Out of Bounds
We are doing a College for Kids program this week. I have done week-long classes for these kids at least 3 times, and this has to be the last time.
I kind of hoped this week would be a good one, but that was just silly.
I came in the beginning of this week super-cranky. This is not a good way to start, and I may have been a little rough at the beginning.
The first class starts at 9:00. I came in at 8:30, and tried to shuffle some things together. Five minutes after I arrived, one of the people working for the College for Kids program knocked on my door. I frantically waved her in...
"What do you want the kids to do?" she asked me. (Remember, class starts in TWENTY FIVE MINUTES.)
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Do you just want them to wait outside the Planetarium?" she asked.
"As opposed what?" I asked, quite annoyed.
"Well, I wasn't sure what you wanted to do while they were waiting," she said. She appeared to have noticed my annoyance.
"I don't really care what they do right now, I'll worry about them in 25 minutes," I said.
"OK," and she left.
I felt kind of bad about being so cranky. I'm usually not that rude. But I am just the teacher from 9:00 to 10:30! Outside of that, I can't be responsible for those demons! I have trouble enough during the class...
I should really have some coffee before I talk to people in the morning.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Tautologically Speaking
I had a birthday party earlier this week. If you've read this blog before, you know that birthday parties are the bane of my existence.
This was a largeish group -- 25 kids, 25 adults -- for a 5 year old's birthday. They were as rowdy as usual. They had just come from having cake in the cafeteria, so the sugar rush was in full effect.
They adults wrangled the kids into the dome and seats. I turned to the mother and asked, "Is everyone in?" She told me, "Yes."
So, I started to bring the lights down, and doing my talkies when two guys came into the room. Of course, they couldn't be part of this party, since I had just confirmed that everyone was in.
So I galloped over to the door, and asked the guys what they were doing. "We're here for the show."
"This is a private party," I told them.
"I know," one of the guys said, "It's for my son."
What the hell?
I turned to the Mom, "I thought you said everyone was in?! The kid's father wasn't even in!"
"OH! When you asked me before, I thought you were just talking about the people in the room," she told me.
Blink.
Blink. Blink.
So, in case you are keeping score, she thought I was asking if the people in the room were all in the room.
The headache began right then.
I had a birthday party earlier this week. If you've read this blog before, you know that birthday parties are the bane of my existence.
This was a largeish group -- 25 kids, 25 adults -- for a 5 year old's birthday. They were as rowdy as usual. They had just come from having cake in the cafeteria, so the sugar rush was in full effect.
They adults wrangled the kids into the dome and seats. I turned to the mother and asked, "Is everyone in?" She told me, "Yes."
So, I started to bring the lights down, and doing my talkies when two guys came into the room. Of course, they couldn't be part of this party, since I had just confirmed that everyone was in.
So I galloped over to the door, and asked the guys what they were doing. "We're here for the show."
"This is a private party," I told them.
"I know," one of the guys said, "It's for my son."
What the hell?
I turned to the Mom, "I thought you said everyone was in?! The kid's father wasn't even in!"
"OH! When you asked me before, I thought you were just talking about the people in the room," she told me.
Blink.
Blink. Blink.
So, in case you are keeping score, she thought I was asking if the people in the room were all in the room.
The headache began right then.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Trumped!
I have almost always started my shows with an, "Are you guys ready?!" It seems to get them all psyched up, and also focused on the fact that we are about to begin.
Lately, after that question...
["Are you guys ready?!?!"
"YEAH!"]
... I have added this question: "Am I ready?!?!"
They usually all yell back -- "YEAH!!"
I then look at them quizzically and say, more quietly, and slightly accusingly, "How would you know that?" It sometimes makes them laugh, but always makes me laugh, which is much more important. It's like I've won some weird game of Simon Says that my opponents didn't realize they were playing.
Anyway, I just had a group of mainly 8 and 9 year olds. I started the same way:
"...you guys ready?!"
"YEAH!!"
"Am I ready?!?"
"YEAH!!!!"
Quizzically, I said: "How would you know that?!?"
I was ready to start laughing inside when one kid replied without hesitation:
"Cuz you're wearing a tie!!"
Touché.
8 year old: 1.
Astronomer: zero.
I have almost always started my shows with an, "Are you guys ready?!" It seems to get them all psyched up, and also focused on the fact that we are about to begin.
Lately, after that question...
["Are you guys ready?!?!"
"YEAH!"]
... I have added this question: "Am I ready?!?!"
They usually all yell back -- "YEAH!!"
I then look at them quizzically and say, more quietly, and slightly accusingly, "How would you know that?" It sometimes makes them laugh, but always makes me laugh, which is much more important. It's like I've won some weird game of Simon Says that my opponents didn't realize they were playing.
Anyway, I just had a group of mainly 8 and 9 year olds. I started the same way:
"...you guys ready?!"
"YEAH!!"
"Am I ready?!?"
"YEAH!!!!"
Quizzically, I said: "How would you know that?!?"
I was ready to start laughing inside when one kid replied without hesitation:
"Cuz you're wearing a tie!!"
Touché.
8 year old: 1.
Astronomer: zero.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
The Literal Group
Well, it's been four months since I've posted anything. (I am slapping my own knuckles with a ruler.) Sorry.
Today I had a group from a camp. They are always QUITE rowdy, and this group was no exception. They did have a sort of sarcastic savvy that made me laugh a few times.
The show ended with a perfect example of their style -- At the end of most shows, a teacher or responsible adult will question/command the crowd: "What do you say to the nice astronomer?" And they all, of course, respond with a resounding "Thank you!"
For this group, one of the counselors yelled to them: "Say 'Thank you!', please."
Sixty-some-odd campers ALL said, in unison, "Thank you, please!"
It's going to be a long summer.
Well, it's been four months since I've posted anything. (I am slapping my own knuckles with a ruler.) Sorry.
Today I had a group from a camp. They are always QUITE rowdy, and this group was no exception. They did have a sort of sarcastic savvy that made me laugh a few times.
The show ended with a perfect example of their style -- At the end of most shows, a teacher or responsible adult will question/command the crowd: "What do you say to the nice astronomer?" And they all, of course, respond with a resounding "Thank you!"
For this group, one of the counselors yelled to them: "Say 'Thank you!', please."
Sixty-some-odd campers ALL said, in unison, "Thank you, please!"
It's going to be a long summer.