Names have been changed to protect the innocent

Here's a gem of an illicit epistle that I rescued from the ruthless sweep of the janitor's broom today:

Did you know that at the rug j--- saw me talking to a--- and then she tells me to be quiet and do my work. if she likes him maybe then I think she is jealous with her man. Agree

yes no

But write what you think

and then, the illuminating response:

Maybe the teacher was looking at you two



Yes, no doubt the teacher was looking at them two - glaring, more like - probably staring daggers in a futile attempt to get them to pay more attention to whatever vitally important reading strategy she was trying to convey than they do to each other. Likely to no avail.

It's amusing, almost, to know that as I'm doing backflips and cartwheels and Elvis impersonations up there, as I'm scaffolding and differentiating and active-engaging away in desperate attempts to get my students to somehow understand fractions or figurative language or non-fiction features, that this is probably a more representative picture of the edifying avenues of thought down which my students are travelling... gives you some perspective, at least.

But more to the point, my dear K---, whose handwriting and subject matter are unmistakable, I'm sorry to tell you that it only gets worse from here... Compound and multiply your 10-year old angst and jealousy and exhaustive yet fruitless analysis of the inscrutable behaviors of the opposite sex, and there you have the next 10 to 15 years of your life, I'm afraid... already laid out for you within the confines of a little yellow post-it. Welcome to the wide, wonderful world of womanhood, my friend. Take a number and have a seat.