Ya Don't Say!

Sometimes I like to sit silently at my computer in my classroom. My students in the room think that I am busy doing "research," but in reality--I am listening to their conversations with one another. (Well that, and sometimes I'm gchatting/facebooking). But, OMG--the things that come out of their mouths! (An aside: In my first year of teaching, I would online shop at Urban Outfitters while my students did independent work at their desks, my students would often ask what I was doing at my computer; my answer was always the same: research, of course).

As I sit and listen to my student's conversations, I hear all sorts of things. Conversations that would make you laugh, (a whole lot of farting talk) and sometimes cringe, (booger stories). Earlier this year, I overheard Colin telling his fellow male classmates that they should never get married. "Because,(his voice lowered to a hush), once you're married you can't kiss as many girls as you want." An eight year old player? I couldn't help but wonder who told him that...

Very recently, I overheard Nick telling two of the other boys what sex is. By definition: "Sex is when a mom and a dad lay on top of each other, (naked) and kiss each other, a lot. And, that is how a baby is born." I guess that is the gist, though there are some other logistics involved...

Yesterday, one of the boys in my class Gus, announced that his grandpa had died on this day five years earlier. He had died of lung cancer, because he had been a smoker. Each student went around saying why he/she thought that smoking was bad. It was like an adorable little public service announcement. Gus (who is wise beyond his years) said, "When you're older, like a teenager at a party, and you get drunk--you might want a cigarette.
" Excuse me!?! How do you know such things?
That's when Chase chimed in, "yeah, I heard that at parties, they have this special kind of cigarette. It makes you feel really dizzy, funny, and oh---I hear you get pretty hungry too."

It was at that point, that I choked back my laughter over an eight year old unknowingly describing the munchies. I stepped in, and told my class that they needed to talk about something more appropriate in our classroom. And, so they did. Charlie burst out with, "Ooohh, want to see the orange thing I just pulled out of my ear?"

Now, that's more like it...