Gems From the Students

So today I had a 6 year old girl in my class learning prepositions. The cards she had were "desk" and "library book" and she was supposed to ask me a question about the location of one in relation to the other.

So she asks, "Is there a library in the desk?"

I start to say, "No..." but she cuts me off and says, "No, no! It's a dream door."

"A dream door?" I ask.

"Yes, a dream desk. But not sleep dream," she says.

Awww, my little student was talking about her imagination. So I tell her, "Well if it's a dream desk then there is a library in it."

When I was a kid I never realized how much adults humored me. I guess nobody really does but it seems important to let the kids have their "kid-ness" for as long as they can

.... or at least until they've made it out of the first grade. ;)

On another note, there's an older elementary school boy who always comes an hour before his lesson starts. Usually he's invading the staff room and taking all of our games and props to entertain himself while he waits which drives me up the wall. I go to get a prop I need for my next class and I have to go hunt down this kid and try to explain to him in a language he doesn't really understand why I'm taking his toys away. But he's a big kid, I reason, he knows better!

Now the past couple of weeks I haven't seen him at all it seems until I stumble around a corner and find him laying on the ground engrossed with his PSP. He's so quiet and doesn't take any of our things anymore but now.... now he looks like a zombie. Not to mention it's impossible to get his attention unless you put your hand over the display screen and then it's more like he just pushes your hand away rather than actually acknowledges you.

For instance, today I opened the door to my classroom which usually is not closed and turned on the lights to find him sprawled out on the floor, catatonic and playing his little game.

I'm torn as to how I should feel about his change in behavior. On the one hand it's nice not having someone wreck havoc in our staff room, stealing our stuff but on the other hand.... well, I can only hope I never looked (okay, look) like that when I play(ed) video games.