Saturday, September 29, 2007

Second graders on streaking

So I'm teaching second graders about storms, and our latest page we did said, "Lightning streaks across the sky." "Streak is what?" they wanted to know.

So I defined it as, "when something goes so quickly it makes a line."

"So if a wolf streaks across the forest, what color line does it make?"

"A grey line," said Laura.

"And if a taxi streaks across the road?"

"A yellow line," said Angelo.

But what conversation about streaking would be complete without definition #2.

"But streaking can also mean something else," I said. "It means when crazy person takes off all their clothes and goes running down the street."

Peals of laughter, and the hands shoot up. Oh the can of worms that definition #2 opened up.

Now, every time the kids have to make a sentence, they love to incorporate their new word:

"Please make a sentence with the word 'brother.'"

"My brother streaks when he goes to buy the food."

"Please make a sentence with the word 'pink.'"

"When a person streaks, he makes a pink line."

"Please make a sentence with the word 'lightning.'"

Lightning doesn't wear pants, so it's ok if it streaks."

What have I done?

Saturday, July 07, 2007

Thoughts on romance...

... from my first through third grade EFL students:

Me: What is out second sentence for sun?
Class: We saw a beautiful sunset at the beach last night.
Me: Wow! That's really romantic. A beautiful sunset on the beach.
Laura: What is "romantic?"
Me: "Romantic" is something that makes you think about love... or boyfriends and girlfriends. Like maybe going to a movie is romantic. Or watching the sunset at the beach is romantic. What do you think is romantic?
Laura: I know. Sharing the same popcorn.
Corrine: Walking beside the Love River
(the stench of which, by the way, can be caught on the breeze from blocks away. But the city government has been trying to change its image.)
Ken: I know. Wearing the same clothes. You and your girlfriend can wear the same T-shirt.
Daniel: But many people here have the same clothes. They all say Bo-Ai elementary school.