children

Yesterday in my little kids class, one of the children discovered a binder that did not belong to any of the children present. Not only was it black instead of white, but it did not have any colored drawings inside, nor any alphabet practice worksheets, but rather long reading assignments and paragraphs of notes. Wide eyed, they asked me, "what is this, teacher??"

After exhausting my english trying to explain the situation, finally in spanish i told them that there were now adult classes in the same classroom later in the night, and it was no longer a room only for kids.

Jose Pablo, the sassiest of them, made an expression to let me know that what I had just revealed was totally rediculous and unable to be believed.

"Adults??????!!!!" He exclaimed. "But adults already KNOW english!!"

Oh, children.

I am constantly surprised as to the things children know and don't know, and a lot of my lesson plans are total garbage when I realize they have no idea what I am talking about.

After teaching them the basic times (one o'clock, two o'clock, etc...) and the days of the week (Monday, tuesday...etc) I asked them some questions, which, for me were very basic, and here were the answers:

What time do you wake up?
20.
20?
yes, teacher.

What time do you eat lunch?
8 o clock.
You eat lunch at 8 o'clock?
I don't know, teacher, I don't remember.

Do you go to school on Saturday?
Yes!
No!!!!!

Which day do you go to church?
Blank stare.

Which day do you go to school?
Blank stare. Monday???

These children are wandering around in a happy existence with little to do with time, days, months, or stress. They think little more than in the moment.

There are other strange things that just make me think they have no concept of time or what they have done during the day at all.

Did you eat today?
Yes, teacher.
What did you eat?
Chicken. Candy.
That's all? Anything else?
No, teacher.
You only ate chicken and candy today?
Yes.

Alright.