From the mouths of sugar lump, pumpkin pie and darlin: Funny things my kids have said/done this year

When my students left on the last day of school last year, I cried. No, that's not a fair description. I bawled - like a baby - for hours. I had taught them for two years, during which time we all grew tremendously close. On "graduation" day, they could have left with their parents after the morning ceremony, but they stayed, all of them, and we had a wonderful wonderful day. I thought there was no way I'd ever love a group of children as much as those 15, but I was wrong.

My class this year couldn't be much more different. Last year I had 15 kids, this year I'm up to 26. Last year we were a close-knit, big, happy elementary school family and this year the kids physically and socially resemble middle schoolers, complete with divisions and cliques. However, they really are a great group of kids. They are as unique as can be, and are absolutely hilarious. Here are a few of my favorite moments from the year:

Student is dancing like crazy in line. Me: "What are you doing?" Student: "Just shakin my etch-e-sketch". Student pulls etch-e-sketch out of his back pocket. "See"

Student calls me over and whispers in my ear: "Mrs. Mays, do you think the new kid can douggie?"

Response to writing prompt: "If I could live anywhere I'd live in LA, cause that's where all the girls be at and I be gettin their number n stuff." (Unfortunately, that's not what we need for passing the SOL - but he did spell their correctly!)

Student, to another student: "You know I'ma be the next Chris Brown - except I'm not gonna be beatin' up Rihanna."

Student: "Mrs. Mays, you always call us darlin'. You should try some new names like sugar lump or pumpkin pie." Another student: "You can call me scrumptious". Um, no. I can't.

Student: "Mrs. Mays, don't worry. I've already told my sister that "stuff" is NOT a 5th grade word. She'll be ready for you".

Me: "When did you become so interested in plays?" Student: "Well, you know, I've just always been dramatic."

As we were going over a sample writing prompt I said "Listen to the way this paper's sentences all sound the same. It's monotonous." Student: "What does monotonous mean?" Me: "It always the same, it's sort of like boring." Student: "Oh", then, to another student "This is monotonous".

I think I could fill up a book with all the funny things they've said and done. They may be challenging, and my days are almost always difficult, but then there are these moments where they make me smile or laugh and I just love them.