The power of suggestion...

is strong in this class. If someone hurts their arm, there are two or three students whose arms automatically begin to ache. If someone falls out of their chair, someone else will fall out of theirs. If someone's feelings get hurt - yep - you guessed it...it goes around and around. Today was no different...this time it revolved around losing teeth. One student's tooth popped out...quite naturally - "Ms. Eklund - I lost my tooth!!" as he holds up a nice clean, white tooth. I sent him off to the nurse and he comes back with his tooth in a baggy knowing he's getting a visit from the tooth fairy. Within 2 minutes I hear, "Ms. Eklund! I lost my tooth too!" as she holds up a very bloody stump of a tooth with her mouth filling with blood. Oh my. Suddenly three more students are complaining of their loose teeth and fingers are jiggling teeth everywhere! So - I had to have "the tooth talk"...the talk that goes something like this, "Friends, we do not pull our teeth out until they're ready. Which means - no pulling or tugging on a tooth just to make it loose enough to pull out." You could actually hear the kiddos groan and slowly slide their wiggly fingers out of their mouths...guilty as charged. ;o)

The power of suggestion...it is strong in these wee ones. I spend lots of time suggesting things like how fun it is to learn new things, positive self-talk, wrong from right, ....and how to be a good friend. :) Trust me, it's all about how you word things. My class isn't perfect, but slowly we're getting there. Every day we make progress towards becoming the best firsties we can be. Did you know I have the best.job.EVER? ;)