November 2023

3rd grader walking by to his bus: "Ms. Moore, if I was hollow, the wind would blow me away!" 

October 2023

I'm annoyed with myself that I haven't been writing down "Excuse me" moments for the past 12 years. And the only one I can recall from last month is:

Me: "What does an illustrator make? Words or pictures?"

Kindergartner: "Do you know the song 'Cheap Thrills' by Sia?'"

Who is Ms. Moore, and why is she excusing people?

I'm a library teacher at an exurban elementary school, serving 520 kids between kindergarten and grade 5. This is year 13 of my current career, after having spent two decades in communications-related jobs at a pharmaceutical sales training publisher, a financial services company, a private university, and then back to the financial services company so I could pay for my master's in library and information science as I went along ... and then take a $30,000 pay cut. (I have finally clawed my way back to my old salary and then some. And have excellent health insurance. Which some days is my mantra. 'I have a paycheck. And great health insurance.'")

Anyways, for years I have been saying that I should be recording some of the insane / funny / insightful things that my students say. Often preceded by "Excuse me ..." and sometimes in the middle of when I am delivering a lesson. Which shows that saying "excuse me" does not always mean that you are being polite.

We are two months into the current school year. It has been tumultuous (new building, adding 220 students from a building that closed, new library curriculum and common assessments), and I am trying to find joy where I can. Hence this blog. 

Enjoy, and feel free to add your own "Excuse me ..." moments in the comments.