I’m going to save my lamenting about how Valentine’s Day is a made up holiday created to make everyone feel under pressure to buy something for loved ones. No, instead I’m going to share what a very nice day today actually was…
My wonderful work-husband brought me a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf caramel latte. 
Yesterday, I said goodbye to a very dear student whose family was moving to Fresno (or so I thought). It was kind of a blue day in the class as we knew we wouldn’t be seeing C again. So imagine my surprise when, upon picking up my class from the cafeteria this morning, C was sitting in her regular place in line. I did a double take…
Ms. Delight – Oh my gosh! You’re here! (Smiling) What a surprise!
C – (Smiling, as usual)
Ms. D – Does this mean you are not moving?
C - (Shakes her head)
Ms. D – So you just came to visit today?
C – My mom said that I couldn’t miss Valentine’s Day! (Duh, Ms. Delight)
Ms. D – Well, of course not!
As made abundantly clear by C’s mom, Valentine’s Day to a bunch of 7ish year old second graders is probably one of the BEST DAYS EVER! While walking to class this morning, the line was abuzz about how much fun it was going to be. On the way, one of my girls started off the first of many V-Day discussions…
A – Ms. Delight, J says he doesn’t give out cards to girls.
Ms. D – Oh, well, maybe one of these days he’ll change his mind.
J – No! I’m not giving cards to girls. (Kind of snarky-like)
As we made our way into the classroom, a few students brought gifts and cards to me before even heading to their seats. J was one of those students.
K – I thought you didn’t give cards to girls! Ms. Delight is a girl!
J - (rolling his eyes) No she’s not! She’s a women (yes, a women). I only give cards to women.
It took all I could do to not laugh out loud!
As the day went on, our valentines’ exchange loomed. The kids did a pretty good job keeping it together until after lunch with the help of work disguised as “Valentine’s Day activities”. Finally, after-lunch arrived, and our exchange ensued.
One-by-one, tables passed out their valentines and the other students chatted with their friends, opened their cards, and sorted through their candy. While I walked around keeping the situation under control, (another) C approached me about his Valentine’s Day dilemma…
C – Ms. Delight, I want to give a card to a girl I like.
Ms. D – Oh, ya? Well, that’s very nice of you.
C – She’s older than me though. She’s a 3rd grader.
Ms. D - (trying not to giggle) That’s ok.
C – Do you know her?
Ms. D – I’m not sure, who is she?
C – Oh, I’m not going to tell you. That’s too embarrassing.
D – I’ll tell you Ms. Delight. It’s Susana!
C – Argh! (groans)
The past few years, I’ve been kind of a curmudgeon about Valentine’s Day in school. V-Day is NOT a California State standard and is NOT on the standardized test at the end of the year. I had a hard time giving up instruction time for a V-Day exchange. But after the treatment we received this past year about our test scores, I’ve decided that my kids are going to enjoy school this year…and so I am! And that’s just what we did!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I hadn't actually realised just how crucial to the kids development is your class. My normal thing is to go 'what the hell age is 2nd grade and once I look it up in the wiki I promptly forget 'til next time'. This time I read further. You are not developing, you are laying the track. And fyi 2nd grade is analogous to our 2nd class. Something I'll forget 'til next time. It's the F/C thing in temp.
ReplyDeleteCan you imaging the fuss being made at home that it's energy over-spill can keep kids of that age with the attention span of a gnat focused all day long. And it's not really like Christmas, they themselves have no dog in the hunt at all.
@Vince - You're not kidding! I checked out what wiki had to say about 2nd grade, and I'll tell you what...it's missing A LOT! At this time we don't have national standards per say. Each state has adapted the vague national standards in some way. "They" are working on national standards to be in place by 2014, but CA has already made them more difficult. What it comes down to is that the kids better be "developed" before they get to us because we don't have time for it. Which is sad. Really, the standards don't bother me at all, it's the required testing that makes it sad. They should be playing with the concepts to really understand them rather than have to solve them with paper and pencil within minutes of being exposed to them. As for gnat focus, for some that is an understatement! :)
ReplyDeleteI gotta stop this ranting already! Sheesh!
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ReplyDeleteShows you care. 'Twould be a darn sight worse if you didn't give a shit given what you do.
ReplyDeleteAnd anyway, you could have a voice pitched three octaves above a steam whistle and it wont cross over on this thing. So rant away.
I forgot to put a Cheshire cat smiley face in the last comment; :-)
The woman thing is the cutest thing ever! : ) I am glad C could be with all of her friends : )
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that C didn't have to spend Valentine's Day with total strangers who probably wouldn't have given her a card. She has a good Mom.
ReplyDeletem.
Sometimes a fun day in school is just whats called for. you were well n truly spoilt. awwwww...
ReplyDeleteJennie. x
@Vince - No, it only gets high pitched when I'm whining. My ranting is ALWAYS in a nice normal voice. ;)
ReplyDelete@becky - ha ha! I know! I think he's gonna be trouble when he's grown!
@mark - i was glad to see her! But she's gone today. :(
@jennie louise - So true! It was very nice. Trying to make more days like that. I'm sick of the crazy, "WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT" days.
ReplyDeleteBeing a teacher today is really hard, when you can't make time for fun.
ReplyDeleteValentine's day is my favorite day of the school year. The kids are soooo excited and it is so sweet and innocent. Test scores be damned! Loved the dysfunctional box of hearts. Where can I buy those? ;)
ReplyDeleteYour dysfunctional conversation hearts cracked me up!
ReplyDeleteKids are the best. They say the sweetest, most random, nutty things. I love it!
I'm also a huge sucker for Heart day. If I ever had another daughter I would name her Valentina. I'm not kdding.
I love you blog, by the way. I'm pretty sure we could be friends in real , actual life. :) So that's cool.
This year I did Valentine's Day on my own....(no parent helpers,) 5 centers including one where the kids delivered the Valentine's they had posted in our class post office. They were excited but finished all of their work. I am lucky to be able to create my curriculm as long as I teach the standards...even when I was at a school that was tyring to improve test scores....teachers know best - it's a shame those who don't teach make all the rules...reminds me of this quote- "Those who can, teach. Those who can't make laws about teaching."
ReplyDelete@Marey - Preach it sister!
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