As Heard In An Elementary Classroom
- Eric Danowski
- Sep 10, 2021
- 2 min read
In my 10+ years of working in schools, I’ve had the privilege of seeing and hearing some interesting things from my students. In that same time, I’ve often shared some of those perfectly timed kid quotes with my teacher friends. We all enjoy hearing the unique perspectives of students as they learn, grow, and experience the world around them.
Recently, Facebook reminded me that one of my Kindergarten friends (from before I came to Saint Andrew’s) taught me that dead bodies live underground. What a perfect Fall lesson as we head into the Halloween season!
Other gems over the years include:
“My favorite subject this year was carpool because we get to go home!”
“You’re forgetting your coat. Also, don’t forget you can save 15% by switching to GEICO!”
“I’m always going to be single so that my wife can never yell at me to do the dishes.”
Answering the question “What was the hardest thing you had to do at school today?”: “Be cool.”
Shouted across the classroom: “They called me a ‘tooting tooter’!”
“My hair tastes like candy.”
The start of a Kindergartener’s story: “Last night I was partying with my friends….”
“Did you know that when you eat grapes, you are putting wine in your body? That’s not good for a kid!”
“Hey ladies, how’s life going?”
“Why don’t you just fire your boss so you can go home early?” (If only it worked that way kid!)
Learning about being polite: “Don’t say if your mom is wearing a wig.”
All students, but particularly younger students, have a unique take on the world around them and it’s such a fun thing to witness as a teacher. There are so many important life lessons to be learned in an elementary classroom!
While I do miss the chaos that can be a first grade classroom, I enjoy my current role as an administrator. It allows me the chance to get to know so many more students and work closely with all of them and all of the teachers. And every now and then a former student will still share their latest discovery of the world: “I learned that half the planets are made of mostly gas, most famously Uranus!”
Mr. Danowski is the Director of Teaching & Learning.
Cover image credit: https://www.facebook.com/KidsSayFunniestThing/photos/10154587348456225
Reading these sweet and often profound quotes from an elementary classroom is a wonderful reminder of the simple joy of learning, which is a perspective I try to hold onto while navigating the intensive rigors of my current PhD research. Balancing my doctoral studies with a part-time role at last minute assignments has given me a front-row seat to the modern student experience, where academic expectations often clash with overwhelming deadlines and the need for absolute precision; having suffered through many high-stress hustles and sleepless nights during my own college days, I am now incredibly conscious of the mental toll that an unmanaged workload can take on one’s stability. This personal history is why I have such a genuine interest…
These kid quotes are both hilarious and surprisingly insightful, capturing those little moments that stick with you. It took me back to volunteering at a school event where children said the most unexpected things that stayed with me for days. Around that time, I was also buried in assignments and jokingly wished someone could finish my online class for me just so I could enjoy those moments more. It really shows how valuable these small interactions can be.
The kid quotes post is fun and full of innocence, showing how children see the world in simple ways. It made me smile while reading. I remember when I relied on algebra exam takers during a stressful time, and it helped me relax a bit. This post reminds me that simple thoughts can be meaningful. Nice post, it make me smile.