All About (Alex's) Verbs

Alex's class is learning about parts of speech this year. I don't remember being that detailed in second grade but I can't swear that I remember much about second grade. I know what school I was at, and that Mrs. Letlow was my teacher. That's about it. Hmm, maybe we were learning about past, present and future tense.

Last night's homework was a booklet called "All About Nouns." Alex had to identify nouns, whether they were common or proper, how to make them plural, and so on. Tonight he brought home "All About Verbs," but announced that he had it finished so we didn't need to go over it. I should have known this was a red flag. I decided to check his work, you know, just in case. (And in the case of Alex, "just in case" can encompass many things.)

I'll give the kid this: he did have most of his work done. My first inkling of a correction that needed to be made was on a page of conjugations. They had a three column table in which they had to name a verb and give its past, present and future tense. No big deal, right? Except they let 8-year-old boys think of their own verbs. Alex didn't understand why I wouldn't allow him to turn in a paper with "fart," "farted" and "will fart" on it. (You have no idea how much it annoys me to type that last sentence.) I asked him if he really thought that was acceptable. His answer? "I guess I shouldn't have asked for suggestions from the table." I guess not. I didn't ask but I'm assuming no little girls suggested that word.

The other page of his homework that raised a flag, I decided to let stand. We've passed the midpoint of the year so I think his teachers know what they are dealing with now. Alex's sentence to illustrate the future tense was: "I will kidnap Opra and take over her show." I made him capitalize Opra but decided to let the rest of it go, along with his misspelling. You have to pick your battles.

We also started the week with the third 3-ring binder of the year. The first two didn't make it through. I spent a crazy amount of money on one that has a school-year guarantee. We'll see. If it doesn't make it, I'm going to try to hire Alex out for product testing at office supply companies.

I hope you all were, are and will be doing well. Good night from the madhouse.