How Tall Are You?

During a math lesson at the beginning of the year, I introduce a measuring tape and I measure the kids' heights. We do this three times a year. Once at the beginning of the year, once in January, and once in June.

The kids totally look forward to this lesson. They desperately want to grow and see the change in their height. I feel so bad when they don't grow. Their little disappointed faces just break my heart.

So ... in order to avoid this, I may stretch the truth. Just a little.

For example, if I know a particular student was 50 inches in January, I might say they're 50-1/2 inches now. Not a terrible lie. But also not the truth. Whatever. I'm trying to avoid tears here.

So today, when my shortest student came up to me, I just knew a lie was coming. In January, he was 47 inches tall. Today, he is also 47 inches tall. But I didn't have the heart to tell him.

So I lied.

I feel so bad when I lie that it usually comes out really uncomfortable and totally unnatural sounding. Like it did today.

Here's what I said, "Um ... (thinking of what to say) wow (not really wow cuz you're still the same height) ... it looks like you're actually 47ish inches."

What? Who says that? Who says "47ish inches?"

Me when I lie. That's who.

Here's the best part though. Later, when I was looking at their math journals, he actually wrote:

Height: about 47ish inches.

AWESOME!