School Bells – Sam and Paul evaluate the current affairs classes
It has been an especially busy year for my adopted nephew and niece, Sam and Paul. I have seen little of them at the house although I do see them in class once a week and when we eat as a family once or twice a week. I am teaching the current affairs class for both Sam’s first grade class and Paul’s eight grade class. I am constantly reminded that young people want to learn, have opinions, and want to be an active part of the family and larger community.
Today we have scheduled a baking day and, while doing that, Sam and Paul are going to let me know what they think about the respective current affairs class. As always I am eager to hear what they have to say.
I have gotten all the ingredients, the bowls for mixing and the cookie baking sheets ready. I have also made hot chocolate from scratch which is staying warm on the stove.
I look across the yard and see that they have just left their house and are on the way over.
Me: Good morning. I have missed our cookie baking time. Hopefully we can get about 12 or more dozen made today so that there are plenty for the classes when we start back up next week.
Sam: Hi Uncle Jim. Do I smell hot chocolate?
Me: You sure do. Let’s heat the cups in the microwave. I will do that while you and Paul help each other put on your aprons.
Paul: Good morning Uncle Jim. We had a really good time at grandma and grandpa’s. They were really happy to see us.
Me: How are they?
Sam: They look and act older Uncle Jim but they were really happy to see us. Grandma had been cooking for days.
Paul: Grandpa made us toys which was nice, but they are not toys we play with now.
Sam: They act as if we are still little. Do all old people think grandkids never grow up?
Me: I suppose Sam that it is especially difficult when grandparents or others do not see you very often. Do mamma and Pop Pop do better since they live close and see you regularly.
Paul: Yeah. They do, I guess. I had not thought about that.
Me: Here is your hot chocolate. Marshmallows?
Paul and Sam: Yes please!
Me: Here they are. How shall we do this? We can trade off but what job do you want me to do?
Sam: I want to measure and put stuff in the bowl.
Paul: I think I am strong enough to stir now Uncle Jim.
Me: I guess that leaves me reading the recipe. I did turn on the oven and will be in charge of taking out the hot trays of cookies. When they are cool we will package them for the freezer.
While we are mixing up the dough I am eager to hear what you both think of the class so far.
Sam: What is first Uncle Jim?
Me. Six cups of flour in the shifter.
Sam: Oops. I made mess already.
Me: That is fine. We will clean up when we are done.
Soon Sam has all the dry ingredients sifted and is ready to start on the other ingredients. We have done this a lot in the past.
Me: What do you like or not like about the class?
Paul: Well, Uncle Jim it does not seem much different than what you, my parents, Sam and I have always done. We have always talked about all kinds of things.
Sam: Yes, Uncle Jim you have always acted as if what we think is important as what you, mom and dad think. In our class I think the others were not used to that.
Paul: Yes, I agree Sam. I think the same thing is true in our class.
Sam: At first it did not seem as if families were talking a lot between classes.
Paul: I noticed the same thing in our class. I thought all families always talked about issues.
Sam: When I first told my classmates that we were only allowed an hour of television a day and did not have a television or computer in our rooms they felt sorry for me. Some of the kids are now saying that they do not have much time for television or games, but they play a lot of family games.
Me: Wow! You think that this is partly related to what we are doing in class and the homework assignment.
Paul: Maybe Uncle Jim. Seems like everyone has a lot more to say in class.
Me: Need me to take over stirring for a bit Paul?
Paul: Yes, Uncle Jim. My arm is tired.
Me: I like that we can work as a team and can trade off jobs.
Paul: I like that too Uncle Jim.
Me: Okay, let’s lightly grease the cookie sheets.
Paul: I can do that.
Sam: Can I start dropping a spoon full of cookie dough on the greased sheet Uncle Jim.
Me: That is great Sam. Do you want to do that also Paul.
Paul: I like to make little balls with this Sam.
Sam: Oh yes! That is more fun.
Me: What else do you like about the class?
Paul: I like that if someone has something else to talk about you never say no but somehow we end up on the topic most of the time. How is that Uncle Jim?
Me: I think that when I am listening I can see how different issues are connected or what I learn in one situation can be applied in another one.
Sam: I like that you never make me feel dumb Uncle Jim.
Paul: Some of the kids in my class have said the same thing Uncle Jim.
Me: Let me put these sheets in the oven. Sam please set the timer for 10 minutes. We can adjust if we need to.
Sam: Okay Uncle Jim
Paul: Maybe when we go back we could ask each family to come up with three or four topics they would like to discuss and then have the class discuss.
Me: Great idea Paul.
We take the first three trays out of the oven and then put in three more.
We go on to talk about what they liked about Christmas this year.
It is not long before we have 12 dozen cookies baked and packaged.
Me: Oh dear. I promised your folks you will be home by 3:00. I will clean up and put the cookies in the freezer. I hope we can do this or something else again before it is time to go back to school.
Sam: Will you make waffles one day Uncle Jim?
Me: I sure will Sam. Any other requests.
Paul: We could make orange juice.
Me: We sure could.
Sam: See you later.
Paul: Thanks Uncle Jim
Written December 27, 2016
It has been an especially busy year for my adopted nephew and niece, Sam and Paul. I have seen little of them at the house although I do see them in class once a week and when we eat as a family once or twice a week. I am teaching the current affairs class for both Sam’s first grade class and Paul’s eight grade class. I am constantly reminded that young people want to learn, have opinions, and want to be an active part of the family and larger community.
Today we have scheduled a baking day and, while doing that, Sam and Paul are going to let me know what they think about the respective current affairs class. As always I am eager to hear what they have to say.
I have gotten all the ingredients, the bowls for mixing and the cookie baking sheets ready. I have also made hot chocolate from scratch which is staying warm on the stove.
I look across the yard and see that they have just left their house and are on the way over.
Me: Good morning. I have missed our cookie baking time. Hopefully we can get about 12 or more dozen made today so that there are plenty for the classes when we start back up next week.
Sam: Hi Uncle Jim. Do I smell hot chocolate?
Me: You sure do. Let’s heat the cups in the microwave. I will do that while you and Paul help each other put on your aprons.
Paul: Good morning Uncle Jim. We had a really good time at grandma and grandpa’s. They were really happy to see us.
Me: How are they?
Sam: They look and act older Uncle Jim but they were really happy to see us. Grandma had been cooking for days.
Paul: Grandpa made us toys which was nice, but they are not toys we play with now.
Sam: They act as if we are still little. Do all old people think grandkids never grow up?
Me: I suppose Sam that it is especially difficult when grandparents or others do not see you very often. Do mamma and Pop Pop do better since they live close and see you regularly.
Paul: Yeah. They do, I guess. I had not thought about that.
Me: Here is your hot chocolate. Marshmallows?
Paul and Sam: Yes please!
Me: Here they are. How shall we do this? We can trade off but what job do you want me to do?
Sam: I want to measure and put stuff in the bowl.
Paul: I think I am strong enough to stir now Uncle Jim.
Me: I guess that leaves me reading the recipe. I did turn on the oven and will be in charge of taking out the hot trays of cookies. When they are cool we will package them for the freezer.
While we are mixing up the dough I am eager to hear what you both think of the class so far.
Sam: What is first Uncle Jim?
Me. Six cups of flour in the shifter.
Sam: Oops. I made mess already.
Me: That is fine. We will clean up when we are done.
Soon Sam has all the dry ingredients sifted and is ready to start on the other ingredients. We have done this a lot in the past.
Me: What do you like or not like about the class?
Paul: Well, Uncle Jim it does not seem much different than what you, my parents, Sam and I have always done. We have always talked about all kinds of things.
Sam: Yes, Uncle Jim you have always acted as if what we think is important as what you, mom and dad think. In our class I think the others were not used to that.
Paul: Yes, I agree Sam. I think the same thing is true in our class.
Sam: At first it did not seem as if families were talking a lot between classes.
Paul: I noticed the same thing in our class. I thought all families always talked about issues.
Sam: When I first told my classmates that we were only allowed an hour of television a day and did not have a television or computer in our rooms they felt sorry for me. Some of the kids are now saying that they do not have much time for television or games, but they play a lot of family games.
Me: Wow! You think that this is partly related to what we are doing in class and the homework assignment.
Paul: Maybe Uncle Jim. Seems like everyone has a lot more to say in class.
Me: Need me to take over stirring for a bit Paul?
Paul: Yes, Uncle Jim. My arm is tired.
Me: I like that we can work as a team and can trade off jobs.
Paul: I like that too Uncle Jim.
Me: Okay, let’s lightly grease the cookie sheets.
Paul: I can do that.
Sam: Can I start dropping a spoon full of cookie dough on the greased sheet Uncle Jim.
Me: That is great Sam. Do you want to do that also Paul.
Paul: I like to make little balls with this Sam.
Sam: Oh yes! That is more fun.
Me: What else do you like about the class?
Paul: I like that if someone has something else to talk about you never say no but somehow we end up on the topic most of the time. How is that Uncle Jim?
Me: I think that when I am listening I can see how different issues are connected or what I learn in one situation can be applied in another one.
Sam: I like that you never make me feel dumb Uncle Jim.
Paul: Some of the kids in my class have said the same thing Uncle Jim.
Me: Let me put these sheets in the oven. Sam please set the timer for 10 minutes. We can adjust if we need to.
Sam: Okay Uncle Jim
Paul: Maybe when we go back we could ask each family to come up with three or four topics they would like to discuss and then have the class discuss.
Me: Great idea Paul.
We take the first three trays out of the oven and then put in three more.
We go on to talk about what they liked about Christmas this year.
It is not long before we have 12 dozen cookies baked and packaged.
Me: Oh dear. I promised your folks you will be home by 3:00. I will clean up and put the cookies in the freezer. I hope we can do this or something else again before it is time to go back to school.
Sam: Will you make waffles one day Uncle Jim?
Me: I sure will Sam. Any other requests.
Paul: We could make orange juice.
Me: We sure could.
Sam: See you later.
Paul: Thanks Uncle Jim
Written December 27, 2016
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