Back to the grindstone running with the bulls

Well, it's the end of the first week back at school, and it's funny how a 3 day week can seem to last a whole year. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, and the kids weren't as crazy as they sometimes can be after a long vacation. I don't have any big funny stories for this week, just a few, quick and amusing observations and something to be grateful for.

• First, I am grateful for oranges and the people who give them. Because of our singing before Christmas break at the local grocery store, we had oranges to eat for snack in homeroom Wednesday morning. The kids really enjoyed the oranges, and it just proves that when given healthy alternatives (except for prunes - but that's another story), they will like them. It was a sweet start to the week, and it made me feel like it would be a good thing to do again some Monday morning. Now we just need to find more people who will give us oranges for singing.

• Second, sometimes when my class is quietly listening, and another group is passing in the hallway, we overhear the strangest things. Sometimes it sounds as if the Tasmanian devil is trying to yodel while gargling lava rocks (I don't really know what that would sound like, but I was trying to think of something that would sound scary and strange.) Well, anyway, it made me think that a middle school hallway could be likened to a street in that town in Spain where they do the running with the bulls (can you tell I don't teach social studies), though maybe not quite as violent. Another weird thing about the hallway is that as soon as I hear those weird noises and I rush out of my room "to the rescue" then no one is there....I would think I was losing my mind if the kids hadn't heard what I heard, or maybe they are just humoring me. Hmm...

• Third, the stories the kids tell me about what they got in trouble for in another teacher's classroom are often very different from what I hear from that teacher. The story from the kid goes something like this - "All he did was jump up to reach something above the blackboard, and she gave him detention." And according to the teacher - "He ran from the back of the room, jumped and slammed himself against the blackboard, fell down and pretended to be hurt." Hmm...I wonder whose story includes more real details? Just kidding, or JK as the kids would say. I know exactly which story is more of the whole story. I believe good parents also know or make it their business to find out. Did I mention that I am grateful for those good parents?

Overall, it was a good week, and I believe that it was a great way to start a wonderful new year.