I teach 99 kids English and History every day because their parents pay me to. These kids live privileged lives. And yet, their little faces light up because I simply stroke their hair or give them a lollypop.
My third graders keep asking me if I am married. When I say no they ask, ‘but how old are you miss?” and, “but why did your father not find you a husband?” Any answer will only confuse so I just smile and say, “Never mind that, let me tell you all about the time I climbed the Pyramids.” It works for a little while but then, before long they get distracted by their previous questions and ask again.
One day they asked if I had any children …………. of course my response was “Yes, I have 99″.
The look of shock and the intake of breath in the room made me laugh so much I had to put the text book up to my face. One little boy with a great look of concern in his face said, “Miss, 99 children, how is it that you are still alive?”
Anyway, they have a tendency to get a little boisterous sometimes during these classes so I have to bring them back down to earth somehow. I usually manage this by telling them some juicy story about my work as an archaeologist or my travels around Egypt.
We happened to be learning about the pharaohs and the subject of Tutankhamen’s tomb….
‘Let me tell you something cool.’
They hushed up immediately.
‘You know’, I said as I held my hand close up to my face, ‘I stood this close to Tutankhamen’s death mask!’
The room echoed with a low ‘Woah, really Miss?’
‘Yes, really…’
‘…and, I was inside that very tomb too!’
I was unprepared for the response.
Zinah, one of the clever ones, lifted her bum a little from her chair and leaned across the table with a look of awe in her face and said, ‘Miss, you were there with Howard Carter?’
‘Really, Zinah, how old do you think I would have to be to have been there with him?’
Three little angels up the front were suddenly beavering over their books and copies and soon turned around and said, in all seriousness I might add, ‘Miss, you’re 85!’
I choked slightly on the water I was drinking at the time and replied, ‘I’m looking pretty good for it these days too aren’t I girls?’
At that I gave them an ‘I’m magic at math sticker’, and we carried on with the lesson.
Out of the mouths of babes as my mother would say.
MagzB.
My third graders keep asking me if I am married. When I say no they ask, ‘but how old are you miss?” and, “but why did your father not find you a husband?” Any answer will only confuse so I just smile and say, “Never mind that, let me tell you all about the time I climbed the Pyramids.” It works for a little while but then, before long they get distracted by their previous questions and ask again.
One day they asked if I had any children …………. of course my response was “Yes, I have 99″.
The look of shock and the intake of breath in the room made me laugh so much I had to put the text book up to my face. One little boy with a great look of concern in his face said, “Miss, 99 children, how is it that you are still alive?”
*********
These past few weeks I have been teaching them about Ancient Egypt. They, much like I did many years ago, have been soaking it all up like excited little sponges. The mere mention of pyramids and Tutankhamen has had them bouncing in their chairs like it was Christmas (though that may be a bad analogy considering their religious persuasion!).Anyway, they have a tendency to get a little boisterous sometimes during these classes so I have to bring them back down to earth somehow. I usually manage this by telling them some juicy story about my work as an archaeologist or my travels around Egypt.
We happened to be learning about the pharaohs and the subject of Tutankhamen’s tomb….
‘Let me tell you something cool.’
They hushed up immediately.
‘You know’, I said as I held my hand close up to my face, ‘I stood this close to Tutankhamen’s death mask!’
The room echoed with a low ‘Woah, really Miss?’
‘Yes, really…’
‘…and, I was inside that very tomb too!’
I was unprepared for the response.
Zinah, one of the clever ones, lifted her bum a little from her chair and leaned across the table with a look of awe in her face and said, ‘Miss, you were there with Howard Carter?’
‘Really, Zinah, how old do you think I would have to be to have been there with him?’
Three little angels up the front were suddenly beavering over their books and copies and soon turned around and said, in all seriousness I might add, ‘Miss, you’re 85!’
I choked slightly on the water I was drinking at the time and replied, ‘I’m looking pretty good for it these days too aren’t I girls?’
At that I gave them an ‘I’m magic at math sticker’, and we carried on with the lesson.
Out of the mouths of babes as my mother would say.
MagzB.
Love this post. You can certainly write! Love the intro to your blog below the title too.
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