We have been using an economy system in the classroom for a couple of months.  Today, we took the average starting teacher's salary, made a budget, and had an eye-opening discussion about money.  It became clear to the students that money management can be difficult and "extras" may need to be cut.  

Fast forward to evening when I ran into a student at the grocery store.

Emmett:  Hey!  Mrs. B!!!!  MRS. BEEEE!!!

Mrs. B:  Hi, Emmett!  How are you?

Emmett:  Fine.  I saw you using coupons like we talked about!

Mrs. B:  Yes. (holding out my receipt)  And look at what I saved.

Emmett:  Twenty-seven dollars!  That's good.  (lightbulb)  Hey, now you can pay your cable bill!

Today's post is more somber than usual.  One of my students has a little sister who is fighting cancer.  Around the holidays, she started getting better but then had a big, unexpected set-back and is now back in the hospital.  My student, Lillian, has had to move in with her grandmother while her family stays in the city where the hospital is located.  Today, she submitted this for her writing assignment (write about a memory):

The students were required to write a report about something they had learned about the ocean and animals that live or hunt there.  Here is a sentence from one student's report (student spelling included):

Seels lay on the beach alot and they fart alot.

I was vaguely aware that a debate was occurring about the best desserts.  I wasn't really tuned into the conversation until...

Jason:  I can't eat that.  I'm toast intolerant.

Mrs. B:  You're...what?

Jason:  Toast intolerant.

Dakota:  (seeing a look of confusion on my face)  I think he means "lactose intolerant."

Mrs. B:  Oh, thank goodness.  For a moment I thought he actually couldn't eat toast.

Dakota:  Yeah, that would be weird.

Some teachers let the children come into their classroom in the mornings before school starts.  I don't.  It isn't that I'm being mean.  It's just that I need those precious few moments to prepare for the day.  My students know this.  Still, they like to test the waters every now and then...

A small group of students: (peeking through the window and banging on the door)  Mrs. B!  MRS. BEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Mrs. B:  (calmly, in a sing-song voice)  Go away, little darlings...

Kendra:  Can we come in?

Mrs. B:  No.

Dakota:  But we come in peace!

Mrs. B:  You're gonna BE in pieces if you don't go out to the playground right now!

Dakota:  Man, I really thought that line would work.

Rumor was going around that Wyeth and Madison were an "item."  

Mrs. B:  (to Dakota, the bearer of 3rd grade romance reports)  So you're saying they like each other?

Dakota:  Yup.

Mrs. B:  Are you sure about this?

Dakota:  Pretty sure.

Mrs. B:  Well, that's not the same as sure.

Dakota:  Maybe you should ask them.

Mrs. B:  I don't want to be nosy.

Dakota:  But it's your JOB to be nosy!

Mrs. B:  Let's see...today is February 25th.  Wow.  The month is almost over already!  That was fast!

Dakota:  Good.  I'm sick of the "month of love!"