Here are some of the top moments of school with my 8-9 year olds. There are too many, so there will have to be a part 2.
Number 5: Rhymes
I taught my kids about poetry a couple of months ago, and how we usually use rhyming words. So I challenged them to write their own poem, and make them rhyme. Ten minutes into the activity, excitement had evolved into belligerence. A tiny boy with humongous eyes and a crew cut was glaring in the direction of an equally pint-sized girl who was also throwing daggers at him.
Girl: HEY! Stop making fun of my name!
Boy: I'm not! I'm telling you what someone else said about your last name.
They called you Marina Bay Sands. (Her last name was Bay.)
Girl: YEAH. Stop it or I'm going to tell Miss Tan!
Boy: Why are you so mean?! I didn't even say anything when you called me Lucas the Mucus.
As you can imagine, it was really hard for me to keep a straight face as I emphasised the importance of respecting each other.
Number 4: Philosophical musings
The kids have to reflect upon their learning after every Science chapter. This one was on Fungi and Bacteria. Clearly this kid was in a philosophical mood.
Number 3: Advice
This particularly precocious girl in my class who has a really adult way of speaking approached me with a complaint letter. It was about two girls who made fun of her favourite cake. The last line really made me laugh.
Number 2: Being schooled again
During one of the snack times, I was sitting at the teacher's table in class while my students were taking advantage of the 15 minute break to catch up with whatever breaking social news had happened in the last half an hour.
Suddenly, I felt someone staring at me from the side of my table. I glanced to my right to see the tiny boy with humongous eyes and a crew cut (see Number 5: Rhymes) looking at me with hopeful eyes.
Boy: Miss Tan…can I tell you something?" (He was so excited he was all breathy and couldn't stop fidgeting)
Me: Yes, what is it?
Boy: Do you know this thing called…gravity? (It took him awhile to pronounce the word)
Me: Yes.
Boy: Do you know why even though there is gravity on Earth, the moon doesn't crash onto Earth?
(At this point, I thought he was trying to tell me a joke, because the kids love telling me random funny things. So I asked him why.
He took a deep breath before launching into his little speech.)
Boy: BECAUSE, right, there is this thing called CEN-TREE-FOO-GAL force. So, right, it, like, keeps trying to go straight (At this point, he whips out a very dirty, tiny ball of blutack and a string and starts illustrating his point.), but the gravity from the Earth is, like, trying to pull it back. But it doesn't ever crash into the Earth, but it just REE-VOLVES around it.
Random kid at the back: MISS TAN, IS HE TELLING YOU ABOUT CENTIPEDE FORCE?!
Number 1: Infidelity
I don't know what this kid has been watching at home.
That's it for now. Teaching these kids is very challenging, but they always keep me on my toes and entertained. =)
