The Crossing Guard Chronicles: These Kids Are Sharp…

“Good morning…know what day it is?”

Now, this was not a trick question. Rather, it was a ‘PSA”, Public Service Announcement, for the kids I cross as a school crossing guard. I thought that I was just reminding them of the date.

“Yes, it’s Pi Day!”

“Pie Day? No, it’s March 14th!”

“That’s right, ‘Pi Day’, 3.14…..”

They had me. They were teaching me, turning the tables from our usual morning exercise. And, it was fun, lots of laughs.

These kids are sharp!

The mathematical ‘Pi’, of course, is the ‘ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter’. No, I didn’t know that. At one time, maybe, but years ago. One of the kids, a high school student, told me. I had more questions, but we were across and my ‘source’ was heading for her building, probably to a quantum physics class.

These kids are sharp!

Nearly every morning, for fun and mental stimulation, I’ll throw out a fact, a riddle, a question, word of the day, and the young people receive it well. My reward is their feedback. And they’re not shy about offering it, participating in the ‘give & take’.

Since it was Michelangelo’s birthday last week, it seemed appropriate to remind them about the artist and one of his claims to fame, the ceiling painting of the Sistine Chapel.

I was quickly informed that he painted it at the behest, maybe order, of Pope Julius II and it took several years to complete. Should I have known that? A student did. (As a sculptor, painting was not his forte, but we can agree the ceiling is a remarkable piece of art).

It is not unusual for these young students to amaze me with their knowledge, level of instruction, and ambitions. They want to be engineers, physicists, sports marketers, mechanics And they’re a happy group of young folks, as well, with keen senses of humor, especially the older ones who are tuned in to subtleties.

I hope these kids are learning something from me. My challenges are often turned into a learning lesson for me. It makes a school crossing job a pleasure.

As for ‘Pi Day’, one student wore a shirt with the message, ‘Come to The Math Side, We Have Pi’.

These kids are sharp!

‘Pie Face’ Game

Steve (March 2019)

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srbottch

Retired in 2013 after 5 years as an elementary school teacher and 40 years as a sales representative to begin anew as a school crossing guard. SMy essays/stories are a way to communicate through the telling of personal experiences. One reader said about my blog stories, "...these are like a cold sip during a marathon run, simple, real life events". Another offered about my blog, “it brings some sense of normalcy not easily found in the modern world.”

37 thoughts on “The Crossing Guard Chronicles: These Kids Are Sharp…”

  2. This was great Steve, I’m sure your good influence extends farther than you know. And keeping them safe from idiot drivers is much to your credit too. Jim Murdock

    Grandpa/Dad/Jim

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    1. Thank you, Robbie. You hit the nail on the head, it is fun. The kids are truly wonderful and they make it fun because they communicate well. They’re at the age, especially the high schoolers, 14-18 yrs, who pick up subtleties and respond well to my talking. Now, if I can keep avoiding the cars, then I’ll have it made…😂

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  10. Learn something new everyday is good for us older folks as well as the kids. Pi day has been around for a bit. Restaurants want to get you in the door so some offer free pie with your meal that day. My daughter and I had ours in a local chain restaurant. I’ve seen those t-shirts. So much fun. Even for someone very bad at math.

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    1. Jennie, thank you for all the support/encouragement that you give me and other bloggers, as we continue learning from each other. Greatly appreciated. My ‘classroom’ is getting a fresh ‘look’ this morning (yes, another brief snow squall). Maybe we’ll talk about the weather … 🤓

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      2. We talked Hawaii. It’s the 60th anniversary of statehood today. I was in 7th gr. Never been there. But English explorer, Cpt James Cook was and he was killed by the natives as he was wading in the surf, trying to make it back to his ship (1779). Have a great day!

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