It's been a while since I've invited you into my everyday adventures of Mrs. Hannamhood. If you stepped into my classroom today two things would have probably jumped out at you. We've got 28 days left in the 2008-2009 school year, not that I'm counting, but yeah 28 days. Anyways today during math we're just working away on multiplication in it's simplest form (yes, I teach 2nd grade.) I went to the bathroom for a minute and when I came out all the kids in my small group were holding there noses. When I asked what happened one of my little girls said, "somebody take the fart, Mrs. Hannam." You have to understand 9 of my 15 kids claim English as their 2nd language, so sometimes things get lost in translation. Sometimes I just let these silly things go, but today I decided to run with it, "take the fart" I said, and then proceeded to ask all my kids if they took the fart, and then to make matters worse I suggested that maybe it was me that took the fart. One of my kids said, "well it did stink when you came out the bathroom." Needless to say we were all laughing so hard we were crying and to be honest it seemed to be just what we needed today...28 days to go.
Later in the day as we were packing up someone ran over and said so and so said "your such a white girl and she's a black girl," and then ran back. Sometimes I let stuff go, my kids "tattle" a ton. A few minutes later the two girls were at it again, this time I listened and was shocked at what I heard. I pulled both of them over, they are normally best friends but today the color of their skin had come between them. We've read a lot about Martin Luther King, Jr. this year, I spoke of him and asked the girls if they really meant the things that they said. They said no and looked each other in the face and apologized. I suggested that they hug it out and move on, but what happened next I will not quickly forget.
They...both...started sobbing. I mean sobbing and hugging and hugging and sobbing. It was true evidence of forgiveness in a real life 8 year old way. I may have 28 days left but my sweet friends are apparently still learning
1 comment:
Whit,
Aren't we all still learning, 28days or 28 years. I've been at it for 62 years and learn something new each day. Its wonderful that the girls realized they needed to forgive each other. This is the important lesson.
Don't know about the "other" issue. Better keep that one, is the category of "what goes on in Mrs. Hannam's room, stays in Mrs. Hannom's room." Good they feel comfortable enough with you to share such used to be taboo subjects. You are a jewel Mrs. Hannam! Have a great 27 days but who is counting!
Love ya,
Mom in C.
Post a Comment