Counterweights

 I talked to lots of teachers at school yesterday.  The district split didn't come up as a conversation one time.  I think we're all processing and waiting and seeing.

What is going to happen is thrumming through my head.

I'm not great at change or uncertainty.  So here's a chance to practice I guess.

To offset those feelings, here are some good things that happened yesterday:

A girl I didn't know stopped me in the hall.  She asked, "Are you Mrs. Davis?"

I said, "Yes."

She told me her name and proudly said, "I'm in second grade."

I said, "Well, I will look forward to you in third grade next year!"

She smiled and ran off to recess.

I just love their earnest friendly little selves.

On Tuesday we had some girl drama and one of my girls was distraught so I sent the practicum teacher with my class to the counselor lesson and I stayed behind.  We chatted.  She cried and I handed her Kleenex and told her I understood.  We moved on to more cheerful topics and she told me that she had traded in her candy with her parents for Mini Brands at Walmart.

I asked, "What's a Mini Brand?"

She was so shocked she gasped.  She couldn't believe I didn't know.  She reached over on my desk and grabbed my phone and said, "Google it."

I did. 

She told me about all the different kinds and then yesterday, she brought me one!

I was as pleased as I could be.

Here's a picture of what was inside (the pen is for scale).

They all gathered around my desk because apparently everyone loves Mini Brands and here I had no idea they existed.

I explained to them what a VHS tape was as well as a film reel.  

Then at lunch I went on Amazon and ordered a Mini Brands advent calendar for my classroom.  We'll start next week and instead of counting down days until Christmas, we'll count down days until Christmas break.

I love the exchange of knowledge.  I'm teaching them what I know about multiplication and division and we had an in depth discussion, including a globe and a map, about Columbus yesterday (they had no idea who he was) and they're introducing me to the wide world of Mini Brands.

I'd call it a fair trade.