If you've read my profile, you know I've been a teacher for forty-plus years, all at the elementary level. I've had the joy of spending my adult life doing something I love and it's kept me young in heart, if not in body (I never used to be able to hear my knees). Here are a few things I've collected over the decades (more to come in later posts - after all, I've got three scrapbooks full of cards, photos, drawings, notes and other school memorabilia!) And, speaking of notes, here are a few I either intercepted or found on the floor. I've transcribed them just as they were written:

From a 5th grade boy:

Dear Michelle –

You know I have a crush on you and if you were my girlfriend I would give you everything I got. I would like to date you. I am smart but in school I’m OK. If you agree to be my girlfriend I will give you all the money I got.

            From your boyfriend

                        Jason

Hey! Be careful what you promise!

I've no idea what this is about; sounds like something from the Seattle Weekly:

Dear Killer –

Can’t we talk about it over smoaking

            Love,

            Sad Girl

Here's another from a 5th grade girl: 

Dear Aaron –

I am sick and tired of you not treating me with respcet. If you loved me so much than you would spen more time with me. But you don’t so I don’t care. Do you want me to DUMP you?

            Yes____        No____      

             

                      Act Rite

Be careful what you wish for . . .

My favorite, an exchange between two third grade girls: 

Dear Katherine –

You hate me and I know that and you hate me sow I hate you. You like Martha more thane me. I do not wont to hate you but you hate me.

            From Wendy

PS: Write back

Dear Wendy –

I’m glad that you don’t like me any more stouped. Because Christine was write about you. You have me traped in my minde and if you don’t know what that means, it meins that you are tring to make me your only friend. So why don’t you shut up Wendy. Ha ha ha! Your stouped your stouped and you better not tell.

I loved teaching creative writing. Here are some examples of student (from 2nd-5th) exaggerations:

A hole so deep you could stop and eat with the devil.

   Popcorn so salty no slugs were seen for miles.   

      Fog so thick God couldn't see.

         His clothes were so ugly his shoes ran in fright

            A day so long I went to bed on my own.

               The night was so low you could touch the sky.

                  A knife so sharp and a butcher so dead.

                     He was so shy his family couldn't find him.

                        It was a day so wonderful the birds sang opera.

                           He was such a good mechanic, his tools worshipped him.

                              His garden was so beautiful the weeds died on their own.

                                 She had so many enemies even the devil wanter her in heaven.

I've collected a lot of student art over the years. Here are some examples:

I photocopied a large paper clip and asked the kids
to create something. These are some of what they came up with.

Actually, it was only late Friday
afternoon that I was like this.

No comment needed.