One liner

J, an eight grader was struggling with his math. I say, "It's pretty tough, huh, J?" He responds, "Yeah, and it ain't too easy either."

the score doesn't matter

We were playing volleyball today and we are trying to teach the students to call out the score before they serve. It is the very first serve of the game and we remind the student, C., a seventh grader to tell the score.

Teacher: The score is 0 serving 0

C. gets ready to serve and then says, "Wait, which one are we?"

The stuff dreams are made of

Upon seeing the faculty/staff performance last Friday, D., my ninth grader, stated, "Mr. B., I don't know if they'll be nightmares or not, but I'll be seeing that in my dreams."

The Pirate Patch

Ever wonder why the pirate wears a patch?

According to the theory of one of my students it is because he needs to keep one eye adjusted to the dark. That way when it gets dark all the pirate has to do is switch the patch over to his other eye and he has one that has already adjusted to the dark.

I ask my student if it wouldn't be just as easy to let both eyes adjust to the dark at the same time. He said that no, it would be better to keep one prepared at all times.

February?????

I always post the date on the upper right hand side of my whiteboard. Today was no different. February 2, 2009 was clearly written on the board. Little W., an 8th grader, says "Mr. B., the date is wrong."

I said, "No, it isn't. I just wrote it this morning."

He started shaking his head..."No it can't be right."

I looked at him..."Well, I'm pretty sure it is."

He was almost distraught. His face wrinkled in a frown..."It can't be...It can't be February. It was January when we left on Friday."

I stifled my smile..."You bet it was, W. It was still January on Saturday too but it turned February on Sunday."

He shook his head..."It can't be."

But I noticed later that he had accepted the fact that time marches on.

Trivia question

Yesterday we were playing a trivia game. The question was: What does the DC stand for in Washington, DC?

After several wrong answers, M., a 7th grade girl, waved her hand in the air and said, "I know it! I know it! Please let me answer."

"Okay, go ahead."

She replies..."Duhh...it stands for democrat!"

The same thing but different

Had a very interesting argument today with one of my students, B. He said he was 6 foot and I said he was 5 foot 12....he would not hear any of it...he kept repeating, "No! I'm 6 foot!"

A sing song

W, a little eighth grader, sang this song today and I thought I would share....

I am a cow, listen to me moo
I am a cow, I'm twice as big as you
I am a cow, I eat green grass
I am a cow, I fart methane gas.


Kinda catchy don't ya think? :-)

Obama Inspired Math

Today in class we watched the swearing in of Obama and then caught a little bit of the parade. I felt a good teaching moment coming on so I asked the students: If Obama is the 44th president, how could this be the 56th parade?

G, my ninth grade boy, "Mr. Butler there are 50 states, right?"

"Yes"

Immediately G responds, "Is it because there are 56 states?"

Ummmm...not quite.