Bart Simpson Is Really 18-Years Old

Friday morning at school, I was surprised at around 7.45 am when a little girl I don't teach walked into my room. She had a Valentines Day card in her hand, and she said, "Can you give this to one of your students?" I said "Yes I can." She laid it down on my desk and wandered away.I knew I shouldn't. But I couldn't help but look. It was addressed to one of my little boys, and it said "Love Ur Secret Admire." How sweet.

The superintendent was in my room for a token 10 minute political visit. When he came in, we were playing a stems review game that I like to call "Stem, Lose, or Draw." So very creative, I know. Anyway, one of my little girls was at the board, and she had drawn the card for "vas," which means "vessel or container." She looked at me puzzled. I whispered behind my hand, hoping none of the other kids could hear, for her to just draw a vase with flowers in it. She jerked back like I had told her to draw the devil. The superintendent, who had until now been reading over a list of the other rooms he was to visit after mine, looked up, intrigued. "Just draw a vase! Put flowers in it!" I whispered again. She looked at me, again, like I had said something insane. Then she shrugged, took a marker, and started drawing.

She drew a smiley FACE with two flowers coming out of the top if its head. I was astonished. The other kids were perplexed. She said, "What? You said to draw a face with flowers in it!"

"I said to draw a vase, a vase!"

The superintendent laughed out loud.

The day only got better after that. I learned three key things:
1. The student whose sister invented the words "crap" and "freaky," also invented the word "wack."
2. I apparently drive an "acoustic car."
3. It is possible for a person's clothes to be "matching too much."

The longer I'm with these kids the more I learn, it's better sometimes if I don't ask them what they mean.