Get Alright Soon

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What's the quickest way to get seven best friends?  Be out sick from school for a few days!

Today for morning work I asked the Turtles to make some cards for a classmate who's been out sick and who will be out for a few more days still.  The assortment of cards featured lots of "Get well soon," and "Hope you're feeling better" messages which I know will cheer Alexis up.

There were also multiple pronouncements of best friend-ship, from, "You're my best friend" to a list of "things I like about you" that included, "kind soul, best friend ever, generous."

Step 1: Get sick.  Step 2: Wait for your absence to make hearts grow fonder.  Step 3: Allow time for the teacher to turn the class into a Factory of Appreciation.  Step 4: Let the best friend designations roll in.

There were a few cards with messages other than the standard.  Kennedy's card declared, "Get well Alexis."  That's pretty much the extent of the text in a 'Get well soon' card, right?  You wish that the person gets well.  And soon.  And throw in a few hearts or stars.  But no--Kennedy continued on.  "I hope you enjoy the rest of my card."  Wait-there's more to it than that?  What is "the rest" of this card?  Hasn't the main action happened already?  Ah, yes.  There it is--text-speak and all.  "Get well!  We miss u! Get well!  We miss u!  Get well!"

Gavin's card upped the ante on the usual note.  "I hope you get well soon.  I mean now."  If she knows what's good for her, Alexis really needs to speed this thing up!

Dominic's message also bucked tradition by, well, lowering the ante.  "Hope you get alright."  Not that well, just alright.

Jade hoped that Alexis was feeling better "because you're a part of the team."

We bundled the cards up and sent them home to Alexis along with some homework (nothing says recuperation like multiplication practice!).  Hopefully she's back to 'alright' (or 'better' or even 'well') soon!

Hyperbolize Much?

I will admit, "Special Snack" is pretty cool.  This weekly incentive for one of my students, Kelvin, involves getting to pick one friend to join him for snack down the hall from our classroom.  We chat (mostly about Pokemon phrases I don't even understand).  We eat snack.  It's special.  3 times out of 4, the lucky friend Kelvin picks to join him is David. 


However....


Last week I found Kelvin by the cubbies, writing this note to David.  Not his usual energetic self, Kelvin was almost near tears.

Sad.  I mean--never?  Never again?  Why the harsh treatment? (And another question I have--why close such a note with, "Your Friend?") (And yes, I did copy and paste the note so that the names are changed).

When I saw his note, I asked Kelvin if he was mad at David for some reason.  Indeed, he was.  I don't even remember what the reason was, but we solved it in about two minutes by talking to David.  Done and done, and you'll be happy to know that they're back on speaking and Pokemon-ing terms in time for this week's special snack.  We'll see what happens with it comes time to choose this week!

Best Friend Telepathy

Summer is well underway--no school, no homework, lots of time to play with your friends. One thing about friendships I noticed this past year was how important it is to call on your friends during a share.

In our classroom, two kids sign up each day to share during morning meeting. Topics this year ranged from a trip to Baltimore to watch football and eat nachos to a little league trophy to the possibility of maybe hopefully going on a cruise. The actual share itself is only half the fun, though. The other is the ultimate power that comes with being able to call on 5 of your classmates to ask questions. This decision must be made judiciously, especially when there are many more hands than remaining questions. A few times this year I witnessed an interesting phenomenon during the Q&A portion of our morning meetings-the "I am going to call on you, don't worry" look of reassurance. I watched as Malik held out his five fingers to tick down the remaining questions but didn't call on his best friend, Tyson. As Malik got down to two questions to go, he stared at Tyson across the morning meeting circle long enough and intently enough to do a little telepathic exchange. "We are best friends. I am definitely going to call on you, buddy. I will take one more question from some other non-special kid, but the last one I'm saving for you and only you."

Breanna also employed telepathic friend powers at morning meeting this year, staring across at Alexis as the number of remaining share questions dwindled. "I will take your question, friend. I will not leave you hanging" she mentally communicated to Alexis. Breanna then solemnly nodded to confirm the promise, before calling on some other non-Alexis kid.

Sure, I've done a fair bit of breaking up of favoritism during various games this year, but I did particularly appreciate how both Malik and Breanna navigated the best friend dynamic--calling on other classmates while still saving one of the coveted question spots for a very special friend.

Image: sneakerradio.com