Why do you want to learn?

"To go to jail" - a response I got from one of my rising first graders. The fact that this is a funny prospect is incredibly frightening and took me completely off guard. In preparation for summer school to start, I continuously asked myself how it was possible that the achievement gap existed at such a young age. Today, receiving this response, I now see that while the children from my home think it is normal to go to college and become a professional, my children here view jail as not so farfetched.

On a happier note, kids say the darndest things. Some snippets from today (:

Scenario 1

Little K: Ms. Pollock, are those two teachers sisters?

Ms. P: No they aren’t but they’re both Asian

Little K: HUH?!

Ms. P: You know, they’re from the continent Asia. You’re black, I’m white and they’re Asian

Little K: You white?!

Scenario 2

My name is _____

I’m here to learn

I like mac n’ cheese

And we’ll have fun

N: helllllzzzz yea