Funerals and baby showers

A couple of visitors came to my room this week and told me what a great job I'm doing. I'm always amazed when someone says that. It's almost always loud and tantrums are thrown and it takes us forever to get through a lesson. While I was talking to the evaluator, one of my 12 year olds came up and he had painted red watercolors all over his face and said "Look, I have a bloody nose." I calmly told him to clean his face, and if he put paint on it again, I would have to mark his chart. She told me I had such a positive classroom environment. I suppose that means one where you can be free to be a sixth grader who can put watercolor paint all over your face and not get screamed at.

was sitting in the floor with a small group when one of the kids asked me what I was doing this weekend. I said "I'm going to a funeral and a baby shower." He said "Why would you want to go see a baby take a shower." It took me awhile to explain to him what it really was, but in the end, I think the literal interpretation is funnier.

The special education teacher next to me teaches the lower grades. One of her kids is in Kindergarten and still hasn't mastered potty training. When they went to change him, he didn't have on a pull up, but a dishtowel. I guess when you're out of diapers, you're out of diapers.

The funeral today was for one of my student's brothers who was tragically shot and killed. He was only 16. I spoke with a woman who owns the convenience store down the street from the projects where they live. She told me she feels like she's going to a funeral for a young kid every other day. I didn't even know him, but I found myself unable to hold back tears. I have no idea what it must be like to lose someone like that. Keep their family in your thoughts and prayers.