Finding your soul-mate

Today we got to talking about marriage - I'd thought I'd share with you a conversation between 2 boys, five and six years old.

5YOBoy: "When I grow up I'm going to marry Lady Gaga because she is awesome."

6YOBoy: "Well, I'm going to marry Santa because he is awesomer and he's got all the toys."

You learn so much in that first year of school, eh? 

I was led to believe there would be a medal ...

This is it. The day I have been looking forward to for months. The day camp is over. The longest possible time until I have to go on the next camp. Already the reality of camping is subsiding under the weight of nostalgia as I look back the last two days (in reality 24 hours of camping) and strategically pick out the good bits to keep and douse the unpleasant recollections in petrol and start looking for matches.

The reality of being a primary teacher is that you have to do the lot - like it or not. I am blessed that I actually enjoy teaching reading, writing, maths, science, health, social studies, the arts, technology, languages and even some p.e. - but camping for me is like the thing I'd like to pretend I didn't know how to do and get a specialist in to do it for me.

I got through the dread of the lead up to this one  (my third camp with 5 & 6 year olds - hence the medal expectations!) by telling myself that this was the chance for some of the kids in my class to have their best school-related memory. The time that someone who wasn't the best reader or the fastest runner got to do something that felt really good that would help them better understand who they were. That's the thing I do love about camp - and I saw it again this time. Kids who get a glimpse at their own potential and realise they are good at something they didn't even know they could do.

That is why (moan as I will) I will be going to camp again.

Saying Hoo-Roo!

I know I am supposed to be the grown up, but I do find it hard when one of the sparkly stars of my class leaves to go to another school. Today is no exception. I was very brave though and I didn't cry. Young Mr O was a very sweet boy. One morning before school when everyone else was outside playing and I was spending quality time with the photocopier, Mr O set up this art installation for the benefit of us all. 

All the teddies are sitting with their friends and reading books together - even the teacher teddy on the big chair. Mr O managed to find a teddy for everyone in our class and every ted had a friend because "that's how it is in our class" :) Missing you already, Mr O!

Sentenced to hard labour

Managed to get through all my school years without getting a detention.. until today. Sentenced to hard labour scrubbing off spray paint from side of classroom. I blame the wind *shaking fist at the sky* - dang spray drift

Kids art

Who doesn't love kids art? This gorgeous picture from lovely Sophie in my class depicts a rabbit eating a carrot, my dog eating a bone and me standing underneath a rainbow smiling at the sight of a pink unicorn in the sky. It does raise two questions for me, however. If orange is the closest colour in the pen collection to my skin tone, is it time to bin the mineral powder make-up? Secondly, are things getting a little too laid back and casual-like when it is ok to just call me G? Can I expect a "Yo, G!" tomorrow instead of a "Gooooooooood moooooooooorrnning Miss Goooooorrrrdiiiiiiiiin"?

I think I actually prefer G.

Birthday Maths

The twins in my class celebrated their birthday today. The 5 year-olds still haven't quite worked out the details of what it is to be a twin. I heard a very earnest discussion about the fact it was one of the twins birthday today and someone else asked which twin was having their birthday. After a heated discussion of "It's Twin 1", "No, it's Twin 2", the group finally came to the conclusion it was probably both their birthdays on the same day. Being a little bit mischievous (or I should say, as a formative assessment task to check their understanding) I said, "So do you think they will share a birthday again next year?" to which one said "Only if it isn't a leap year!"

What I learned today

Today a young lad in my class helped me learn that your soul lives in your tummy and if it goes too far up your neck - it gets out and you die. Yet another good reason for chewing with your mouth closed.