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If you have ever worked in a classroom or office that has has a phone extension matching the local area code--you know what I'm talking about. Last week was particularly bad for the 202/202 confusion, but in general it goes like this: The phone rings, I sprint across the room for the third time in ten minutes, a child either asks for her mother or just breathes into the phone, and I silently curse my classroom and its location between rooms 201 and 203. With after school tutoring canceled due to testing last week, several kids were not picked up after school and got on the phone to call home. Or, well, to call room 202. I gave many many tutorials last week on the dialing of 9 first.

I'm not the only one teaching kids about correct phone usage. One Saturday I received this 3-part parent-child phone tutorial led by Ka’Von’s mom on my home phone.

2:12 pm

Ka’Von: Mommy—how do I call?
Ka’Von’s Mom: Stop—wait a minute.
Ka’Von: What’s the button?
Ka’Von’s Mom: I said wait a minute.
Ka’Von: Yeah, but what’s the button?
Ka’Von’s Mom: Wait.
Ka’Von: No, but it’s—
Ka’Von’s Mom: Ok, wait a minute.


2:15 pm

Ka’Von: Huh?



2:18 pm

Ka’Von’s Mom: Leave a message. Leave your message—‘This is Ka’Von…’
Ka’Von: This is Ka’Von.
Ka’Von’s Mom: Please call me at 202
Ka’Von: Please call me at 202
Ka’Von’s Mom: 555-3297
Ka’Von: 555-3297 and again it’s 202 555-3297 and my mom’s number is 202 555-2035.
Ka’Von’s Mom: And the time is two eighteen.
Ka’Von: And the time is two
Ka’Von’s Mom: Two eighteen.
Ka’Von: Two eighteen pm. Thank you very much. I don’t know what to do now!