Wheatzie

This child really printed out a full-page color photo of my face to wear as his "Dress Like You're 100 Years Old" costume on the 100th day of school. I told him it looked like he'd been visited by the Beauty Fairy overnight because yesterday he just looked "meh" but today he was a dazzling vision. Still, I think he won. smh

The other day, my lips were dry so I grabbed the lip gloss I keep on my desk and swiped it across my lips as my students and I were on our way out to recess. “Why are you putting on lip gloss?” one of my 5 th graders asked me. “Because my lips are dry and I think it works better than chapst—" “ Ohhh ,” he said, realization dawning on him as he ignored my attempted explanation.   “Is it because we might run into Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson or Tom Brady in the parking lot?” This child was completely serious. He stared at me, unblinking, waiting for an answer to his question.   He was truly wondering if I was preparing myself for a chance meeting with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and/or Tom Brady (both of whom my students know I'm in love with since I talk about myself way too much) in our school’s parking lot on the way out to recess.   As if Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Tom Brady ambling by on their way to have a cup of coffee was some everyday, run-of-the-mill occ

I have a student named Jack. He's not a current student.  He's one of the best kinds of former students--the kind who has outgrown your class but still makes sure to walk by your classroom while he's running errands for his 8th grade teacher and pause to give you a big smile and a wave from the hallway. One day he said, "Hi, Wheatzie!" I was just inside my classroom door, placing a stack of copy paper on my shelf.  (When kids bring copy paper in as a donation to the school, we're supposed to take it to a common area for all the teachers to share, but instead, I hoard mine.  It causes a few dirty looks toward the end of the year when all the other teachers are desperate for it and I'm, like, mysteriously rolling in it, but whatever. My stuff gets copied and theirs doesn't, so who's winning?   Hmm?) "Hi, Jack!" I responded, looking over my shoulder to return his smile. "Don't say  that  in an airport!" he retorted, l