Second grade is hard!! Or...Teachers are my heroes!

I volunteer in my friend's 2nd grade classroom on Monday mornings.  I usually help with reading and reading comprehension and sometimes simple writing exercises.  This past Monday was no different, except that it was.

My friend informs me as I get settled into the classroom yesterday.."we are going to be working on a persuasive paper today, they have their outlines finished and are ready to write".  Huh? I think my look of blank perplexity said it all.  Really??  Outlines? They write outlines in second grade?  A persuasive paper?  I don't think that I even knew what this was until I took Speech in college.  I almost didn't know what she meant until she refreshed my memory.  Now I am really nervous.  I don't know how to write a persuasive paper!

So off we went into the world of writing with 2nd graders.  What an adventure.

One little boy writes..."Dear Mrs W.  I demand that you teach more science.  Science is cool.  It is good for your brain and you get to learn about space and black holes and your body."  He goes on to say that he is her best student and deserves more science.  If I were her, I'd be doing up a science unit real soon. He really is one smart little dude.

Another little boy wants to persuade his mom to let him have a pickle before dinner because it will make him grow big and strong.  He had some very good facts to back himself up with as well.  He stated his case...pickles are vegetables and won't ruin his dinner, he loves them, and deserves them because he does his homework, cleans his room until it sparkles and because once again, he loves them.  I don't know about you but I am convinced that he deserves a pickle before dinner.  I hope his mom thinks so too.

After 2 hours of this I went home exhausted and wondered if it was too early for a glass of wine.

Hmmm....red or white