Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Cheesy Jokes and Serious Thoughts for Valentine's Day

 




What did the boy bird say to the girl bird?
Garfield is one of my closest friends. The alarm goes off around 4:30 am, I reach for the laptop and see what Garfield is up to. As a substitute teacher, I would bribe the class with his jokes. I'd draw his picture on the board, put the questions to the riddle up and tell the kids I wouldn't give them the punchline unless...the whole class could be complete 15 minutes of work, or be good until recess, or clean up the class. Whatever needed to be done. The rascalliest students really wanted the joke, so everyone would cooperate. I told them I wasn't sure if it was even legal to keep a punchline from them, it seemed like cruel and unusual punishment (but I never had to withhold a punchline ever.) Humor is a great break in the authoritarian regimen; and puns do teach language arts in their multiple meaning words. Oh, the punchline: let me call you Tweetheart. Maybe to be current I should change the riddle to, 'What did the boy bird text to the girl bird?'
Let me call you Tweetheart.

http://med.stanford.edu/ism/2012/january/reiss.html
 “Humor is a very important component of emotional health, maintaining relationships, developing cognitive function and perhaps even medical health,” said Allan Reiss, MD, who directs the Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research at Stanford. Most of us know the ancient proverb, 'A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.' Leave it to Stanford to use an MRI to prove it! They hooked up kids and showed them funny and nonfunny material. I wonder how these jokes would do.


If you don't like cheese, don't read these!

Here is some more silly:

Did you hear about the romance in the tropical fish tank?
It was a case of guppy love.




Why was the rabbit so happy on Valentine's Day?

Because some bunny loved him.



What did one piece of string say to the other piece of string?
Please be my valentwine!



What did one volcano say to another on Valentine's Day?


I lava you.



What did the French chef give his wife for Valentine's Day?
A hug and a quiche.

What did the farmer give his wife for Valentine's Day?
Hogs and kisses.







What did Frankenstein ask his girlfriend?
Won't you be my Valenstein?

What is serious about this holiday is that some of our students are in difficult circumstances due to stressors in their families. They can't write a valentine to mom or dad or other relatives. They may be in the middle of a family break up, in foster care, or suffered a great loss. Our job is to be aware of this, first of all, and maybe have an additional activity to take the edge off the intensity of the student's actual life. Maybe valentines to mail to troops overseas, or to a local nursing home or hospital. Maybe a writing project to write an anecdote of  a time someone showed kindness and love to the student. This could be emotional, but also cathartic. Life is tough, and the facade of the perfect family life is very difficult at times for many kids. Recalling a time of warmth and stability can be a positive moment on a dark day. I've had unique class situations where we could share such a writing project in discussion, and the other students were very supportive.

                                             
Thanks, Garfield and other silly souls for keeping it real. Real silly.

Friday, January 10, 2025

Teachable Moment: Dr. Martin Luther King

 


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. galvanized the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's due to his remarkable courage and unsurpassed eloquence.  He was right: those who were on the opposing  side of the argument were revealed as hideous, sadistic monsters. They still are. 

Unspeakable atrocities preceded and follow Dr. King's time of leadership. His actions and words still call forth men and women, boys and girls of all demographics to seek equality in America. And the price could be high.

When Dr. King gave his immortal, 'I Have A Dream' speech, he ignited dreams among all ethnicities, genders, religions, and students.  Hearing it is a profound experience. Please have your students listen. It is probably the most important speech given in the twentieth century, and given by a future winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Here is a resource to hear the "I Have A Dream" Speech on American Rhetoric.

Teachable Moment: "I Have A Dream" Speech Anniversary Today 
http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/08/american-rhetoric-great-resource-for.html 

Here is an excerpt from my blog "Books to Soothe Kids' Toxic Stress" http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/01/books-to-sooth-kids-toxic-stress.html

A third grader, small for his age, could really run fast during practice for his elementary school's Olympic Day. It was his way to shine. His tennies were worn out, so Teacher got him a new pair at  Wal-Mart. He made the school proud. This school district was low income, and located near a federal prison, therefore many families were in the area to be living nearby to visit relatives. The little boy also worked very hard at reading, writing, and math, including those impossible fractions. After the January 19th holiday, he asked Teacher, "Why don't they make Dr. Martin Luther King bedsheets? They make them for Superman." He had chosen the better hero.
This is a true story, and I hope the little guy is now a grown, happy, and functional adult, since I last had him at school in 1995.  He had the odds against him, but hopefully some encouragement from reading in school has remained with him.

http://www.amazon.com/Martins-Big-Words-Martin-Luther/dp/0786807148

This story of Dr. King and his profound words will be like miracle grow to the young soul, no matter what color his skin may be.

Teachable Moment: Book Review: Martin's Big Words 


http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/03/book-review-martins-big-words.html 


There are excellent resources to inform students about Dr. Martin Luther, King. 

March on Washington: Throngs mark 'I Have a Dream' anniversary



 http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/24/us/march-on-washington/?hpt=hp_inthenews



March on Washington's 50th anniversary commemoration draws tens of thousands



 http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57599979/march-on-washingtons-50th-anniversary-commemoration-draws-tens-of-thousands/



 And some posters and quotes.





 





Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.





 The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.





 I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.







The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.





Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.





 We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.    







 Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.





He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.





I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.





 Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' 





 I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.




MLK aged seven. Do you have one in your first grade? Maybe your eighth grade class, or your American History class?

Thursday, January 9, 2025

MLK Quotes: #1-22

 

MLK Quotes: #1 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quotes-1.html 

MLK Quotes: #2 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quote-2.html 

MLK Quotes: #3 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quotes-3.html 

MLK Quotes: #4 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quotes-4.html 

 MLK Quotes: #5

 http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quotes-5.html

MLK Quotes: # 10




MLK Quote: #13

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2014/01/mlk-quote-13.html 

MLK Quotes: #22