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teaching first graders the importance of walls…

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the reference will be lost on my sixth grade and rayckhelle’s sister, but we played “Wall” today in first grade with the “battle of Jericho” – which, obviously, wasn’t much of a battle so much as a walk-a-thon – good thing it happened in the old testament – today, the fatties would’ve been too tuckered out to walk around:)

“the myth of the spoiled child” – what if kids today aren’t worse than previous generations? what if their voices weren’t being heard? what if adults were being jerks in schools, in families, towards respecting the voices of the next generation? what if the answer to making things “harder” for kids was to instead make kids feel loved and appreciated – and not driven through the prison-like environments of most schools? this book definitely got me thinking in good, rebellious, ways:)

“the evolution of pitching in major league baseball” – enjoyable to a point – the point being when the author went off on his assumed premise that pitchers today are spoiled brats – and that the game has changed for the worse – just very negative – I guess the positive was I skimmed over many chapters of the rants so I was able to finish quicker

I’m taking my spring break to the streets near you as boston gets closer – today, 17 miles in the rain – yeah!!!

maf

33 thoughts on “teaching first graders the importance of walls…”

  2. nice – you must’ve interrupted watching the cardinal

    ironically, the detective was the lead in this week’s princess liz story – I can’t believe I never printed it out – of course, I had terrible students like sarah b:) that were making me pull aside makeup work for them – since they have to leave school early for Sammy’s…

  9. fault in our stars isn’t amazing – it’s good – but not amazing – c’mon tyler, haven’t you learned anything in church – doesn’t that book’s central premise that “here and now is all that there is” sort of bug you??? john green stares at the endless void and sees an endless void – and I see hope – I would THINK you do too… 🙂

    billy, sadly, I have to visit the doctor early Friday morning – I’m expecting twins – or a physical – or a physical that tells me I’m having twins:)

    hook’s pretty dark, isn’t it??? I don’t watch scary movies – I’m starting on an epic “history of the world series” four dvds:)

  11. detective – you’ve seen “finding neverland,” right??? that one’s good too – in fact, I have a biography on barre on request at the public library

  14. here’s an original idea: pick UConn to win the women’s tournament…

    (notice no one gives away big money – or tries to – with that tournament – b/c it’s very predictable, usually)

    I’m now FINALLY reading “wonder” – no spoilers people

    oh, and “princess labelmaker” from origami yoda – the students are being forced to watch “fun time” remedial math videos – with gangnam style dance moves with math content – scary…

  15. Man i wish i had borrowed that book now, but then again it would end up under Faryn’s bed like nicoles copy of cress

  17. princess labelmaker is through – and it was great – fortunately, the author seems ready to stick with the kids through eighth grade – I just wish I knew why no other middle school kid likes the series – well, I do know – b/c they’re supposed to be on to bigger and better things

    and tyler, I’m sure it will get me in trouble for blogging such:) but no, I would argue the “interesting” scene in “fault” isn’t that interesting – it’s kept pretty private – and it honestly raises the question, how far is too far when you have a cancer that is eating you up? I can at least understand someone saying that it doesn’t matter any more

    to me, divergent is far dirtier – but I’m not a ninth grade kid either…

  19. If fred sees this, i will be dead. 😉

    Brainteaser
    If fred gets married to Amanda, would that make amanda queen of dinos, fred the king of carrboard boxes, or both?

  22. what’s that??? you people want another Princess Sarah Elizabeth story??? sounds like a job for me!!!

    hope you enjoy – those that comment receive bonus – as your incentive for doing work during break – oh, and there may be errors – I apologize – it’s draft one

    oh, and you missed last week’s story – basically, there was a basketball tournament – okay, caught up:)

    maf

    You may find this hard to believe, but the polar ice caps haven’t been melting forever.

    True story, once upon a time, the world’s oceans were receding quickly enough that new islands and beachfronts could be found – and claimed – if you were quick with the paperwork.

    “Dear Princess,” Mayfield said one bright spring day, one of those bring spring days that falls between the two bright spring days that feel like winter, “Whatever is the problem?”

    “Oh, it’s just with the contest we had back in the fall with all the princes coming here to date me, things were just sort of, I don’t know, more exciting around here.”

    “You need a break,” Mayfield said. “I know just the place. I was out running the other day…”

    The princess tuned her hears to hear “Blah, blah, blah” when Mayfield started talking about running – usually – but she regained interest when she heard the word “beach.” It seems that on one of Mayfield’s last long runs, he’d stumbled upon a newly arisen shoreline.

    “There are a few natives there, they’ve already set up hotels and such, but I’ve got the paperwork already started so it shouldn’t be a biggie to kick the islanders out and take over sometimes soon in the name of Mayfieldya,” Mayfield said. “In the meantime, go down, take a break, a spring break, and have fun.”

    “Do my executive powers as princess carry over to the beach, like can I order certain guys to cover back up and certain guys to take their shirts off?”

    “Of course, just, as always, leave me out of it.”

    Mayfield could be a good mentor like that, and so by the end of the day, the Princess was at Captain Hello Kitty’s Fish and Chips Diner with the handsomest, most conflicted and tortured soul she could meet that day: a guy by the name of Four.

    “I told you, dear princess, I do have a name, it’s just that at the ‘Swim with the Whales’ park we have to go by numbers and so…”

    “Ssh, Four, no more words. Boys spoil everything when they start talking. Just be cute, conflicted, and tortured right now. Oh, and pick up the dinner tab.”

    Yes, this “spring break” thing was a rather good idea of Mayfield’s, the princess had to admit. Then, she saw a few familiar faces in the diner.

    Well, she saw one in the “Not a Tom’s” room when she went to “freshen up” for Four.

    “Hey, didn’t I beat you last year in the pageant?”

    On a list of “Worst things to Ever Say to Jamio,” the above line would surely rank No. 1.

    “That princess crown makes you look fat,” Jamio responded. “Fat like my brother. And you’re going down this year.”

    Lest you judge Jamio, the mirrors in the “Not a Tom’s Room” were funhouse mirrors – so, yes, the princess did look fat in that crown. The owner of Captain Hello Kitty’s Fish and Chips Diner was actually the Fred from Fred’s Diner – and Fred just bought mirrors because of the cheap price – he didn’t really know how important they are in a women’s restroom.

    Jamio walked out of “Not a Tom’s Room,” out of Captain Hello Kitty Fish and Chips Diner, out of the beach, and went back to Jamiot. After losing the princess league game thanks to her brother and after losing the title of Missing Girl, Jamio had escaped to the sand to work on her tan for the upcoming pageant. Of course, meeting Princess Sarah Elizabeth had spoiled the trip. Jamio decided a tanning bed in Jamiot was just as effective. Plus, she’d already seen the other person that would’ve spoiled her fun at the beach, the person Sarah Elizabeth was to see when she walked out of the “Not a Tom’s” room.

    “Okay, butler, we’ve only got $1,000 each budgeted to make this the best spring break ever. I’m thinking a ‘Corbo Goes Wild 3’ video…”

    Cole cringed. He’d been forced to shoot the first two videos.

    “Um, what about the sand castle competition tomorrow, sir? That looked like fun.”

    “Yes, with my victory in the sand castles, I shall easily win over the natives and become their king. I shall call this land Hoodie Beach after my most cherished possession!!!”

    “Whatever…” The princess uttered as she returned to her table and date with Four. The princess knew sand was icky, good only to be walked upon at night with a cute boy, not for making castles. Besides, she’d heard there were some good stores downtown…

    The next day was paradise for all involved. Actually, the whole trip was paradise for Cole, starting with checking in.

    “Here sir, let me get that bag.”

    “Sir, can I get you a refreshing beverage?”

    “No need to make the beds sir. We do that. You’re our guest.”

    “This place is amazing,” Cole told basically no one that morning as he and Corbo “warmed up” for the castle competition (he told basically no one because he said it to Corbo – who, of course – wasn’t paying attention).

    “I think we can totally destroy those 10-year-olds over there – but if we start to lag behind, I’ll say something like ‘Butler, my castle looks to be crumbling over here, and that’ll be you cue to throw sand at the small kids. You do have your goggles, right?”

    Corbo came prepared, but nothing he had faced in his young life could quite compare him for what came next once the sand castle construction started.

    “Cole! Cole! It hit something! I think it’s buried OH MY HELLO KITTY GODS…”

    (If we could pause real quick here to correct something, Corbo was always somewhat confused theologically – there was just one Hello Kitty God – even if she had nine lives – Corbo never got that God/Gods part right because he dosed in and out on catechisms about Hello Kitty – you might say he was taking cat naps during the teaching)

    “OH MY HELLO KITTY GODS I’VE DUG UP CRAIG!!!”

    Corbo ran from the body – well, he really wanted to – he got a good 100 yards before going out of breath and having to take a rickshaw back to the hotel – thereby nullifying one of his most famous truisms about Mayfield: “And he runs marathons – why, the only way you’d get me to run a marathon is if I discovered the dead body of one of my servants while I was in the middle of a sand castle contest.”

    Corbo hadn’t dug up Craig, at least not yet, but Cole had already left to pull the rickshaw so the matter wasn’t resolved until much later. The “body” was actually identified by Princess Sarah Elizabeth.

    “Mayfield? SHIRT ON!!! THIS INSTANT!!! What are you doing on the beach?”

    “My wise old grandmother once said that sand exfoliates one’s skin so I’ve always finished my long runs near a beach so that I could rejuvenate my skin while I relaxed. What have I missed? Shouldn’t you be walking with someone?”

    “Well, let’s just say two roads diverged on a beach path, and I took the divergent one, and it’s made all the difference.”

    “I don’t understand.”

    “You never understand anything about cute guys because you never were one! And why are you putting on a cheer top?”

    “Top secret, I’ll tell you sometime.”

    And with that, spring break, for now, had come to a conclusion.

  24. Never expose that you lost my book under your sisters bed on the internet where I can see it!! 🙂

    Oh and Maf, “Wonder” is really good.

  25. God’s Not Dead is the BEST movie I have seen!! Although it made me cry 97 times….

  26. Great story Maf. So I also own the Hello Kitty Diner? I am quite the businessman 🙂

  27. Nicole – wonder was good – thanks for recommending it – like, in oh September (it just takes a while to get to things, story of my life…)

    rawchel makes an A!!!

    and fred, yep, you’re like the Ronald McDonald, or ray Koch(?) of this fantasy world

  28. ooh, Nicole – what was the “best” part of wonder? I liked august and summer’s table for summer/august-y names – and the fact that august won an award at the end – there are definitely people in life that make us better – I wish our honors day recognized those kids

  32. anna – good observation – I do think most of my princess stories have been bacon/cows/et al free – come to think of it, even the stalker has been missing…

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