Teacher Tuesday!!!

This is my baby sister Kristen with two of my babies at the rodeo (I have no idea who the bearded guy behind her is, or the red shirt guy, or the kid).  We were born four years apart almost to the day.  I am four years smarter and she is four years better looking.  I'm not sure I got the best end of that deal.  Kristen used to teach first grade before she had a baby and decided to stay home and teach piano instead.  She has tons of funny stories, kid projects and parent tips from her time teaching and she is going to be sharing them with us every Tuesday!  I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!!  But that could also be because Christmas is coming!!!  Hooray!!!  How many exclamation points can I use in one post?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is her very first Teacher Tuesday post...

One morning, I was doing a reading test on a student.  I pick a story from the testing kit that I feel is on his reading level, have him read it, time him, record errors, and then at the end check comprehension by asking a series of pre-determined questions.  


This particular story was about the zoo.  Each page had a few sentences about an animal.  "This is a giraffe. Baby giraffes can walk on the same day they are born." "This is a penguin.  A penguin cannot fly, but it has wings."  etc...  The student did a great job reading and had hardly any errors.  After he finished, I began asking the comprehension questions.  This would be a breeze - or so I thought...


Me: "Billy, (name changed) what did you learn about the animals at the zoo?"
Billy: Nothing.  I already knew all those things. (typical first grade answer)
Me: "Can you tell me any of them."
Billy: Well I don't really remember now. (how convenient) 
Me: "Ok, do you remember anything about the story?"
Billy: Not really. (Did I forget to mention that this particular student sounds EXACTLY like Froggy from The Little Rascals?)


Things are NOT going well. (Just goes to show that your child might be able to read every word in the book but it doesn't count for anything if he/she can't remember a lick of it!)


I try to move onto an easier question - one that will require less factual knowledge.


Me: "Why do you think the author wrote a book about zoo animals?"
Billy: Because he likes going to the zoo (Now we're getting somewhere!)
Me: "Why do you think people like to go to the zoo?" (I'm sure he can make a connection here...)
Billy:  Well, you know those long skinny things that are covered in cinnamon and sugar?"
Me: "A churro?"
Billy: Yeah - that's why I go to the zoo.


Me too, Billy.  Me too. 


Ha Ha Thanks Kris!  Boy it is super annoying that the font has got white behind it.  Does anyone know how to cut and paste these things without that occurring?  I will work on that.  I guess I could always just type it all out.   I doubt that's going to happen.   Did I mention that I am four years lazier?