March 2023 SOLC–Day 21
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org
The classroom was awash with energy in second grade yesterday morning. I stood at the door greeting kids as they entered. Usually they trickle in, a few at a time. Today there was a mad gush, and so many of them had something exciting to share.
First of all, it must have been haircut weekend, although I didn’t get the memo. One student strutted in sporting a new mohawk, another had new bangs*, and another two had fresh cuts (“and the lady who cut my hair accidentally cut my ear! But just a little bit.”). Of course that started an immediate avalanche of compliments and conversations.
Other kids had different news to share;
“I just found out I’m going to get my ears pierced!”
“I’m so excited!! I’m going to be on Spotify! My cousins have a band and they said I could be in it, so I’m going to be on Spotify! I’m so excited!! Do you know my Rapper name?” B was practically dancing as he relayed his news.
“No, what is it?”
“Inspecta’ Drippy!” he beamed.
“Inspector Drippy?” I asked.
“No, InspectUH Drippy!”
“Chicken nuggets and french fries for lunch. Oh, good! Soft food! ‘Cause look!” L inserted his finger into his mouth to point proudly at the newly empty space.
“Look, Mrs. Hogan! I remembered my orange folder AND my homework!” A beaming smile accompanied this news.
“Guess what! This weekend I was tubing with my dad and hewenttoofast and wewentaroundacurve and Ifelloffinagiantsomersault LIKE THIS (demonstrated with flailing arms and tucked head in the air) and Ibonkedmyhead and IthoughtIbrokeit!!!!Andguesswhat!!!! Ihurtmy….ARMPIT!”
Each statement from each student was delivered with maximum intensity. I felt a bit like a buoy bobbing around in the currents of their enthusiasm, enjoying it all, but still trying to direct some of the energy into the appropriate channels. With limited initial success.
Eventually we settled in to morning routines and the energy level settled down, at least a bit. I smiled as I sat to enter attendance. You gotta love second graders!
And so the week began!
*I discovered later, when complimenting the new bangs to the mother of that child, that this haircut had not been a planned event. Apparently there was a little extra energy that ran amok over the weekend and expressed itself with scissors. As I spoke with the mother who clearly wasn’t pleased, I had the fleeting thought, “She would have had a great slice to write!”
Nix the comfort zone 
This is fantastic! It so captures the daily energy in the classroom. I love the image of a buoy getting bopped around. That’s what it feels like getting bopped around by emotions, actions, statements… Okay, time to go meditate so I can keep myself centered so I’m ready when the bopping begins. Thank you!
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Thanks! I keep thinking I need to take up meditation.
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Fun post to read– so imaginable and real, but also so perfectly captured with the stream of comments that came in, as well as the final additional knowledge and background story. Love the mashing up of the words as it really brought out the energy of the speaker!
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Thanks! I was a bit taken aback by the amount of incoming energy. lol I’m glad the word mash worked to convey what I wanted.
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I love your water metaphors here! There was a “mad gush” when the students entered and you felt “like a buoy bobbing around the currents of enthusiasm” and “still trying to direct [it] into the appropriate channels.” It really gave this piece cohesion. I also love when you described the energy of the student by not including spaces in his words- perfect way to capture that!
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Thanks! It must be fun for you to try to guess who I’m talking about 🙂
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Wow, energetic second graders! I loved the descriptions of haircuts and the conversation with Inspecta Drippy! So many specific details that I felt I was there with you!
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Inspecta Drippy! lol That still makes me laugh!
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Inspecta Drippy! Someone is really good at coming up with rapper names. Describing yourself as a buoy — excellent! Sometimes in the onslaught of my kids’ energy, I felt like I was being pecked to death by ducks — their beaks too big and flat to really peck you but you wind up feeling kind of chomped all the same.
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Oh, your duck imagery is spot on! There are definitely days I feel chomped!
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What a whirlwind of a morning! The energy and pace of your slice mirrored your students’ energy. It sounds like you have a lovely classroom community!
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I have a great crew and I’m loving being back in the primary wing. Hope you’re continuing to feel better!
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Thanks…I am!
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I love how you captured their little voices. Thanks for sharing. (And, I hope you the extra energy wasn’t too disruptive to class)
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Luckily they managed to settle into the morning routines after a bit. Of course then it was time to preview the Scholastic Book Fair, so the energy amped right up again.
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You capture the energy beautifully with all the frenetic quotes from the kids! I can picture you standing there taking it all in. The ending is hysterical! This is real life with second graders! You make me miss being a classroom teacher!
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It’s definitely real life with second graders.
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The bang stories are always great. We have a couple.
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Well, the mother definitely wasn’t happy that I complimented the child on how great the bangs looked. I mean, I didn’t know the backstory! Also, the mom had fixed them up a bit, and they really do look great!
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Molly, what fun! I love the stories you relayed, and the energy with which you listened to them, even buoy-like. My favorite is the way you wrote about the quick-talking boy and his tubing accident. Wonderful slice. And I LOVE SECOND GRADE! Four of my best teaching years were in second grade.
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The quick talking student is actually a girl. She typically comes in with that much energy every day 🙂 I’m so happy to be teaching second grade this year!
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Funny! Why did I think it was a boy. My bias. 🙂
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You weren’t the only one!
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It always feels like they just don’t get enough air time over the weekend–there seem to be so many words that need to be said on Monday mornings! (Definitely true of the first graders in my. class anyway!) It’s hard to believe that Monday was only yesterday–it feels like a whole week has already gone by!
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Longest. Week. Ever.
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Wow, that sure was a hectic Monday!
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