Just one more and I will lay off Mr. K for awhile. Discussion between me and Aidan this morning.
Aidan: Going to school is very important.
Me: You're right, it is.
Aidan: If I don't go to school, will I have to live on the street?
Me: What?!
Aidan: Well, people that don't go to school live on the street.
Me: Who told you that? (as if I didn't already know)
Aidan: Mr. K
The next few minutes were spent trying to explain that no, I don't think he will ever have to live on the street. I understand instilling a value in education but come on...
Friday, March 13, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Oh, this one is a doozy...
Yes, another Mr. K story.
On the way home from school the other day, here is the conversation we had:
Aidan: Mommy, did you know that a lot of people in America don't have jobs?
Me: Yes, I do know that...
Aidan (cuts me off): And do you know why they don't have jobs?
Me (very curious to hear his answer): Why?
Aidan: Because the people in China make everything now and there is nothing for America to do.
Me: (Silence--wondering what I can possibly say.)
Aidan: And do you know they steal children to work in factories there?
Gavin (quiet up until now): Do they steal children here??
Oh. my. god. Now, I do realize this is coming from a 5 1/2 year old and the conversation Mr. K had with the kids may not have quite gone down like that. BUT, this is what a 5 1/2 year old took away from that conversation. Regardless of what was actually said, I do not think that kindergarteners need to know about the state of our economy and if their parent might lose a job because China makes everything. That's just me.
_________________________________
On a funnier note, my friend who has a child in Mr. K's class also told me that the other night her son saw a shooting star. She told him to make a wish because that wasa lucky star. He closed his eyes tight and wished:
"I wish someone would replace Mr. K."
LMBO
On the way home from school the other day, here is the conversation we had:
Aidan: Mommy, did you know that a lot of people in America don't have jobs?
Me: Yes, I do know that...
Aidan (cuts me off): And do you know why they don't have jobs?
Me (very curious to hear his answer): Why?
Aidan: Because the people in China make everything now and there is nothing for America to do.
Me: (Silence--wondering what I can possibly say.)
Aidan: And do you know they steal children to work in factories there?
Gavin (quiet up until now): Do they steal children here??
Oh. my. god. Now, I do realize this is coming from a 5 1/2 year old and the conversation Mr. K had with the kids may not have quite gone down like that. BUT, this is what a 5 1/2 year old took away from that conversation. Regardless of what was actually said, I do not think that kindergarteners need to know about the state of our economy and if their parent might lose a job because China makes everything. That's just me.
_________________________________
On a funnier note, my friend who has a child in Mr. K's class also told me that the other night her son saw a shooting star. She told him to make a wish because that wasa lucky star. He closed his eyes tight and wished:
"I wish someone would replace Mr. K."
LMBO
Friday, March 06, 2009
Proud moment
I believe I have mentioned before that Gavin if by far my most challenging child. But for all the grief he may give me at home, at least I now know that he truly does behave himself when he is away from me.
I have been helping out at the school book fair this week. Today was Gavin's day to go and as we were checking out, a parent came up to me and said "So, you are Gavin's mother". Uh-oh--this could be good or bad, I couldn't tell from her voice. So the woman introduced herself as Joseph's mother (I had no idea who Joseph was). She must have noticed my puzzled expression because then she said that Joseph was in the 4th grade and he was Gavin's library buddy. Each week the kindergarteners pair up with an older student who help them pick appropriate books and they have the same buddies all year. Well, the woman went on to tell me that Joseph talks about Gavin ALL the time and tells his mother what a polite little boy he is and how nice he is, etc. She then said "And really, I am not just telling you that because you are standing here. He honestly loves your son. You should feel very proud of him". Of course, I am always proud of my kids but I can't tell you how satisfying it is to hear others say it. Motherhood is most often an overlooked job. There are no performance reviews, no feedback (unless it's bad usually), no pats on the back. To hear someone compliment my child's manners and behavior is all the validation I need that I'm doing a good job. Not that I need validation but, you know, society has certain ideas about what life as a SAHM is like. It's not all bon-bons and daytime TV. It is damn hard work. And I think I'm pretty good at it.
I have been helping out at the school book fair this week. Today was Gavin's day to go and as we were checking out, a parent came up to me and said "So, you are Gavin's mother". Uh-oh--this could be good or bad, I couldn't tell from her voice. So the woman introduced herself as Joseph's mother (I had no idea who Joseph was). She must have noticed my puzzled expression because then she said that Joseph was in the 4th grade and he was Gavin's library buddy. Each week the kindergarteners pair up with an older student who help them pick appropriate books and they have the same buddies all year. Well, the woman went on to tell me that Joseph talks about Gavin ALL the time and tells his mother what a polite little boy he is and how nice he is, etc. She then said "And really, I am not just telling you that because you are standing here. He honestly loves your son. You should feel very proud of him". Of course, I am always proud of my kids but I can't tell you how satisfying it is to hear others say it. Motherhood is most often an overlooked job. There are no performance reviews, no feedback (unless it's bad usually), no pats on the back. To hear someone compliment my child's manners and behavior is all the validation I need that I'm doing a good job. Not that I need validation but, you know, society has certain ideas about what life as a SAHM is like. It's not all bon-bons and daytime TV. It is damn hard work. And I think I'm pretty good at it.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Sad
Don't you hate when your kids are sad and there is nothing you can do about it?
I worked at the school book fair today and bought Aidan's teacher a few books off his wish list. I ran them down to his classroom and just as I was walking in the door, Mr. K was speaking to Aidan about something he was doing wrong on his paper (rather harshly I might add). I saw Aidan's face and knew he could burst into tears at any second. He was trying so hard to hold it together. He didn't see me come in the room and as I was leaving I tapped him on the shoulder and smiled at him and he just looked up at me with the saddest face. Didn't even smile at me. I wanted to give him a huge hug but I didn't.
Before I left the book fair, I went down to the lunchroom to see the boys. I found Aidan first and went over and asked how he was. I asked what he was so upset about in class and he just told me "Nothing". He just did not want to talk about it. Aidan can get overwhelmed when a task is hard for him. He would much rather just give up but that is not an option in Mr. K's class. He will make the student try and try and try until they get it. I suppose that is a great way to encourage children to take risks in their learning. But for goodness sake I think he can do it in a gentler way. He just has a harshness about him when speaking to the children.
Last night at dinner, I asked the kids to name one good thing and one bad thing that happened that day. Aidan's good thing was "I wanted to cry when we were doing math because it was too hard but I didn't". How is that for heartbreaking? Turns out they were working with coins and Mr. K had to have them figure out how much of something they could buy with the coins they had. Honestly (and I was a Kindergarten teacher), I think that is a challenging thing for kindergarteners. But Aidan got through it. And he didn't cry.
I worked at the school book fair today and bought Aidan's teacher a few books off his wish list. I ran them down to his classroom and just as I was walking in the door, Mr. K was speaking to Aidan about something he was doing wrong on his paper (rather harshly I might add). I saw Aidan's face and knew he could burst into tears at any second. He was trying so hard to hold it together. He didn't see me come in the room and as I was leaving I tapped him on the shoulder and smiled at him and he just looked up at me with the saddest face. Didn't even smile at me. I wanted to give him a huge hug but I didn't.
Before I left the book fair, I went down to the lunchroom to see the boys. I found Aidan first and went over and asked how he was. I asked what he was so upset about in class and he just told me "Nothing". He just did not want to talk about it. Aidan can get overwhelmed when a task is hard for him. He would much rather just give up but that is not an option in Mr. K's class. He will make the student try and try and try until they get it. I suppose that is a great way to encourage children to take risks in their learning. But for goodness sake I think he can do it in a gentler way. He just has a harshness about him when speaking to the children.
Last night at dinner, I asked the kids to name one good thing and one bad thing that happened that day. Aidan's good thing was "I wanted to cry when we were doing math because it was too hard but I didn't". How is that for heartbreaking? Turns out they were working with coins and Mr. K had to have them figure out how much of something they could buy with the coins they had. Honestly (and I was a Kindergarten teacher), I think that is a challenging thing for kindergarteners. But Aidan got through it. And he didn't cry.
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