A Super Hero Is Born

Writing class: today's topic: Create Your Own Super Hero. The kids were brainstorming. One young lady says, "But where did you get your magic powers, George?" She, apparently took seriously my suggestion that the magic be explained. "You can't just suddenly have a magic power from nowhere." "Sure I can, Jasmine," George answers. "Like Mask, I'll just find something that makes me special." "Like what?" Jasmine demands. George jumps out of his seat and yells, "My pencil!" He waves his green mechanical pencil at the brand new bulletin board I had just finished. It fell from the wall. My students fell from their chairs laughing. George yelled, "I am magic!" I picked up my scissors and opened and closed them slowly. "George," I spoke very softly. "Bring your fingers here." George sat on his hands. I stared at him. He reached out, grabbed his pencil and offered it to me. "It was the pencil!" He said, "Take it!" Then he tossed it at my feet and tucked his hand away. "Tell you what:" I say, then place the pencil on George's desk. "You put that bulletin board back up on the wall and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened." George, still sitting on his hands stares at his pencil. Finally, slowly, he answers, "Ooookay, .... but I think I'm gonna need a lot of tape." ________ I absolutely love teaching 5th grade. And I love it that the kids are old enough to know when to take me seriously and when to play. I knew that bulletin board needed hot glue. I should have done it right the first time.