Overheard During the Past 2 Weeks

I've changed how I my students do journals.  Instead of having them write in them for half the year then I look at them, I have them write everyday and I read them everyday.  Today I read this from my cute little J.  (The same J. that said she would cry and cry when she left my class and that I am too good for all men out there but I will wop you women's butts and take your men):

"My teacher [Miss J.] is better than my other one...She liked the smart kids better then the other ones.  She made everything hard for me.  She did not even help me and anything...Miss J. you are better then her you don't have a favorite one like her you make it easier for me.  She made me raise my hand when I didn't know the answer.  She made me embarrassed because I did not know the answer.  You teach in fun ways and you teach me easier ways to do math.  you are like my mom, sister, aunt.  Thank you Miss J. a lot."

She doesn't want to leave my class and I don't want her to leave so I think I'll keep her.

 L. :"I like your Jedi boots, Miss J."

Me: "Thanks?"

JGP made this bracelet made from cardboard and tissue paper.  He made it during class when he should have been doing a math assignment. 

Journal Gems

My students have been writing in journals since the first day of school. Sometimes I give them topics to write on, sometimes I let them write about anything they want.

On our last day of school, I gathered all the journals (yes, this is the first time, oops!) and have been reading through them. While most of the writing is mediocre at best, I have gotten some gems out of these journals. For example:

L. (the boy who gave us the gems of proper English Lady and "Hey laaaady!") said: "I can't help it if my face is so beautiful that girls just want to date me."

J. (I've never talked about her before because she is very quiet and doesn't give me gems like some of the other kids do.) said: "I love this class because my teacher, Miss J., is the best teacher ever...When I have to go to 7th grade, I'm going to cry and cry and cry and cry and cry and keep crying because I don't want to leave this classroom and Miss J. because she does not stop teaching until we all get it. That's why she's the best teacher even in the whole world." (I had to add this for my own narcissistic tendencies, not because it was funny or anything.)

She also said: "Miss J. is the best teacher in the whole world, I mean it, she is too good for all of the men out there. So watch out you women, Miss J. she is going to wop your butt so hide your men because she will take them from you because your men will look at her and leave you and go with her." Yep, what she said, you women. Oh, man. I almost peed when I read this one!

K. said: "Yesterday, Miss B.'s sub was so cute!!! L. and I went to mix-it-up and he was our teacher...well, we saw him and both said at the same time that he looked like EDWARD!!! Oh, and the sub was nice."

H. (who talks exactly like he writes) said: "I still don't get the whole point of this assignment because I think my palm will explode before I finish this page. No joke dude. I am not playing."

I haven't read all of the journals yet so I'm sure you'll hear a few more before I go back on track. This is why 6th grade is amazing.