First Graders Rock!!!

For the past month I have been in a classroom full of first graders and have loved every minute of it. There is not a day that goes by where I don't want to break out in laughter because of something that these little six year olds do or say. Some of my favorite stories of this past month are as follows:

First day of class after introducing myself a little boy comes up to me and says, "Miss McCarroll...that's a good teacher name."

And so it begins...

The month of March for first graders includes days of green, spring, and leprechaun activities. There was a little boy in the class who thinks he is a legit leprechaun. He has carried around a little pot of gold for the whole month. Every lesson I taught he knew why things happened and it was, you'll never guess it, because of a leprechaun; and he knew because he was a real one. One day after becoming a little concerned about it the head teacher asked him if he played leprechauns on recess. His response, "No, I play puppies because that is my disguise because I AM A REAL LEPRECHAUN!"

For another one of my lessons I found a note from a leprechaun friend Mr. O'Riley who had been spying on the kids for sometime. He knew a lot about them. The kids were so excited so I taught them the parts of a letter and we wrote a letter back to our leprechaun friend. The next day, being St. Patrick's Day the kids all recieved a letter back from Mr. O'Riley. The kids were extatic and the letters were quite the distraction for most of the morning and then the afternoon roled around. There is a little girl in the class who is very mature for a six year old, I'm pretty positive that she will be a famous actress some day because she is very dramatic. It's adorable but oh she is a handful. Anyways, that afternoon I'm helping the kids with a writing assignment and I make it around to her table. She says, "Miss McCarroll I know who wrote these letters, you did." I respond back that it couldn't be me, it was definitely the leprechaun. She responds, "Oh Miss McCarroll I can recognize your handwriting anywhere."

And one of my favorite stories...I check the kids homework at the door when the first come in in the mornings. One day one of the little boys walks in and asks me if I want to see his dance moves. I say of course and picture this in your mind...the little boy gets down on the ground in crab walk position and his feet start going wild. He finishes his little dance and then gets back up. I say "Wow! Those are some sweet break dancing moves!" He responds as seriously and coolly as possible, "Ya, break dancing (pause) it's kind of my thing."

I have loved being back in elementary school. These kids bring joy and excitement to life. They are excited about everything, the love everyone, and they bring out the best in those of us who get so focused on the business of life and help us stop to enjoy the tender mercies that the Lord has to offer us. These children have helped me truly see what the scriptures say when they say become as little children. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be associated with these wonderful little people. They have taught me so much more about what really matters in life then anything I have been able to teach them this past month.