I’ve been looking haggard lately, more so than normal. I’ve had a long stretch of teaching, followed by two nights of parent-teacher interviews. Bedtime’s come too late and sleep has been unsettling. In the classroom, I’ve looked and sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcZlalsyOxE]
I’m not sure if it’s the tiredness or the fact that the end is near, but I’ve been laughing a lot with my students recently.
One of my classroom traditions is that I let students play word games during the last class before a holiday.
Yesterday, five Grade 8 boys were playing Scrabble in the centre of the room. In the midst of the game, one exclaimed, “I just got 12 points for ‘sex’!” My eyes opened wide, I shook my head, and I was unsuccessful in suppressing an extended laugh.
Today, four Grade 9 girls were playing Taboo, one of my favourite games. Taboo requires you to give verbal clues to your teammates, trying to get them to say a chosen word on top of the card. The challenge is that there are several words you’re not allowed to say in your description.
One girl was speaking. The verbal clue she gave for the above card was, “Soon, Canadians will go to polling stations to do this.”
Her partner said, “Die?”
Again, I shook my head; only this time I didn’t even attempt to supress the laughter. Neither did half the class. It’s vote, people, vote (although the death metaphor seems rather brilliant). This is especially timely given that Canada’s minority government fell today in a vote of non-confidence over the federal budget.
So, exhausted and laughing, I head into two weeks of holidays knowing that it is possible to love your job and to love your time off.
Bring on my kids. Bring on the de-cluttering. Bring on the writing.
And, please, bring on sleep too.
DIE! Oh, I’d still be snotting myself. What a riot.
No one would ever give me 12 points for sex, I guess. When I mentioned to my husband that I got an A+ in blood, he said yeah–but you got an F in sex.
It kind of sounds like, 12 points for Gryffindor, doesn’t it? Your bodily function grading system made me laugh.
Amen sister! Also I’m super jealous that you get 2 weeks!
Yes, 2 weeks are nice. One week to unwind, one week to rejuvenate.
Love the Charlie Brown video. Nice work! Have a great vacation.
Thanks, Trish. Enjoy the warmth!
False, you’re way cuter than the ambiguously existent Mrs. Donovan.
You’re also my second favo(u)rite Canadian, behind Seth Rogen, of course. (He has admitted to smuggling toilet paper across the border. How can you not love that?)
I’ll take “second favo(u)rite Canadian.” After all, my husband once told me I was the third funniest woman he’s ever met. And it was a compliment.
Leanne… I’m sending this link to every teacher I know. You ALWAYS make me laugh. Thanks for that.
Tamara
Thanks, Tamara. It keeps me sane (most of the time).
How can you say you’re not crafty?! Videos may not technically be a craft but they’re a combination of creativty and technical abaility, both of which I do not have!
Creative: yes. Crafty: not on your life. I’m having fun experimenting with iMovie. I learn nothing without a project or deadline. Sigh.
I absolutely love taboo! What a fun teacher you are, I never got to play taboo in class :/ Hope you enjoy your time off!
Taboo is great. I never played it in school, either. It’s actually really good for oral language skills. (Yes, I can justify anything).
That video clip is priceless. Did I detect that Thing 1 & 2 are shown pre “old-lady hair” makeover?
I’m off for a weeks vacation too. Enjoy your holiday!
Yes, T1 and T2 are in pre makeover days. Makes me yearn for the past. Happy Holidays!
If I wore one, my hat would be off to you for dedicating your life to the prevention of a society of uneducated morons.
God bless teachers.
What a great blog title that would be: “The Prevention of a Society of Uneducated Morons.” Thanks for the blessings. I’ll take them and bank them for the days I bang my head repeatedly on my desk.
Re: our election. This was my ex-husband’s Facebook status today: “I see Iggy is ready. He’s had an eyebrow trim.” He still makes me laugh sometimes…
Loved the video! Have a great holiday…it’s not a tryst with Mr. F. is it?
Wendy
The eyebrow-trim comment is hilarious. I might have to arrange a tryst if Mr. F doesn’t make it through to the next round in March Movie Madness. Or maybe I’ll just go through withdrawal.
Love this. 12 points for you. +2 bonus points for making two weeks at home sound fabulous. Are you really planning to declutter with the kids around? In my experience, we are killing each other after 5 days. But maybe that’s just us. Anyway, in the unlikely event someone does croak over the vay-cay, just head to your local polling station. 😉
Thank you, Renee. I will pocket those 12 points and take the bonus for a later time.
Here’s my recipe for decluttering: plop the kids in front of the TV, put on my iPod, and pretend they don’t exist. Mother of the Year, eh?
Thanks for the laugh.
Love the video – still laughing about this! Sounds like your break is well deserved and much needed. Get some REST! 🙂
Thanks, Paula. No doubt I’ll get about 10% done of what I want to. But rest is high on the priority list (as well as a spa/yoga day).
Once again, I am snorting with laughter – GREAT video!!! Happy writing, decluttering and hanging with Things. Mostly, sweet dreams…zzzzz….
(I used these…just for YOU!)
I love your ellipses. Starting to sweat here now as withdrawal kicks in.
12 points… that’d be nice (through in some ellidots for you there).
Have you ever played Balderdash? If not, you’d love it, and kick tail at it with your wit. I play an occasional round of that with the students. It’s good for working on voice (formal/authoritative) and sounding like you know what you’re talking about when you really have no clue (life).
Enjoy your two weeks.
Ellidots. Nice. Balderdash is great, too. We should get an internet game of it going. Must be possible. You nailed the pedagogical points, too. Good Edu-speak, my friend!