be prepared

Despite the fact that I haven't posted much this summer, plenty of humorous things have happened. Take, for example, when I went home for a couple weeks and realized that my parents, in their zeal to be prepared for natural disasters, may be creating one. Mom and Dad, over the last year or two, have gotten into the ham radio communications. This, I think, it approximately the ultimate in preparation. However, imagine my surprise when I arrived home and noticed the ham radio antenna attached to our house to improve reception. We live in the middle of a small clearing. An incredibly long metal pole is attached to our house, rising up to the sky like a....well, like a lightning rod. Nothing like a good lightning storm to make things exiting at the Marshall house.

I've arrived

Patrick (my co-teacher) and I have decided that we have sufficiently developed the 'Teacher Gene.' Who knows how. But last summer I didn't have it, and this summer I do. I know because last summer my students begged me to push them on the swings, every day. This summer they have not even asked. It's happened: I am officially a teacher!

On a similar note, it's interesting to see the progress of others I worked with last summer. Tommy, one of my teenage assistants last year, pushed those kids on the swings, all day, every day last year. This year, as I was sitting outside monitoring my kids at recess, Tommy walked by. Instantly everyone on the swings yelled, "Tommy! Push us!!" Tommy, without even glancing at them, said, "Pump!" I felt proud.

nickname update

Mist' Jordan's name for me has changed. It's now 'pudd'n'-pop.' I've never heard this before. Of course, his name has also been shortened to Mist' Jord'. (He's been processing a lot of my requests for boxes and tape, since everything has to be packed). I wonder what he'd call me if we worked in the same school for a third year.


And the Shawanna nickname is still going strong. I've had two new people mistakenly call me Shawanna just this week. And the name was passed around at TFA Induction last week, so even those who didn't know the original story now are caught up in it, too. I think it's around to stay - at least as long as I live in this area.

a dramatic play

Overheard in dramatic play:
Jumarr presents Zy'Aire with a bead necklace.
Zy'Aire (cooing): "Oh, Jumarr, is it for me?"
Jumarr: "Yep."
Zy'Aire: "It's what I've always wanted on a date!"
Jumarr: "Yep."
Zy'Aire (still cooing): "It's so beautiful. Where did you get it?"
Jumarr: "From the jew'ry store. And guess what? It was FREE!"
Zy'Aire (falling into his arms): "Oh, Jumarr!!"

I think the reaction to this statement was a little overdone. But Zy'Aire is nothing if not born for the stage.

sudden growth

Today, while on the carpet, we were having a great discussion about the best parts of the day. Mikea, out of nowhere, interrupted, and said, sounding quite surprised: "I'm growing.....like a flower!"

I wonder if she could actually feel the neurons firing and the synapses connecting. And she used a simile, no less. While we still have to work on listening when others are speaking, maybe there's hope for her after all. 

VeggieTales makes the day

Today we had indoor recess because it rained last night and the ground was still a little damp. (What do they expect the kids to do? Get down and start rolling around on the slightly damp woodchips? Heaven forbid.) I had checked out a VeggieTales video from the library the last time I was there, so I popped it in and we settled down to watch. Well, they started to settle down and I spent the time mediating fights and keeping peace. 

Note: I have never seen a VeggieTales video. The only thing I know about VeggieTales is that they have the song "I Love My Lips" which I thought was about the funniest thing I'd ever heard my first year in college. 

The video was called "The Lord of the Bean," which I thought sounded vaguely familiar. As I put it in the computer, I thought maybe it would have something to do with The Lord of the Flies, with vegetables creating societies that then destroy themselves. Nope. I was way off. It was a spoof of The Lord of the Ring, except that it was a bean, and Bilboam had left it to Todo via Randolph. When Todo put the bean into the fire to make sure it was the Bean of Power, the writing on the Bean said, "If you can read this, you are standing too close." The other Beans of Power were capable of 1) making amazing meals, 2) changing one's appearance, 3) creating clothing, and 4) producing small kitchen appliances. Unfortunately, those to whom the Beans were given weren't that bright, and ate them. I thought it was hilarious. It was the funniest video I have seen in a long time. Of course, my students missed all of the humor, but I felt a lot better. I don't think they've ever seen me laugh that hard. I'm looking forward to the next rainy day so we can watch a little more of Todo and his Bean of Power.

on the way to the zoo...

I ran a red light today. Deliberately. I never thought I'd do that. I was driving through downtown DC on the way to the zoo (picking up forgotten lunchboxes from yesterday - thank you zoo for not throwing them away!) and was stuck in traffic on Florida and P NW. I was about the third car back from a stoplight, and we'd been sitting there for a while. Suddenly both lanes started moving forward, even though the light was still red. I could find no reason why we were moving, but everyone else was doing it, so I did it too. We crept through the light and continued up Florida and that was that. But if I'd run a red light because everyone else was doing it, maybe I'd jump off a cliff, too. Here I never thought I would, but today has opened up new horizons for me.