So, this little one was late with her "If I Were A Superhero" assignment. As you can see from her writing, she is none too happy with the fact that someone beat her to the punch.

We've been working on a reading standard in class that requires the children to look at maps, schedules, etc. and find information they need. Today, I had them create a map for an amusement park of their own design. They had to include several elements like rides, people, a compass rose, and a legend.

Violet: (showing me her map) ...and this is the legend and this is the roller coaster and over here is a person barfing 'cuz they just got off the roller coaster, and this is the snack bar...

Today there was a lot of chatter in the classroom. None of the usual "behavioral management" tricks worked. I'm sure my patience was wearing thin because this conversation happened at the end of the day...

Nick: Jayden, you look tired.

Jayden: I am tired.

Ava: Maybe your brain isn't working.

Nick: Yeah! Maybe you need your brain switched ON!

Jayden: Yeah, I need my brain switched on.

Nick: Only Mrs. B knows how to switch on our brains.

Ava: Mrs. B! Only you know how to switch on our brains!

Mrs. B: If only I knew how to switch off your mouths...

Ava: Uhhhh...you guys, she wants us to be quiet!

Reviewing words with suffixes...

Mrs. B: What does a painter do?

Class: PAINTS!

Mrs. B: What does a swimmer do?

Class: SWIMS!

Mrs. B: What does a tutor do?

Class: TOOTS! (loud, hysterical laughter)

Mrs. B: (mostly in my head) I should have seen that coming.

Joey: (entering the classroom in the morning) Mrs. B! Guess what! I can sing opera...listen... (ear-piercing, off-key, hand in the air like an Italian opera star) AHHHHAAAAAAAAAHHHHAHHHHAHHHAAAAAAA!

Mrs. B: (entire class is frozen in disbelief) Wow. That was really...something.

Joey: I know. My voice can break glass!

(We were continuously treated to bits of "opera" throughout the day, mainly when Joey finished each assignment.)

Mrs. B: Okay, today we are going to begin studying the branches of government.

Justin: OOOh! OOOH! Mrs. B! I can name one of the branches!

Mrs. B: Okay, go ahead.

Justin: The olive branch.

(Side note: Talk about irony!)

Reported by another teacher...

Teacher: So, who can read the sentence they wrote for question 10 that says, "Write a sentence or two that explains how you found the answer for question number nine."

Student: I can!

Teacher: Go ahead, Duncan.

Student: (reading) I am very clever. Okay?