Conversation today in class:
KID: Ms. Priddy, I don’t mean to be mean, but you’ve got gray hair!
ME: I know, Sweetie. I’ve had it for a while. I just flipped my part to the other side to show it off a little better.
KID: Really? Why?
ME: I like my gray.
KID: (Incredulous) You do?
ME: (Laughing) Yes! I’ve wanted white hair since I was your age.
Sometimes I forget how odd I truly am. My kids can’t figure me out … which is fine with me. It’s good to keep them guessing. My math students are convinced I’m totally subversive because I teach half my lessons at the center table, with toys spread out all over and a dry-erase marker in my hand to write notes on the top of the table when I need to clarify something. I have no idea why it delights them so much to see me scrawl notes across the formica. Maybe I should give all the kids dry-erase markers so they can write on their desks.
As I think about it, that may be the best idea I’ve had in a while. My English students could close out every lesson by writing a one-sentence summary of the lesson on top of their desks. I can just imagine the looks on the consultants’ faces if we took their much-vaunted “exit ticket” idea and kicked it up a notch.
Too bad dry-erase markers are so bloody expensive….
Emily
"Be as a page that aches for a word which speaks on a theme that is timeless...."
Maybe you could do the same thing with a Twitter feed. Or is it just that they like the vandalism aspect of writing on desks?
I wanted to have them Tweet or Facebook the lesson, but both sites are firewalled, and cell phones are forbidden. Defacing school property is more fun anyway.
Do you want dry erase markers for your birthday this year?
Mom: I always want dry-erase markers.
Amy: I rustled up some markers today and had them write their “exit tickets” — in this case, a definition of the term “conflict” and an example of one of the basic conflicts (man vs. man, man vs. nature, etc.) — on their desks for the next class to see. It was really funny to see the reactions. I had everything from utter joy to complete bewilderment.