Where's Joe the Plumber when you need him?

Just a quick example of exactly how UN-polically savvy I really am...

Yesterday was an early release day, as well as being my last day with the kids I've taught for the past 8 weeks. Because of the schedule, there wasn't time to have every class sit in the cafeteria and eat for the usual 30 minutes, so on our shortened itinerary, we had to go to the cafeteria, get the food, and bring it back to the classroom to eat.

The kids sat at their desks and ate, and I sat down at one of the tables with a few kids. The boy next to me, we'll call him A, is extremely bright, extremely friendly, just a great all-around kid, and one of my favorites. To my great amusement all year long, though, when he talks, he sounds exactly like Ralph Wiggums from the Simpsons. "I bent my Wookiee!!"

As I'm chewing on my hamburger, A says in his high-pitched voice, "I wonder who Obama's running mate is?"

OK, first, I should say, that is the sort of question that has NEVER EVER been asked in my classroom, and I showed my true colors in my answer.

I told him, "That person's name is Sarah Palin."

He immediately replied, "Nuh-uh! That's John McCain's running mate!"

Holy crap, he's right!! I am such an idiot when it comes to politics...


On Monday, I'll have 2 brand new groups of kids. One of these kids was in my class last year, and he seemed to be going through cold sweats when I walked into his room yesterday. Another is a boy I've referenced before because he tells me everyday "You're tall." 3 of the kids in the new 40 I'll have don't speak any English and need to have a peer translator. I'll try to use my rudimentary Spanish to help them out.

"Me gusta pollo y arroz!!"
"Yo soy maestro grande!"
"Por favor, no hablando en el bano!"

These kids are in for quite a year...