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One of my favorite things that happened yesterday was when a girl raised her hand and asked, "How many more days are in this school year?"

I told her and her shoulders sagged.  Sorry....

They crack me up.

At one point we were talking about the difference between tattling and reporting (although I benefit a lot from the notorious tattletales that third graders are, so I don't want to discourage it too much).  When I asked the difference between the two, a boy raised his hand and told me that his brother uses his mom's old iPod that she doesn't need any more.

OK...

They tell me the most random things and we just roll with it.

A boy asked me what I was.

"What I am?"

"Yeah, what are you?"

"A teacher?"

"But what are you?"

I said, "Do you mean where is my family from?  I'm American, but my ancestors are from England and Sweden."  (Other places too, but I wasn't really interested in pulling up Family Search.)

He said, "But where were you born?"

I said, "Nevada."

He said, "OK, you're Nevadan.  I'm Fijian."

Phew.  I'm glad we got it settled. (And if he had led with I'm Fijian, what are you, it would have saved a lot of time!)

They filled out an All About Me paper and one of the spaces said, Places I've Visited.

A few of them said, "I've never been anywhere."

I said, "It doesn't have to be somewhere really exciting."

A girl wrote Costco on her paper.

Also, I answered how long until lunch 4,678 times.

They are super cute.  They are way better behaved than last year's class (at least on day 1--there is a honeymoon period so behaviors may crop up later).

I loved seeing my former students and getting hugs and smiles from them.  I told them all that they had great 4th grade teachers and were so lucky.  

At lunch one of my former students sought me out and said, "Some of our friends are not listening to the teacher."

Not surprised. (Also no longer my problem.)

I saw the train wreck that was those newly minted 4th graders going to lunch and it gave me a little PTSD.  They just can't be quiet, keep their hands to themselves, anything.  They can't.

My class is more girls than boys and I think that helps settle the behavior a bit.  I read to them and spelled words for them and listened to their summer adventures.

3rd grade is a happy place!  Here is our team.  Miriam bought us matching shirts!

I was glad that Hannah, the intern, had a good day and was so happy after school.  She said, "I can't believe we're going to do this again tomorrow, though."

Yep.  The days will keep coming.  Eventually, the stamina will kick in for all of us.