Valentinstag

It's refreshing to be in a country where Valentine's Day isn't such a big deal. I think the only commercial I've seen about the holiday was an advertisement for the movie Valentine's Day, which will be showing on German TV on Sunday.  Most of my fifth grade students seemed blissfully oblivious. When a student's mom (who is a fabulous baker, and, by the way, is also from Texas) brought in delicious pink cupcakes with red sprinkles this morning, some of my students asked, "Whose birthday is it?"

A few of my students knew, of course, and I did get some Valentine's Day cards. They were the best kind, too: the homemade kind. :)

some of my Valentine's Day treats...and snow, too!

Hey, Kids! Guess What?!

In my current job, I work with elementary students who need extra help in reading.  With only three weeks of class left, I thought it would be a good time to start telling the kids where I will be next school year.

After the Aww's and the Why? 's, the first graders were curious about my new school (much more than about the country it was in).  Both groups of first graders asked what the name of my new school was.  The answer was followed by peals of laughter, and one group decided "our school's name is better."  Apparently, the word "Frankfurt" is REALLY funny if you are seven.

The third graders had more comments:

N.L.:  "Is that near Vegas? I am going to Vegas."

J.M.:  "You know, you could adopt me."

S.T.:  "You're going across the OCEAN? That's going to take, like, three days!"

My Going-Away Present