BIG day

 It was a big time in 3rd grade yesterday.

For one thing, we had an unexpected fire alarm.  No fire, just the sprinkler system malfunctioned and it set off the alarm.  We evacuated and the children freaked out.

Is it a real fire?

Why didn't you tell us this was happening?

Why didn't you let us bring out backpacks?!?  What if they had burned?

I explained that you can replace backpacks, but not third graders.

One student said, "What if your family is broke and you can't get a new backpack?"

I said we would help you.

Then they asked questions about every scenario: what if I was in the bathroom?  what if the pavement was on fire and we couldn't leave? what if both doors were on fire and we couldn't leave?

On and on and on. 

I did my best to answer everything (including but not limited to the flammable properties of sidewalks).

Then the internet didn't work all afternoon.  The AC still doesn't work.  We were really just doing our best.

I decided to abandon small groups and read them Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel.  It was written in 1939 and they were riveted.  Good books hold up and that is all.  In Beezus and Ramona (written in 1955 and it absolutely holds up), Ramona is obsessed with a steam shovel book, so we decided to be Ramona and read it.

So that was all the extenuating circumstances.  The Big Deal was that we started both multiplication and cursive on the same day.

During math, a boy tentatively raised his hand and said, "But I don't know how to do multiplication...."

I promised him he would.

Another student said, "I don't think I'm ready for this."

Some of them were rubbing their hands together in excitement.  It was go time.

We dipped our toes in and I had some students struggling to understand the very concept of equal groups and one boy say that 6 x 7 was 42.

Oh boy.  There is always a gulf.

We did cursive at the end of the day.  "But I can't do cursive."  "I don't think I am ready."  "I might be able to write it, but I'll never be able to read it."

I said, "Then you're going to the dungeon."

That always makes them laugh and smile, because we all know there is no dungeon.  I said, "We will keep practicing!  Don't worry!"  I told them if you could learn cursive immediately, they wouldn't need to come to third grade and their mom could just show them in an afternoon and they would get it.  They started to act a little more courageous.

And I'm proud of them.  It was a big day and we got through it!