July or October

I was talking to Patience and her family on the phone the other night, and this story was told. In her comments on the last teaching experience she says that I should let you all in on this fun way to start a school year. So here it is.

In one of my classes on the first day of school, the students took a "teacher test." This is really a use-up-class-time type activity, but it can be fun too. What they students do is to take a test about their teacher to see what they do or do not know. Since I was a new teacher in the school, the students did not know anything about me. I was sure the responses to this test would be worth the time they would waste, so I went ahead with the questioning.

One of the questions on the test was "How old am I?"

The students tried to get me to tell them, but I wouldn't. Finally one of them asked me what month I was born in. Since this was not something ath would give anything away I freely told them.

At this point one of the students stopped and said, "wait, I thought you were from Alaska."

I responded that I was, and then he said, "Yeah, but I just didn't know that there was July in Alaska."

I couldn't help but let him in on the secret that the month of July is world wide, and that it doesn't really matter where you are from. He was stunned, but willing to laugh with the rest of us.

The best part of this story is the conversation I had with patience. I say this because I got to talk to all of her children. I happened to ask Chole what she wanted for her birthday. Patience told me later that Chole asked what month it was where I was at. She seemed a little stunned that it was September like in Alaska. Patience told me she had to explain the world wide concept to her as well.

So if this is news to you, let me be the first to tell you that no matter where you are, and where I am, the month is probably the same.