Volunteer Wednesday

On Wednesdays I go to the local elementary school to help some lovely 4th grade boys and girls. Today we worked on choosing a writing prompt and brainstorming for ideas to include in an essay or story. The prompt choices are " my favorite place" and "to be a teacher for a day." The first topic is definitely a descriptive essay, while the second is a narrative choice.

My students either understood what they were to do or were completely "in the dark." One girl who knew what to do decided to put herself in my place as volunteer tutor. Sweet child! I even got a Christmas gift from her. Wish I had been admired like that during my 37 years of actual teaching!

On the other end of the spectrum, a young male student said that his favorite place was Sears. Not a huge mall-size Sears store, mind you, but a rural store with lots of appliances. When I asked why he chose Sears, he said his parents did not take him many places. I suggested that he might want to choose a room in his house or a place in his yard, and he looked at me as if I had suggested Venus or Mars. So Sears it is! Hope this helps his parents receive big discounts when they shop there.

Still another boy wanted to be a teacher for a day and write about teaching a university science class. He said he would take the university students to a museum and then out for ice cream. When I suggested that he liven up the story and have someone do something naughty in the museum (like knock over a display case and break something), he said the punishment would be to miss recess and be sent to the principal. I am not sure he understands what university really is, or then again maybe I have no clue what goes on at universities anymore. After all, university life for me was over 40 years ago.

I will keep you posted on the progress of our writing assignments.

No recipes today, since luckily we had leftover vegetable soup.

Now to check out new pins on Pinterest.