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I teach kindergarten to 22 delightful youngsters who often make my educational assistant and me laugh. But one day it was my turn to say something ridiculous.
I was teaching the letter O, and I was leading my students through a guided drawing of an octopus. I showed them on the whiteboard how to draw the head and eight tentacles — two tentacles on each side, leaving room for four tentacles to go down the middle.
I had one final instruction for them. In a clear, loud voice I directed them, “Now be sure to count your testicles.”
My assistant and I completely lost it; apparently we are easily amused.
One little boy ventured, “Testicles, Mrs. Heinrichs?”
“Tentacles, boys and girls! Be sure to count your tentacles!” I managed to squeak out.
Although I would say my assistant and I are generally quite mature people, it took quite a while for us to regain our composure. Everything that day seemed to crack us up. When I related this incident on Facebook that evening, one of my friends asked dryly, “Did any of the boys count eight?”
Sandra Heinrichs teaches at Trinity Christian School in Calgary. ❚
Moot Points is your chance to write about a funny incident, a lesson learned or a poignant experience related to teaching. Please email articles to managing editor Cory Hare: cory.hare@ata.ab.ca.
