I have to add a cute story, too. I've been teaching for a long time--everything from pre-school to high school, but I think first grade might be my favorite, even though they are probably the most challenging. I am constantly amazed by their ability to seamlessly integrate fantasy with reality. I have a couple of puppets that I use for phonemic awareness instruction, and my kids' ability to suspend disbelief, while still having a firm grasp on reality just kills me. The first day I brought out Leo the Lion, they loved him so much that one of the boys asked if Leo could come out to recess to play with them. I told him no, because if Leo got dirty, he couldn't just take a tubby like they could. The boy said, "But maybe you could just put him in the washing machine?" A couple of days later, when I introduced Steve the Monster, I had to explain that Steve couldn't wave to them like Leo could because he didn't have holes in his arms for me to put my fingers in, and they were totally fine with that. Not five minutes later, one of the kids said, "I think I like Steve even better than Leo." And another student whispered, "Shhh! You don't want to hurt Leo's feelings!" Oh, I just love little kids (even when they make my hair turn grey)!
LOL Kids are truly amazing. Great story