Sincerely

I've certainly gotten my share of notes from students over the years, but yesterday was a first.

Emoticons.

Tyler has recently been learning how to email, and wrote to me last night to ask about a tough homework problem after first inserting a lengthy string of tiny little pictures.  This is roughly what I took his email to mean:

office.microsoft.com

Yes, whenever technology is involved in the asking of homework questions, things get a little wacky.  Children don't exactly know what to make of voicemail, and treat it as some sort of hybrid between a spoken conversation and writing a letter.

A few weeks ago I got a phone message from Asher who had forgotten to bring home his spelling words.  He explained the situation on my voicemail, made his request, and closed with the level of formality he clearly felt was appropriate to the medium.

"So could you print off my spelling words and send them to my house?  Sincerely, Asher."

Yes, he spoke the word, "Sincerely."  It was terrific.

Something about speaking on the telephone caused Kamari to invent his own rules as well.  Namely this: When reading aloud a homework problem over the phone, one must read very carefully and must verbalize the commas and periods.

"Number four says, 'Write how many tenths are shown COMMA then put the decimals in order from least to greatest.' "

I felt quite sure that he was reading the problem aloud exactly as it was written.
(And by that I mean, "Little pictures that look like cake are fun.")