravy’ here on Earth. ‘Cause without it, we would float all over the place.” The child added…
“My mom knows how to make the stuff. She could sell it to the astronauts.”

I explained the difference between ‘gravity’ and ‘gravy’.

CLASSROOM CONVERSATIONS

Sugar — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:49:32 +0000

1. Recently, I asked one of my students…
“What are the four seasons?”
The excited child replied…
“Ketchup and Mustard and Salt and Pepper!”

2. My kindergarten children are reading now and occasionally my assistant and I gauge their skills. My assistant chose a book and asked one of the students…
“Will you please read this story to me?”
Without saying a word, the student casually walked over to me and whispered…
“She doesn’t know how to read. Do you want me to teach her?”

3. We were studying Sea Life when a child proudly exclaimed…
“My mom likes Oysters’ balls!”
(He was talking about pearls.)

4. Occasionally, I repeat to my class the rules of our school. One morning we were discussing the topic of respect. I asked the children, “What is the rule that teaches us how to treat each other?” One of the children shouted…
“Thou shall not kill!”

OVERHEARD

Sugar — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:40:35 +0000

1. “Teachers can’t be sick. They have to come to school! If they really can’t come, we’d need to get rental teachers!”

2. Teacher…
“What is Peace?”
Student…
“Everybody knows Peace. You know. A piece of this and a piece of that!”

3. Teacher…
“Can you name something important that was invented in the last five years?”
Student…
“Me!”

FIREFIGHTING DOGS

Sugar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:12:42 +0000

A few of the parents of my students are firefighters. Recently, the subject of firefighting arose and the kindergarten boys asked one child about his dad’s job. A boy wanted to know if there was a dog at the firehouse. And he asked his classmate if the dog had an important job. The child replied…

“Yeah! His job is real important. ‘Cuz nobody can find the fire hydrant without ‘im!”

BIG FISH

Sugar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:36:23 +0000

My class is studying Sea Life. I was working with a small group of students and I explained to them that some species of tuna can grow to seven feet or up to ten feet in length. One of the children sighed loudly and asked…

“Well, how do they get inside those teeny little cans?”