Pencils

This morning was a bit unusual. Wednesdays during covid are a bit unusual to begin with since we don't have chapel right away. I have a student who comes at 9:05 because she does violin lessons before school, so I don't want to do anything too important and have her miss. Lately, we've just been having extra read-to-self time, or do a round or two of Daily 5. Today, all the 6th graders and the remaining 5th grader were stuck on math. 

They wanted help from Mr. E before school, and word on the street was he'd help them in the office, so I sent them down there to wait. That left an empty, peaceful classroom. I got a bunch of correcting done! They ended up coming back at 8:45, which I was fine with since they were just going to be reading anyway. 

Later they told me one of the 7th graders had come into the office and froze at the sight of all of my students sitting around the table. 

"What are you doing?" 

I think they told her they were waiting for Mr. E. 

She replied, "Are you in trouble? What'd you guys do?"

One of the 6th grade boys said, "We were throwing pencils at Miss H."

"Well, that was stupid." She bought it, hook, line, and sinker. But not for long. The 5th grader broke first and then she knew they were joking.