You Just Might Be Canadian!

It's winter benchmark testing time; the wonderful week where we drill the students on reading and math to discover what they have learned over the first half of the year. Once again I sat down with kindergarteners and 1st graders to do some one-on-one assessments, and once again they filled my cup to overflowing with delight.

Snuggled at home on a snow day, I think about my adorable little students and the humor they have poured upon me the past three days. Let me share!

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Scene 1: I sit at a table opposite a 5-year-old girl. She's my "are you stranger-danger?" child- the one who previously asked if I was someone she should be talking to! I faithfully read verbatim the directions for her assessment and then ask, "Are there any questions?" True to form, she responds with the delightfully expected off-the-wall comment.

Nods her head. "The backpack that I wear to school, that's my old backpack."

I see. Shall we begin the test?

She nods again.

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Scene 2: Different kindergarten girl, same tests, same directions, same "Are there any questions?" from me.

She nods. "I got a puppy for Christmas."

I can't resist continuing this conversation. "Oh wow, what kind of dog?"

Instead of answering me, the girl turns her attention to the paper in front of her and starts randomly calling off numbers.

"Wait, wait!" I say. "We haven't started yet!"

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Scene 3: 6-year-old boy, 1st grader. "Do you have any questions?" I ask. (I wish I had had a recording device to catch the following word-for-word, but here is my attempt.)

"Yes. So this doesn't make sense in my family but I'm kind of Canadian. And no one knows why. And my dad was like, 'Why is my son Canadian? Why isn't he English?' And it puzzled him and it puzzled him. And it puzzled my uncle. And I think it puzzled my brother. So I was speaking Spanish but then I finally started to speak English."

I interrupted him at some point and asked, "So where were you born?"

"Arizona."

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