It's Friday morning. As I came into my office I saw a group of kindergarteners marching down the hall towards me. A quick glance and no one appeared to have a stomach ache, headache or even a scratch. "Where are you kids headed this morning?" I inquired hoping it was not my office for a mass outbreak of the flu.
"We are going to the library to read books," the little girl in the front of the line announced.
"My, what beautiful earrings you are wearing today," I admired seeing little sparkling dots in her ears. Little girls love to dress up and wear jewelry and they especially love when you compliment them on what they are wearing. I could see that she was immediately pleased that I noticed her earrings as her face beamed with a huge smile. It was blinding even with the two front teeth missing.
"My earrings are diamonds," she proudly declared tilting her head slightly so the rest of the children in line could see them. "My mom bought them for me at K-Mart."
The little girl behind her quickly moved in front and pushed her hair back behind her ears as she revealed, "My earrings are diamond hearts, hearts mean valentines."
The boy beside her scrunched his nose at this. "What is that?" he asked with a grimace on his face. I could tell he wanted no part of this diamonds and hearts business. He definitely has alot to learn I smiled to myself.
By now the other children in line started to gather around me wanting to join in on the show and tell session that I unintentionally started this morning.
"My mom wear diamonds around here," one little girl chimed in as she excitedly wound her hand around her wrist where a bracelet would be worn.
"I had one earring that got cut off by my sister's window," shouted a little boy pointing to his ear obviously explaining why he didn't have earrings.
Another little boy spoke up, "I wear a purple necklace. It has black balls." I chuckled to myself as I glanced at his neck and saw the necklace was not part of his attire this morning. Part of me was a little disappointed not able to see what this necklace must look like.
"OK children," I said wondering how the conversation went from diamonds to black balls. I was curious to see if they knew the difference. "Do you know what diamonds are?"
Immediately hands raised in the group as the children were excited to share their knowledge.
"I know about diamonds," a little boy called out. "They are just gold. They look like diamond on a pinto."
Another boy quickly chimed in, "A diamond is a sticker, like on a bowl. You find them in caves when there's a treasure in them." He then very animatedly demonstrated as he put hands together holding an imaginary tool and vigrously pumped his arms up and down. "You have to pound them to get them out."
"Diamonds come from stores," a little girl disagreed. "They build them and paint them."
Another little girl had a different opinion, "You can find them at the playground. Then you have to wash them off in the bath tub."
Finally one little girl in the back of the group spoke up quietly stating what we women have assumed for hundreds of years. "Nurse, I know where diamonds come from." She paused to make sure she had the attention of the whole group. "They grow on trees."
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
One FLU Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Sometimes I’m not sure if I am the one losing my mind or perhaps the kids that visit me lose their minds.
Cold and flu season is well under way. The entrance to my office is a revolving door of ill kids. Most kids are quick to identify a major symptom from which I can make a determination whether to send the kid home or back to class. Just when my day falls into a steady rhythm symptom/diagnosis, the anomaly walks into my office. Today it was Benson, a first grade boy.
“I have a fever,” volunteer Benson. “And I’m coughing.” He furrowed his brow, thought a moment and continued, “I have a fever. I have everything.” He threw his hands up to indicate he was helplessly sick.
“Oh dear,” I comforted him. “Let me take your temperature.”
As I directed him to cot number five he apparently was not done with his symptoms. “Same thing I had the last time I was here, that’s when I had red eyes. I had a lot of dust on me then.” Pointing to his eyes and brushing off some unseen dust he came to the point, “I get more sick and more sick!”
“Did your Mom give you any medicine this morning?” I enquired.
“I had nasty medicine this morning,” Benson replied wrinkling his nose. “I have a stomach ache, a headache, a stuffy nose and my arm and leg hurt.”
This may be one for the medical journals I thought. I was absolutely sure he was done with his symptom list. But no, he as not, he was after all…. The Anomaly!
“I can’t talk well,” he continued on. “And I can’t move well, and that’s it Nurse.”
He took a deep breath finally and I aimed the thermometer for his mouth. Almost there, steady I thought to myself, steady girl.
Benson turned his head quickly away from my aim and added, “Oh, yeah, and I don’t walk to good with my shoes on!”
Before he could shut his mouth my expert training hit the mark. The thermometer was wedged under his tongue and I bade him not to speak until I removed the instrument. Sitting back I thought a moment. Please let there be but one Anomaly today!
Cold and flu season is well under way. The entrance to my office is a revolving door of ill kids. Most kids are quick to identify a major symptom from which I can make a determination whether to send the kid home or back to class. Just when my day falls into a steady rhythm symptom/diagnosis, the anomaly walks into my office. Today it was Benson, a first grade boy.
“I have a fever,” volunteer Benson. “And I’m coughing.” He furrowed his brow, thought a moment and continued, “I have a fever. I have everything.” He threw his hands up to indicate he was helplessly sick.
“Oh dear,” I comforted him. “Let me take your temperature.”
As I directed him to cot number five he apparently was not done with his symptoms. “Same thing I had the last time I was here, that’s when I had red eyes. I had a lot of dust on me then.” Pointing to his eyes and brushing off some unseen dust he came to the point, “I get more sick and more sick!”
“Did your Mom give you any medicine this morning?” I enquired.
“I had nasty medicine this morning,” Benson replied wrinkling his nose. “I have a stomach ache, a headache, a stuffy nose and my arm and leg hurt.”
This may be one for the medical journals I thought. I was absolutely sure he was done with his symptom list. But no, he as not, he was after all…. The Anomaly!
“I can’t talk well,” he continued on. “And I can’t move well, and that’s it Nurse.”
He took a deep breath finally and I aimed the thermometer for his mouth. Almost there, steady I thought to myself, steady girl.
Benson turned his head quickly away from my aim and added, “Oh, yeah, and I don’t walk to good with my shoes on!”
Before he could shut his mouth my expert training hit the mark. The thermometer was wedged under his tongue and I bade him not to speak until I removed the instrument. Sitting back I thought a moment. Please let there be but one Anomaly today!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What is the State of Florida
It is never too late to properly learn about U.S. geography from a group of kindergarteners. You will simply be amazed as to how much you really do not know!
This morning a group of energetic kindergarteners came to my office. We sat around and chatted. I ask them what they were learning about today in class.
“We are learning about the country,” said one little girl.
“The country is a very big subject. Do any of you know the states that make up the country?” I asked.
“Alaska!” one girl spoke up enthusiastically.
“Excellent,” I said thinking this was one smart group of kiddos.
“Tampa,” chimed in one little boy. “Only seventeen people live there and they have a lot of sky scrapers.”
“Pennsylvania,” yelled a little girl. “The people who live there work with boxes.” She added all knowingly.
From the back of the group came, “Mexico, there are not that much people there though.”
“New Mexico,” added another young lad. “But I don’t know why they call it that.”
“Puerto Rico!” someone chimed in, my head now spinning in all directions to keep up with the tidal wave of knowledge.
“South Pole and North Pole,” a girl continued. “In the winter the plants die and about ninety people live there.”
“Atlantis is the biggest one and Hawaii is the smallest one!” sagely stated one child in the front.
Then a little girl stunned the group into silence with this omniscious insight, “Australia is like a little forest with animals. Artists work there and plants die and animals migrate to Florida.”
As the silence unfolded the academic frenzy dissipated from the capsules of knowledge sitting around me. Their faces content with their show of scholastic abilities. The bell rang. The spell broke. The kids left. Tonight, tonight I thought to myself. Let there be a Daily Double under US Geography for $1000.
This morning a group of energetic kindergarteners came to my office. We sat around and chatted. I ask them what they were learning about today in class.
“We are learning about the country,” said one little girl.
“The country is a very big subject. Do any of you know the states that make up the country?” I asked.
“Alaska!” one girl spoke up enthusiastically.
“Excellent,” I said thinking this was one smart group of kiddos.
“Tampa,” chimed in one little boy. “Only seventeen people live there and they have a lot of sky scrapers.”
“Pennsylvania,” yelled a little girl. “The people who live there work with boxes.” She added all knowingly.
From the back of the group came, “Mexico, there are not that much people there though.”
“New Mexico,” added another young lad. “But I don’t know why they call it that.”
“Puerto Rico!” someone chimed in, my head now spinning in all directions to keep up with the tidal wave of knowledge.
“South Pole and North Pole,” a girl continued. “In the winter the plants die and about ninety people live there.”
“Atlantis is the biggest one and Hawaii is the smallest one!” sagely stated one child in the front.
Then a little girl stunned the group into silence with this omniscious insight, “Australia is like a little forest with animals. Artists work there and plants die and animals migrate to Florida.”
As the silence unfolded the academic frenzy dissipated from the capsules of knowledge sitting around me. Their faces content with their show of scholastic abilities. The bell rang. The spell broke. The kids left. Tonight, tonight I thought to myself. Let there be a Daily Double under US Geography for $1000.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Gobble the Gobbler
A gaggle of kindergarten kids were in and out today with various problems; little cuts on fingers, stomach aches, fell down at PE, etc. I talked to them about Thanksgiving and asked them about the turkey and what part of the turkey they liked the best.
Boy: “I like the chicken part best.”
Boy: “I do not know but the chicken legs I like.”
Girl: “I like the potatoes of the turkey.”
Girl: “I just like the regular steak.”
Girl: “My mom puts olives and gravy on the turkey and I eat the bones in front.”
Boy: “My mom puts vinegar on the turkey then puts it in the oven. I like the whole body.”
Girl: “I saw my mom put ketchup and mayonnaise on it in the oven. And she puts sauce with green stuff on it. And I ate the back, that’s my favorite!”
Boy: “I like Leggo turkey with apple juice on it.”
Boy: “ME, I’ll take anything!”
Today's word of the day - GAGGLE: an often noisy or disorderly group or gathering.
Boy: “I like the chicken part best.”
Boy: “I do not know but the chicken legs I like.”
Girl: “I like the potatoes of the turkey.”
Girl: “I just like the regular steak.”
Girl: “My mom puts olives and gravy on the turkey and I eat the bones in front.”
Boy: “My mom puts vinegar on the turkey then puts it in the oven. I like the whole body.”
Girl: “I saw my mom put ketchup and mayonnaise on it in the oven. And she puts sauce with green stuff on it. And I ate the back, that’s my favorite!”
Boy: “I like Leggo turkey with apple juice on it.”
Boy: “ME, I’ll take anything!”
Today's word of the day - GAGGLE: an often noisy or disorderly group or gathering.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Portraits of a Nurse
Periodically kids are excused from physical education class for one reason or another. These kids all troop down to my office and spend the PE period with me. I either ask the kids to do homework or use the time as a creative outlet to practice their art skills. The following is a sampling of drawings a group of first graders drew with me being the subject.
I will have to have a word with these kids about the gray hair. I'm sure I have another 2 weeks before I have to do my roots again!
I will have to have a word with these kids about the gray hair. I'm sure I have another 2 weeks before I have to do my roots again!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Closing in on Thanksgiving
Here is a quick survey question today. What is a Pilgrim?
First Graders:
Boy: “Something adults eat when they are sick.”
Girl: “Someone who came to Thanksgiving.”
Girl: “They are old people.”
Boy: “I think it’s a human.”
Boy: “No, it’s a kind of insect.”
Kindergarten
Girl: “It’s a cushion fer around yer neck.”
Boy: “Oh, it’s a happy pillow”
Girl: “It’s a turkey.”
Boy: “No, no it’s when you eat a turkey.”
Boy: “It’s a, It’s a, It’s a thing that grows on yer foot.”
Boy: “It’s a basket of good stuff to eat in it.”
In walks a really smart kid in first grade who really knows his stuff:
Boy: “They are people who come out of the woods from all over and they have big white hats on their heads and they bring turkeys for the Indians to cook and the Indians who have corn on the cob and apples and all. And they have a party and a bonfire and music and dance with each other and then they go back home.”
First Graders:
Boy: “Something adults eat when they are sick.”
Girl: “Someone who came to Thanksgiving.”
Girl: “They are old people.”
Boy: “I think it’s a human.”
Boy: “No, it’s a kind of insect.”
Kindergarten
Girl: “It’s a cushion fer around yer neck.”
Boy: “Oh, it’s a happy pillow”
Girl: “It’s a turkey.”
Boy: “No, no it’s when you eat a turkey.”
Boy: “It’s a, It’s a, It’s a thing that grows on yer foot.”
Boy: “It’s a basket of good stuff to eat in it.”
In walks a really smart kid in first grade who really knows his stuff:
Boy: “They are people who come out of the woods from all over and they have big white hats on their heads and they bring turkeys for the Indians to cook and the Indians who have corn on the cob and apples and all. And they have a party and a bonfire and music and dance with each other and then they go back home.”
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Karate Kid
When you are a first grader you never know when you are going to be ambushed by your buddies. I observed Kenneth holding the door open to his classroom for his other classmates. Suddenly one of his buddies picked him up and held him while his other little buddy ran over and proceeded to use him as a chopping block.
“This is my karate chop, and I’m practicing it!” said his buddy. “Sorry.” Chop went his hand. “Sorry.” Chop again. “Sorry.”
Each time he wacked poor Kenneth he would apologize. After the fifth or sixth karate chop all the kids in the area were practicing their karate chops! I decided to make my exit before the teacher came along and blamed the episode on me.
“This is my karate chop, and I’m practicing it!” said his buddy. “Sorry.” Chop went his hand. “Sorry.” Chop again. “Sorry.”
Each time he wacked poor Kenneth he would apologize. After the fifth or sixth karate chop all the kids in the area were practicing their karate chops! I decided to make my exit before the teacher came along and blamed the episode on me.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I Feel the Earth, Move, Under my Feet
I leaned back against the cool doorframe. The tension in my shoulders dissolved a little as I kneaded my back muscles ever so slightly against the wood. It must be a full moon I thought to myself. There was noise, lots of noise, and movement. That quick darting movement you see in your peripheral vision that triggers the flight or fight instinct. All the cots were full and the last wave of kids just could not stop squirming. They jabbered to one another incessantly. I was convinced that I contracted the first ever case of motion sickness from a room full of kids. I would have to check the internet when I got back to my desk to see if that is possible.
I was still leaning dreamily against the doorframe when the chatter of a child broke the silence. Through half opened eyes I saw the pair coming from the other end of the long corridor. Kindergarteners I judged. Two boys, one held a hand to his stomach. They reached my office door.
“Hi nurse. This is Asher. Asher gots a stomach hurt. But he won’t tell me why. I think sometin he ate maybe. I’m Jesse. I’m his buddy to walk hims to the nurse.”
Yep, I made a mental note to check the phase of the moon once I finished with these two. “Ok boys. Come on in to the office.” I said leading the way to first cot. Asher immediately laid down while Jesse stood beside me with his hands planted firmly on his hips in appraisal of the situation.
“Asher, what did you eat for breakfast this morning?” I asked. “Did you eat breakfast?”
Asher looked thoughtful for a moment and opened his mouth to answer.
“I don’t eat a lot of stuff, only some apples, blanas and nutchos.” The words did not come out of Asher’s mouth. Beside the motion sickness was I now hallucinating?
“I don’t like my Mom’s stuff. She makes soup with sauce and peanut butter.” The disembodied voice continued. Asher’s mouth was now closed but his eyes directed my attention to my left.
“If she makes sauce with peanut butter and jelly it’s good!” Relief, it was not hallucinations! Jesse continued his food network narration nonstop. “I had butter on ice cream once. It tastes gross. I just like ice cream with jelly on it, the purple jelly like everyone gots. I like peas, and corn, and sauce, and peanut butter on it.”
Finally Jesse took a long breath and looked up at me. A small bead of sweat trickled down his left temple. “I don’t like to talk a lot, it makes my head hot.”
By this time Asher was up and around. I saw them to the door and leaned back against the doorframe as they headed down the hall. With my eyes half shut again I suddenly felt the floor lurch to the right. I opened my eyes. Earthquake? No, the two boys were still walking calmly back to class. I decided this will definitely be the first documented case of motion sickness brought on by long periods of exposure to chatty kids.
I was still leaning dreamily against the doorframe when the chatter of a child broke the silence. Through half opened eyes I saw the pair coming from the other end of the long corridor. Kindergarteners I judged. Two boys, one held a hand to his stomach. They reached my office door.
“Hi nurse. This is Asher. Asher gots a stomach hurt. But he won’t tell me why. I think sometin he ate maybe. I’m Jesse. I’m his buddy to walk hims to the nurse.”
Yep, I made a mental note to check the phase of the moon once I finished with these two. “Ok boys. Come on in to the office.” I said leading the way to first cot. Asher immediately laid down while Jesse stood beside me with his hands planted firmly on his hips in appraisal of the situation.
“Asher, what did you eat for breakfast this morning?” I asked. “Did you eat breakfast?”
Asher looked thoughtful for a moment and opened his mouth to answer.
“I don’t eat a lot of stuff, only some apples, blanas and nutchos.” The words did not come out of Asher’s mouth. Beside the motion sickness was I now hallucinating?
“I don’t like my Mom’s stuff. She makes soup with sauce and peanut butter.” The disembodied voice continued. Asher’s mouth was now closed but his eyes directed my attention to my left.
“If she makes sauce with peanut butter and jelly it’s good!” Relief, it was not hallucinations! Jesse continued his food network narration nonstop. “I had butter on ice cream once. It tastes gross. I just like ice cream with jelly on it, the purple jelly like everyone gots. I like peas, and corn, and sauce, and peanut butter on it.”
Finally Jesse took a long breath and looked up at me. A small bead of sweat trickled down his left temple. “I don’t like to talk a lot, it makes my head hot.”
By this time Asher was up and around. I saw them to the door and leaned back against the doorframe as they headed down the hall. With my eyes half shut again I suddenly felt the floor lurch to the right. I opened my eyes. Earthquake? No, the two boys were still walking calmly back to class. I decided this will definitely be the first documented case of motion sickness brought on by long periods of exposure to chatty kids.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veteran’s Day
Today’s is Veteran’s Day and the kids have the day off. I took a poll yesterday to find out if the kids knew the significance of the day.
The First Group of kids were first graders.
Boy: “I think we have off because tomorrow is Friday.”
Boy: “I think it is Valentine’s Day.”
Boy: “I think it’s like we have summer off. The teacher said we have to do more reading and writing.”
Girl: “It’s gonna be a special day. It’s a day for the teachers.”
Boy: “I don’t know.”
Girl: Turning to the boy she says, “Think what is in your mind!”
Boy: Looks at the girl a bit annoyed, “In my mind?! I don’t have to come to school fer two days!”
Then a group of Kindergartener’s came in and to my surprise were quite knowledgable
Girl: “Because it is Veteran’s Day and you have to say hello to the soldiers of America cuz they help America.”
Boy: “Fer the soldiers, they need to tect our city.”
Girl: “A day the soldiers were at the war and won and today we celebrate.”
Boy: “I thought that was in February.”
Boy: “We are celebrating the army.”
The First Group of kids were first graders.
Boy: “I think we have off because tomorrow is Friday.”
Boy: “I think it is Valentine’s Day.”
Boy: “I think it’s like we have summer off. The teacher said we have to do more reading and writing.”
Girl: “It’s gonna be a special day. It’s a day for the teachers.”
Boy: “I don’t know.”
Girl: Turning to the boy she says, “Think what is in your mind!”
Boy: Looks at the girl a bit annoyed, “In my mind?! I don’t have to come to school fer two days!”
Then a group of Kindergartener’s came in and to my surprise were quite knowledgable
Girl: “Because it is Veteran’s Day and you have to say hello to the soldiers of America cuz they help America.”
Boy: “Fer the soldiers, they need to tect our city.”
Girl: “A day the soldiers were at the war and won and today we celebrate.”
Boy: “I thought that was in February.”
Boy: “We are celebrating the army.”
Monday, November 10, 2008
All in the Family
When children come in my office they chat about everything. When it comes to describing their families, the little ones can often get very creative in their descriptions. This morning first thing I looked in my doorway and there were three first grade boys, Johnny, Thomas and Benjamin. A quick look at Johnny's knee told me this was a minor scratch that needed a bandaid and the other two were just along for support.
"Come on over here, Johnny." I said, "What happened to your knee?"
"I scwatched it on the way to school, " he said looking like he was about to burst into tears.
Knowing the exact cure for his ailment, I put a bandaid on and finished it off with a bright blue smiley face sticker. "There you go, that should fix you right up"
Johnny's face immediately brightened up as he looked at his new sticker, the scratch was forgotten. The other 2 boys however, were watching intently and now looked up at me looking very much like Johnny did just a minute ago. "Ok, guys, " I said calling them over. "Since you helped Johnny out, you can each pick out a sticker too"
This was all the encouragement that was needed as Thomas dashed over and immediately picked a green smiley face. "I want the green one because it looks like my brother". Benjamin not to be outdone quickly picked out the red sticker. "This one is the color of my brother", he exclaimed as his pasted it to the back of his hand. Johnny chirped in gleefully, "I like the blue one you gave me, Nurse. It is the color of my mother's bird !"
I looked at the three of them smiling to myself; green brothers, red brothers and blue birds. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" I asked.
Thomas, the little boy with the green brother immediately spoke up. "I have one brother and he is 70 years old and my sister is 11 and I’m only 6." He paused for a moment, concentrating very hard, finally he said, "and I think my Mom is 22 and my Dad is 87 or 89 and my grandma is really really old. She is over 100."
As they headed back to class still comparing their stickers, a quick thought crossed my mind, I wondered how they described me to their parents. Was I purple or green? Was I 20 or 100 years old? I smiled at the thought, hoping for 30 years old and a nice shade of pink.
"Come on over here, Johnny." I said, "What happened to your knee?"
"I scwatched it on the way to school, " he said looking like he was about to burst into tears.
Knowing the exact cure for his ailment, I put a bandaid on and finished it off with a bright blue smiley face sticker. "There you go, that should fix you right up"
Johnny's face immediately brightened up as he looked at his new sticker, the scratch was forgotten. The other 2 boys however, were watching intently and now looked up at me looking very much like Johnny did just a minute ago. "Ok, guys, " I said calling them over. "Since you helped Johnny out, you can each pick out a sticker too"
This was all the encouragement that was needed as Thomas dashed over and immediately picked a green smiley face. "I want the green one because it looks like my brother". Benjamin not to be outdone quickly picked out the red sticker. "This one is the color of my brother", he exclaimed as his pasted it to the back of his hand. Johnny chirped in gleefully, "I like the blue one you gave me, Nurse. It is the color of my mother's bird !"
I looked at the three of them smiling to myself; green brothers, red brothers and blue birds. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" I asked.
Thomas, the little boy with the green brother immediately spoke up. "I have one brother and he is 70 years old and my sister is 11 and I’m only 6." He paused for a moment, concentrating very hard, finally he said, "and I think my Mom is 22 and my Dad is 87 or 89 and my grandma is really really old. She is over 100."
As they headed back to class still comparing their stickers, a quick thought crossed my mind, I wondered how they described me to their parents. Was I purple or green? Was I 20 or 100 years old? I smiled at the thought, hoping for 30 years old and a nice shade of pink.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Breakfast is the Most Important Meal
There are always stomach aches in the weeks following Halloween. A kindergarten girl brought a boy from her class to the office. He was slightly doubled over, small beads of sweat broken out on his forehead and an ashen look to his face. Within a mere nanosecond or two I took in all this, yep, stomach ache.
“This is my cousin,” she said. “I see him drinking soda and eating candy all the time. Especially the yellow candy, he likes yellow.”
“It’s brown with green things,” said the boy referring the candy he likes. At least I think that’s what he was referring to.
The girl continued, “I like the candy with the pointy things on the side. They are my favorite!”
Meanwhile a little girl lying on cot two on the other side of the room overheard our conversation. She jumped in with her own comment, “In the mornings there’s nothing to drink at my house. So I drink coffee and eat chocolate candy!”
“This is my cousin,” she said. “I see him drinking soda and eating candy all the time. Especially the yellow candy, he likes yellow.”
“It’s brown with green things,” said the boy referring the candy he likes. At least I think that’s what he was referring to.
The girl continued, “I like the candy with the pointy things on the side. They are my favorite!”
Meanwhile a little girl lying on cot two on the other side of the room overheard our conversation. She jumped in with her own comment, “In the mornings there’s nothing to drink at my house. So I drink coffee and eat chocolate candy!”
The Best Medicine?
Two girls and one boy, all from kindergarten, paid a visit to my office. The first girl was holding her head as the other girl and the boy appeared to be her escort to the infirmary.
“What’s wrong with your head,” I said taking the little girls hand and leading her over to cot number three.
Laying down the little girl peered up at me with half opened eyes, moaned slightly, and before she could speak the apparent spokeswoman for the group took control. “She has an ache in her headball,” informed the second girl.
“Her what, oh, you mean she has a headache.”
“Yea, that’s what I said, her headball hurts,” the second girl confirmed lifting her one eyebrow at me questioning my ability to understand English. She continued with the diagnosis, “Amilee says she’s not sure why it hurts but I’m purty sure it’s because it’s too noisy in the lunchroom.” Amilee, lying on the cot, shook her head to confirm this analysis.
Girl two however was not finished, “My brudder, he got an ear but he can’t hear any noises out of it. He hears the noises only in his utter ear.” She paused briefly, looked up thoughtfully to the ceiling and concluded, “I hear noise only in one ear too cuz the utter one is fer seeing.”
The little boy in the group finally interjected, “I hear in both mine.” Pointing to his left ear he added, “This one on this side is the loudest when my Mom hollers at me.”
Both the little girls nodded in agreement with his last statement indicating that they too understood this phenomenon. The little boy then fastened his gravest look on me and said, “This is my first time I brought someone in fer a headache. I just don’t know what to do with her Nurse.”
Pushing swiftly back into the conversation girl two confidently provided the treatment, “Roll up toilet paper and put it in her ear. That will work.”
“What’s wrong with your head,” I said taking the little girls hand and leading her over to cot number three.
Laying down the little girl peered up at me with half opened eyes, moaned slightly, and before she could speak the apparent spokeswoman for the group took control. “She has an ache in her headball,” informed the second girl.
“Her what, oh, you mean she has a headache.”
“Yea, that’s what I said, her headball hurts,” the second girl confirmed lifting her one eyebrow at me questioning my ability to understand English. She continued with the diagnosis, “Amilee says she’s not sure why it hurts but I’m purty sure it’s because it’s too noisy in the lunchroom.” Amilee, lying on the cot, shook her head to confirm this analysis.
Girl two however was not finished, “My brudder, he got an ear but he can’t hear any noises out of it. He hears the noises only in his utter ear.” She paused briefly, looked up thoughtfully to the ceiling and concluded, “I hear noise only in one ear too cuz the utter one is fer seeing.”
The little boy in the group finally interjected, “I hear in both mine.” Pointing to his left ear he added, “This one on this side is the loudest when my Mom hollers at me.”
Both the little girls nodded in agreement with his last statement indicating that they too understood this phenomenon. The little boy then fastened his gravest look on me and said, “This is my first time I brought someone in fer a headache. I just don’t know what to do with her Nurse.”
Pushing swiftly back into the conversation girl two confidently provided the treatment, “Roll up toilet paper and put it in her ear. That will work.”
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Moving Day
With the election behind us I decided to find out if Kindergarteners and First Graders know where the President of the United States lives. Here are their answers:
Boy: “He will live in all the rooms in the White House.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the white house.”
Nurse Ehop: “Where is that located?”
Boy: “In New York.”
Boy 1: “I don’t know. I don’t get it.”
Boy 2: “You don’t know nuttin. But I know, I know! He is going to live in the White House in Georgia Washington!”
Girl 1: “He is going to be in a nice house with birds on the roof.”
Nurse Ehop: “And where is that?”
Girl 1: “I don’t know. It’s somewhere.”
Girl 2: “I think he has a condo somewhere.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the United States of America!”
Boy: “He has a house somewhere but I don’t know where it is.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the capital building!”
Nurse Ehop: “Where is that located?”
Boy: “New York!”
Boy: “He will live in all the rooms in the White House.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the white house.”
Nurse Ehop: “Where is that located?”
Boy: “In New York.”
Boy 1: “I don’t know. I don’t get it.”
Boy 2: “You don’t know nuttin. But I know, I know! He is going to live in the White House in Georgia Washington!”
Girl 1: “He is going to be in a nice house with birds on the roof.”
Nurse Ehop: “And where is that?”
Girl 1: “I don’t know. It’s somewhere.”
Girl 2: “I think he has a condo somewhere.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the United States of America!”
Boy: “He has a house somewhere but I don’t know where it is.”
Boy: “He is going to live in the capital building!”
Nurse Ehop: “Where is that located?”
Boy: “New York!”
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Big Event – Get Out and Vote
Today is a very important day; we will elect the next president of the United States. With all the media attention this year it is hard not to know what is happening today. I wondered if the children were aware the election so I asked them this question: “What is the ‘Big Event’ happening today in our country?”
Girl (kindergarten): “Everybody is getting hurt and we have to come to the nurse.”
Boy (1st grade): “Are we going to another country?”
Girl (1st grade): “I’m getting glasses today!”
Boy (1st grade): “Are we going on a field trip, is that a field trip bus out there”
Boy (1st grade): He looked very upset as he said, “I don’t know, I don’t know. I didn’t study good last night.”
Girl (kindergarten): “I think it is cold outside, we are getting jackets.”
Boy (1st grade): “I don’t know, I am going blind!”
I was beginning to get worried at this point. No one so far had any idea of the importance of our democracy and the right to vote. Then finally I got the next responses:
Girl (1st grade): “They are going to vote today and I’m going to vote for Hillary Clinton.”
Boy (2nd grade): He was very excited as he proclaimed, “I am going to vote for Barack Obama, he will lower the FCATS by the time I get to third grade and I won’t have to take any test!”
Boy (1st grade): “They are voting for McBama or McChain to see who they are going to have for vice president.”
Boy (1st grade): “My Dad wants Mucky or Obama, I don’t know.”
Just when the kids were on a roll, several became a little confused with the terminology, although I think they had the general idea:
Boy (1st grade): “They are boating for the president”
Boy (1st grade): “My brother boated on the computer today.”
Girl (1st grade): “My sister boated too, she is 9 years old.”
Then at last, this little boy really was confident in his answer:
Boy (1st grade): “I know! We are voting!”
Nurse Ehop: “Do you know who you are voting for?”
Boy: “The presidents or birds.”
I’ll leave you with that profound choice to ponder as you go to the polls to cast your vote.
Girl (kindergarten): “Everybody is getting hurt and we have to come to the nurse.”
Boy (1st grade): “Are we going to another country?”
Girl (1st grade): “I’m getting glasses today!”
Boy (1st grade): “Are we going on a field trip, is that a field trip bus out there”
Boy (1st grade): He looked very upset as he said, “I don’t know, I don’t know. I didn’t study good last night.”
Girl (kindergarten): “I think it is cold outside, we are getting jackets.”
Boy (1st grade): “I don’t know, I am going blind!”
I was beginning to get worried at this point. No one so far had any idea of the importance of our democracy and the right to vote. Then finally I got the next responses:
Girl (1st grade): “They are going to vote today and I’m going to vote for Hillary Clinton.”
Boy (2nd grade): He was very excited as he proclaimed, “I am going to vote for Barack Obama, he will lower the FCATS by the time I get to third grade and I won’t have to take any test!”
Boy (1st grade): “They are voting for McBama or McChain to see who they are going to have for vice president.”
Boy (1st grade): “My Dad wants Mucky or Obama, I don’t know.”
Just when the kids were on a roll, several became a little confused with the terminology, although I think they had the general idea:
Boy (1st grade): “They are boating for the president”
Boy (1st grade): “My brother boated on the computer today.”
Girl (1st grade): “My sister boated too, she is 9 years old.”
Then at last, this little boy really was confident in his answer:
Boy (1st grade): “I know! We are voting!”
Nurse Ehop: “Do you know who you are voting for?”
Boy: “The presidents or birds.”
I’ll leave you with that profound choice to ponder as you go to the polls to cast your vote.
Monday, November 3, 2008
I Can See Clearly Now…
I have a pet project I undertake each year. Our local area has a free eyeglass program for kids that need glasses and financially qualify for the program. This project is very time consuming because of all the prescreening to determine which kids need glasses and also qualify for the program under the financial guidelines. Today is the day the bus pulled up with the optometrist and all his equipment to perform the free eye examines and to take orders for glasses. It has been a very busy and gratifying day and I’ll leave you with a couple little stories.
Bridgett, a first grader, had her eyes dilated for the exam and they gave here a pair of dark glasses to protect her eyes from the bright sunlight. The glasses are just dark flimsy plastic. For some reason she was afraid of the glasses and would not wear them. She said perhaps if they were pink or green she might wear them. Once again I was baffled by the hidden subtleties of first grade logic. When she left she was hiding the glasses and could barely see because her eyes were closed to slits to protect from the sunlight.
A kindergarten boy went back to class wearing his dark glasses. When I had a break I went around making sure the kids were still wearing their glasses when they went out in the sun. The kindergarten teacher called me over because the little boy would not take off his glasses in class. He told the teacher he could only see when he was wearing the sunglasses. I looked over at him and the sunglasses were all lopsided on his face. Then all the other kids noticed me and came running over asking if they too could have dark sunglasses. Once again I totally disrupted the institute of learning!
Bridgett, a first grader, had her eyes dilated for the exam and they gave here a pair of dark glasses to protect her eyes from the bright sunlight. The glasses are just dark flimsy plastic. For some reason she was afraid of the glasses and would not wear them. She said perhaps if they were pink or green she might wear them. Once again I was baffled by the hidden subtleties of first grade logic. When she left she was hiding the glasses and could barely see because her eyes were closed to slits to protect from the sunlight.
A kindergarten boy went back to class wearing his dark glasses. When I had a break I went around making sure the kids were still wearing their glasses when they went out in the sun. The kindergarten teacher called me over because the little boy would not take off his glasses in class. He told the teacher he could only see when he was wearing the sunglasses. I looked over at him and the sunglasses were all lopsided on his face. Then all the other kids noticed me and came running over asking if they too could have dark sunglasses. Once again I totally disrupted the institute of learning!
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