some lights seem eternal
in this springtime of hope

elephants are bigger in person

February 15, 2004
This week in math we�ve been studying measurement in Fourth and Fifth Grade Math, Third Grade Math has just figured out after me telling them every day that division is indeed multiplication backwards but it did take them weeks to figure out that multiplication was adding on a large scale.

So, we�re doing measurement and one of the things the kids have to do in both upper math groups is to draw and label a ruler so they can learn the parts of the ruler.

One of the fifth grade boys asked, �Why do we have to learn about rounding measurements?� I said, �that will become important later and when you�re older in real-life applications.� One of the fourth graders said, �why do we have to learn the parts of the ruler down to 1/16th of an inch?� I said, �Again, all of this will become more important later and in real life applications.�

It didn�t become tawdry or funny until Friday night when Paula and I were discussing different issues about life and differences between genders. During this conversation I got an e-mail informing me that there were no sexual uses for Viagra. I didn�t read it, just perused the subject line and reported it to SPAM.

I don�t want to know what you�re doing with your erect penis no matter if it is sexual or not. In fact, I don�t care what state your penis is: keep it away from me.

Paula and I then discussed the importance of penis size to men and how it is different than breast size. Basically it�s a primal dominance thing for a lot of guys that goes back to our basic animal instincts, according to some psychologists. Paula didn�t get it but it brought back to my mind that I had told my classroom of boys to be mindful of even a 16th of an inch and to round carefully and when appropriate.

There between nine and eleven years in age, hopefully by the time this gets into their heads they'll have forgotten this lesson. I feel dirty.

12:12 PM :: 3 comments so far ::
prev :: next