why I LOVE Kindergarten :)

After returning to work today from a week and a half stint at jury duty, I was thrilled by many sweet moments with the little ones, as chronicled here...

* little boy: "Who's going to be here tomorrow Mrs. Peery?"
"Me, I'm staying now!"
little boy: "Good!"

*While reading a traditional tale (think "Tortise and the Hare"), we started predicting which event would come next... the cat wanted milk, so the monkey would ask the cow, etc... the river needed rain...
"Who do you think the monkey will ask for rain from? Where does rain come from?"
students: "God!"
little boy: "He just pushes the button!"

*While beginning our informational writing unit, we "shared the pen" and wrote together about the day we built gingerbread houses...
"Who remembers who came to school that day to help us build our houses?"
(their parents, I was going for)
students: "Matt!" (which was also true, and stood out more to them I guess)

*While introducing the concept of maps and globes, we read about different homes all over the world, one mentioned "cement"...
little girl: "What did you say about a house being made out of mint?"
"Oh no, I said 'cement' like concrete, it makes houses strong. What were you thinking of?"
little girl: "I thought you were talking about, you know, 'mints' that make your breath smell good!"

*At the end of the day as we were lining up, one little boy poked my growing belly...
little boy: "Your baby's growing Mrs. Peery, does it move?"
me: "We can't feel it move on the outside yet, and I don't think I can feel it on the inside yet either..." (his mom is having a baby in April, so he's felt it move)
me: "I don't know when I'll be able to feel the baby, soon I think"
4th grade boy: "Ya, Mrs. Peery, I'm not sure when that'll be, I really don't know" (a 4th grade helper in my class, one student from last year, a boy!)
me: "Well Josh I think it could be any time now really"
4th grade boy: "Ya, I think it probably will be Mrs. Peery!"
(since when do 4th grade boys know much about pregnancy!)

This is why I do LOVE Kindergarten :)