Slice of Life Day 28: Buzz Lightyear and Orca Whales

When I taught first grade, one of my biggest challenges and greatest rewards was an adorable, incredibly smart boy. You see, he had a submarine and a rocket ship on the playground and also was Buzz Lightyear or a bee, depending on the day.  Buzz Lightyear shot me and other students with his arm laser throughout the day, while the bee constantly  buzzed.

One day, he sat next to me quietly during our community circle.  As we went around the circle each sharing what we had done over the weekend, I patted him on the back and quietly said, “Good job sitting quietly and listening to your friends!”  Halfway around the circle he moved onto his knees.  I was momentarily nervous to see what he might do next, but I relaxed as he continued to sit quietly.  Two-thirds of the way around the circle and out of no where he launches himself into the middle of the community circle, bellyflop style and begins to flop around on the ground yelling, “I’m an orca whale!”  The other 27 first graders and I sat on the ring of his “ocean” for a minute in disbelief.  Now it is pretty funny to retell, but in the moment everyone was too shocked to laugh or even move.  Luckily we were able to catch the orca, get him to sit down again, and continue with our community circle.

While he challenged me and the things I thought I knew about connecting with students and behaviors, he was also one of my greatest rewards because I learned so much each day, from him and with him.