Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits

Teaching with Heart and Creativity

Shhhh Don’t Tell My Diet.

I lacked a tad of motivation this Monday morning, so here’s how I started my day…

When I got to school for my Monday morning 7am duty I was greeted with a sweet student and a dangling tooth where the little root or nerve thingy is visible. 

Let’s call him Dangle.

Dangle and I  had to wait through breakfast, past morning announcements and into morning meeting to go to the nurse because she has other duties and isn’t in her office until then.

 It was rough. 

Every breath he took.  Every sip of milk, every letter he wrote….all somehow related to that dangling tooth.

An epidemic broke out.  We had loose tooth fever.  Ya’ll know it is REAL!

 Everyone starts wiggling and showing each other their teeth. 

It was a regular tissue twisting frenzy. 

When it was time for Dangle to go to the nurse, my note to the nurse just said in all caps…RIP IT OUT!!!!

He returned with a note that said.  HE WONT LET ME!!!

The next three hours were all on tooth time.  Pretty soon we had bloody tissues on everyone’s tables.

 Another boy actually ripped his tooth out and came back with the little coveted treasure chest before dangle had a chance to.  I felt like tripping and landing on Dangle’s tooth just to end the madness.

Finally on the way to recess it fell out in his hand.  Right by the nurse’s office.

I thought my tooth troubles were over. 

Thought WRONG.

Insert dark chocolate from teacher neighbor’s chocolate stash.
Shhhhh…please don’t tell my diet.  He’s really strict.

After lunch a new epidemic broke out.

stand up and blow your nose so loud the teacher can’t be heard fever started.  Right when I would pause to let the blowing cease and then start talking again the blowing would start up again.

  It was absolutely deafening. And a tad passive aggressive if you ask me.  I really didn’t think my firsties were to that level.  I still don’t know if they are.  I gave them the benefit of the doubt at first.

Because of  all the tooth twisting in the morning, the tissue box emptied soon after the nose blowing began.

Smarty pants Mrs. Tunstall said…oh well we’ve used today’s allotment.  I guess we’ll wait for tomorrow.

It was the end of the day by then and I had to do it.  I reached for my last resort.

 Cranium HULLABALOO

They are learning shapes, colors, and classifying!

 (ok so I bought it for my own kids before preschool and they were able to play it….but it is WAY more fun to play with your classmates and they got excited about shapes when they heard it!)

If you haven’t picked this up…it is So fun to play at the very end of your day! 

I am trying not to hold a grudge against my purple teaching partner pictured above. 

That little circle speaker did not endure tooth trouble or blowing noses and it commanded attention with just a fun one step direction. 

I just sat on the sidelines of their game and pondered my teaching credentials while this little speaker taught my class and engaged them for the last 10 minutes.

Oh and the winner of the game gets to do a funky dance…so that can definitely put you in a much better mood to see your little toothless students shaking their wiggles with a giant  hole filled smile plastered on their faces. 

 I am off to put on PJ’s,  read Catching Fire,  and NOT eat the rest of my chocolate stash.  You heard me!

NOT eat it. 

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Please don’t tell!

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    2. You are killing me!!!! Soooooo funny!!!! I hope tomorrow there aren't any new "outbreaks"……could be bad…really bad….

      I just started Catching Fire too! Loved the first book…but when I get into a book I am not very popular at my house….because I get sooooo engrossed in the book I don't clean, cook, communicate,…..the house gets upside down and my to do list grows……and it kinda stays like that until I finish the book. Tho Thad!!! But true!!

      4th Grade Frolics

      Reply

    5. You are such a great storyteller and had me smiling the entire time. I have had the tooth epidemic as well. 2 weeks ago a little boy lost 2 of his teeth within an hour! Pandemonium ensued. I took a long nap that afternoon. Love the Cranium idea! Ahhhhhhh I needed this post and a good laugh thanks!

      Reply

    7. Bahahahahaha! I have experienced the tooth twisting madness… you poor thing! I am so glad you survived your rough day with Dangle. I think you deserve another chocolate. I won't tell your diet if you won't tell. 🙂

      Reply

    10. I am the Booger…I mean Kleenex Po Po. When the box is finished, it is the rough brown paper towel time….that seems to have helped the nose honking this year. Last year was The Year of Projectile Snot…and that is an entirely different story! =)

      Thank you for the laugh.

      In the package we got from The Easter Bunny today, we had some of those "magic bunny pills"(Candbury Eggs)! =)

      Heather
      Heather's Heart

      Reply

    11. My day started much the same. Sadly(luckily) I received a call from my daughters daycare, saying possible pink eye. Granted not happy my little one was sick, but thankful to leave my wild kiddos for the day. The tattleling and laziness already had me overboard. Granted no snow days, unusually hot temps, and spring Break isn't till next week. We are tires of each other. Hope your week gets better!

      Mrs. Shelton's Kindergarten

      Reply

    15. Your post is so funny. You have me rolling and laughing out loud with tears rolling down my cheeks. I needed a good laugh today. I can relate to your post about the loose teeth and over use of tissue in my classroom, too!! I thought those things just happened to me, but I'm glad to hear they happen everywhere.

      Lynn

      Reply

    16. Awww, your stories make my day! Hullabaloo is still a family favorite and the boys won't let me take it to school yet. Seriously, my fourth grade blames it on my first grader…saying "Brandon likes it you can't take it yet"…shaaaaa….

      Are those eggs not the best? I bought some for my boys egg hunt and broke into them last night. Will have to buy more now.

      Holly
      Crisscross Applesauce in First Grade

      Reply

    17. Teeth stories = gross! I can do bloody noses, but no teeth!! Yuck! On the first day of school, one of my kiddos pulled out his tooth and shouted out while holding up his tooth for all to see, "MY TOOTH! MY TOOTH! I PULLED OUT MY TOOTH!" I should have realized it was a sign, or a warning, or a foreshadowing, or something. It was definitely a something! Haha!

      Anyways….ending the day with chocolate and Catching Fire? Sounds fantastic to me!!! Please post your thoughts one the book! I love hearing what people think about the Hunger Games series, because I am in love! 😀

      ~Heidi V.

      Reply

    19. Very cute! (well, the loose tooth wasn't cute I'm sure, but a cute story nonetheless). We've been doing a fundraiser to sell plastic eggs with candy inside-they haven't been selling and I'm not even a chocolate person, however…some pieces of candy may be missing. 🙂 One of my kids said today "you know candy's not good for you". And I said, that's true, but a little bit is ok once in awhile. "You ate some already this morning!" Gotta love 'em! Thanks for sharing your stories-glad I found your blog!

      NotJustChild'sPlay

      Reply

    20. Oh, the tales of an elementary classroom. I have to admit, I am not a fan of loose teeth. I won't even pull out my OWN children's teeth! The weird thing is, I can handle the other gross stuff, which Is not necessary to discuss, which I am sure you know what I mean. LOL

      Reagan- thanks for sharing. This was a great way to end my evening. :o)

      Reply

    24. oh I am SO far behind in reading blogs this week and had to come right over here to see what was going on. Now I can't stop laughing!!!! We don't have the same tooth issues in 4th and 5th, but the tissues sure do fly during the day.

      Your breakfast looks delightful. I will never tell, because I would do the same!! 🙂

      Reply

    25. Hi Reagan. Thank you for the laughs. I am a fellow first grade teacher and I am so relieved to hear that this happens everywhere! I have so been there. Your blog cracks me up and brings light to classroom happenings that seriously make you want to pull your hair out sometimes. Thanks for the Cranium Hullabaloo tip.

      Reply

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