I've Learned Something New Every Day This Year

With only one and a half days of school left with my Super Star kindergartners, I have to tell you, I've learned something new from them every day this year.

Sweet, sassy, inquisitive and inclusive, next year's teachers are going to love my soon-to-be former students. They'll appreciate their eagerness, kindness, and energy, and something tells me they'll love their humor, both accidental and purposeful. 

Here's what I learned yesterday:

Star: Mrs. Sommerville, Mrs. Sommerville! Do you know Indiana Jones?

Me: Indiana Jones, you mean the movies about him?

Star: Yes! The boulder and skeleton and snakes movies!

Me: I've seen them before, yes. Why?

Star: Well my mom let me watch them with her, and they're kind of scary.

Me: You're right, there are parts of the movies that are scary.

Star: My mom isn't scared of the boulder or the skeleton, but she DOES NOT like those snakes!

Me: I don't blame her, that many snakes would bother me too.

Star: Uh, Mrs. Sommerville, you don't *really* have to worry about those snakes though.

Me: Oh? Why not?

Star: 'Cause they're just, uh... they're just... special... SPECIAL EFFECTS!

Me: Special effects? What are special effects?

Star: My mom told me that special effects are when scary parts look real but they really aren't. That boulder probably wasn't a REAL boulder, it was just a big lumpy ball that looked like a rock. And the skeletons were just plastic or something.

Me: What about the snakes?

Star, dropping voice to a whisper: Oh, those were probably real.

Me: If they were real, *HOW* did Indiana Jones stay safe?

Star, looking around to make sure no one else could hear: *~Movie~* *~Magic~*

Me, also whispering: ~*Movie Magic~*?

Star, nodding, with a wow-can-you-believe-it expression on his face: Yeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhh. ~*Movie magic.*~

****

How many days do you have left in the school year?

Same Lesson, Same Students...

... but very different results!

What happened?

*Kindergarten* happened.

On the left, an August self portrait.  To the right, this week's rendering.

Yes, I cry (tears of joy and pride, I assure you!) when I display these side by side for our last bulletin board display of the year :



















Super Stars, you are AWESOME!

An Incredible Inauguration

Incredible because of its historical significance, incredible because of the joy, sincerity, and even the minor flubs, and incredible because I watched it with my Super Stars.

Story time, handwriting, learning centers, snack, music and movement, and then, President-Elect Obama's Inauguration.

What first got my Stars' attention was seeing children, two very pretty young ladies, joining all of the "grown ups" on the inaugural dais. "Mrs. Sommerville, those are President Obama's daughters, right? The ones that get to live in the White House?"

"Yes."

Watching other "important people" be greeted on the dais, another student asked "Mrs. Sommerville, where is Obama? Is he last? That's not very fair."

"Teacher, who is he making a promise to again?" "He's promising us that he'll do a good job, protect us, and help us help ourselves and others." "Does he promise everybody, or just the grown ups?" "Everybody honey, all of us."

None of my Stars recognized the lyrics sung by Aretha Franklin, though thanks to our wonderful music teacher, they quickly recognized a violin, cello, clarinet, and piano as "Air and Simple Gifts" was performed.



"Why was the music quiet and slow at first Mrs. Sommerville? It got happy after a while, but why did it start slow?"

"Did they play that music for President Obama or for everyone?" "Everyone." "Wow, that's a lot of people!"

My students were seated for most of the event, except for two key moments when the audience was asked to "Please stand" as the vice-presidential and presidential oaths took place. Without prompting from me, all nineteen of my Super Stars stood quietly, their attention riveted to the television screen.

So of course I cried.

After President Obama's speech, we went to lunch.

Chicken nuggets.

It was a good day.