I completed my 3 days of volunteering as a substitue teacher today.  What a blessing it has been.  My education was in deed lacking.  I have discovered a new view or let's say frame of thought about children's logic.  While it is usually straight forward; it is  always based on things they think they know.

I think back about how I reasoned things out when I was six.  Yes, I can remember that far back; ... and no,  the dinasours were not around at the time.  I do think I remember my grandmother talking about the first senior moment (as if she were there) when a dinasour was heard saying, "Oops, was that today?" as he watched the arch sail away. 

The list of stories about when I was six are:

 Our Mission Changes As We Travel This Journey

What's In A Name

A Little Koo Koo

I would have to say my theory about the logic of a six year old remains the same.  Straight forward and based on what they think they know.

I asked a simple question: How many of you enjoy music?  The discussion took all day and it took everything I had to keep my face straight.

First we discussed exactly what is moo sick. It had nothing to do with a sick cow.  I played some classical music from a cd and we discussed "stringed in sta mints".  (One little boy knew all about mints because his mother grows it in the window of the laundry room.)

Then I played some music from the 50's; Dean Martin, Andy Williams, and some insta-mentals like Tiawana Brass.  I played some Elvis, some 60's and 70's rock and roll.  With the help of YouTube and my Laptop the day was a success.  The one they loved the best was Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop.  Some things never change.  Children still respond best to what is simple funny, gentle and loving.

The discussions about horns that were not in a car or on the head of some animals.  The 'real' insta- mint' called a horn and blowing into it to make moo sick.  Pictures of the different horns helped on this one.  There were many "AW's".

The eye opener of the day was when we talked about singing.  I ask one little boy if he could carry a tune.  He almost started to cry, I instantly stopped and asked why he was so upset?  "Mommy says I can't carry a tooooon."  She is my boss, please don't ask me to do it."  I smiled and told him I could not carry one either.  He sighed, I smiled, he shrugged.  All was forgiven.  He then whispered to me, "I don't know how ... I have never even seen a toooon.  Is it heavy or jus' hard to pick up?"

We had discussed git-tars when we discussed stringed insta-mints.  I ask how many knew about pianos.  The first response was from a little boy, apparently in his house the pee-anno was called a toy-let.  This made no sense to him because his mother would not let him play in it.  He could play with his other toys though.  We talked about pee-annos and "keys" both black and white keys.  One little girl wanted to know if only black people could play the black keys?  I told her the pee-anno could be played by anyone no matter what.  When I told them the black keys were for the "sharps" in moo sick they gasp.  "Will they cut you?"  We then got to look at notes and how moo sick is read.  I learned the sharps were not sharps at all but hash tags and pound signs.  They did not know what 'hash tags' were but they knew how to recognize them.  They were surprised to learn they also stood for a sound.  That made sense since git-tars did not have black keys and were also a 'stringed' insta-mint'.  The base fiddle they decided was the git-tar for a giant.  One little girl decided the bow in her hair could not be used to 'stump' across strings of a giant git-tar, or bio-lin or even a 'phi dell'.  Making it into a stick and stretching hair across it made no sense to her at all. I tried to explain that the bow was just what they called the thing used to play across the strings.  I made the mistake of saying the word bow could also mean to bow... she knew how to "kurt-see" too.

I asked the question, "Does anyone know about any other insta mints?"  Yes.  One little boy popped up, with his hand held high and annouced his grand pa could play his bottom.  He made moo sick every time he walked into the bat room.  The whole class chimed in on that one.  It seems having grandparents who "toot" when they walk is a good thing.  It also seems it is not limited to grandparents.  The secret was to not be behind them when they are doing it... it smells sometimes.

When it was time for me to say good bye I got hugs and kisses from all eighteen of the children.  I think I cried a bit coming home.  I am so blessed to have been called to serve and will volunteer in heart beat if ever called to repeat the experience.

Tags: Children