Before school this morning, I asked Jaret how the day would look if he were the teacher. He was full of ideas that included having handwriting. But he mentioned that if some people don't like handwriting, he wouldn't make them do it. He also said that he would let the kids do cool math games on the internet and mathletics for as long as they wanted. He then mentioned a particular student in his class and said he would probably let him do some other game because he liked it so much; already learning how to adapt learning for different learners and their interests. Teehee. This topic really got Jaret talking as he continued that there would definitely be a long, long recess and gym time because he loves gym so much. It really got him to open up.

After school today, I asked Jaret who he would like to sit next to in class if he could choose anyone in his class. He thought for a minute and said that he wouldn't change where he sat and went on to explain that they got a new seating arrangement today. He proceeded to tell me the three other boys who he was seated with in his group. Then he started laughing his "this means trouble laugh." He told me how he likes sitting by these boys and how he really likes talking with them. It gave us the opportunity to talk about a time to work and focus and a time to visit. I had him think what he would do as the teacher if he had four chatty and giggling boys sitting in a group. And he understood the point that he wants to focus when he needs to so he can continue to stay in the same spot in this new seating plan. He got the giggles over the excitement of being able to sit with these three boys. Makes my heart happy.

When asking your kids how school was, do you ever get an "It was okay" type response? I found I often got this type of response until I started probing more and asking the right questions. Not all of us have kids who are so willing to open up and share unless we as parents learn how to ask the right kind of questions. I found a blog entitled, Simple Simon and Company, that posted a list of questions to get your kids talking about school. I am sharing the questions below because I think it is helpful for all of us as parents.

25 Ways To Ask Your Kids “So how was school today?” Without Asking them “So how was school today?"

#1. What was the best thing that happened at school today? (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)
#2. Tell me something that made you laugh today.
#3. If you could choose who would you like to sit by in class? (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class? Why?)

#4. Where is the coolest place at the school?

#5. Tell me a weird word that you heard today. (Or something weird that someone said.)
#6. If I called your teacher tonight what would she tell me about you?
#7. How did you help somebody today?
#8. How did somebody help you today?
#9. Tell me one thing that you learned today.
#10. When were you the happiest today?
#11. When were you bored today?
#12. If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed up someone who would you want them to take?
#13. Who would you like to play with at recess that you’ve never played with before?
#14. Tell me something good that happened today.
#15. What word did your teacher say most today?
#16. What do you think you should do/learn more of at school?
#17. What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?
#18. Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to?
#19. Where do you play the most at recess?
#20. Who is the funniest person in your class? Why is he/she so funny?
#21. What was your favorite part of lunch?
#22. If you got to be the teacher tomorrow what would you do?
#23. Is there anyone in your class that needs a time out?
#24. If you could switch seats with anyone in the class who would you trade with? Why?
#25. Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school.

The author of the blog also came up with some questions to get your teen talking. I needed to paste this here so I can have reference for when my kiddos become teens.

25 Ways to Ask Your Teens “How Was School Today?” WITHOUT asking them “How Was School Today?”

#1. Where in the school do you hang out the most? (Like a particular hall, classroom, parking lot, etc.) Where in the school do you never hang out?
#2. What would your school be better with? What would your school be better without?
#3. If you were a teacher what class would you teach? What class would be the worst to teach? Why?
#4. What was the coolest (saddest, funniest, scariest) thing that you saw today.
#5. Tell me one thing that you learned today.
#6. If your day at school today was a movie what movie would it be?
#7. Besides walking to their next classes, what else do people do in the halls in between classes?
#8. Who do you think you could be nicer to?
#9. What is your easiest class? What is your hardest class? OR What class are your learning the most in? What class are you learning the least in?
#10. If they played music in the halls at school what would everyone want them to play over the loudspeaker?
#11. If you could read minds what teachers mind would you read? What classmates mind would you read? Whose mind would you NOT want to read?
#12. If today had a theme song what would it be?
#13. Which class has your favorite group of students in it? Which class has the worst group of students?
#14. What do you think you should do more of at school? What do you think you should do less of?
#15. What are the top 3 (or 5) things that you hear people say in the halls?
#16. What do you think the most important part of school is?
#17. Tell me one question that you had today…even if it wasn’t answered….actually, especially if it wasn’t answered…
#18. What class has the most cute boys/girls in it?
#19. If an alien space ship landed at your school who would you like them to beam aboard and take back to their home planet?
#20. Who did you help today? Who helped you today?
#21. If you could be invisible for the day at school what would you do?
#22. What part of the day do you look forward to? What part of the day do you dread?
#23. What would you change about school lunch?
#24. What classmate is most likely to be arrested, made president, become a millionaire, be in movies, let loose a flock of wild chickens in the library, etc.
#25. If you had to go to only one class every day which class would it be?
#26. Tell me one thing you read at school today.
#27. If your day at school was an emoticon which one would it be?
#28. What do you think your teachers talked about in the faculty room today after school?

And yeah, a few more than just 25!

I hope that you have found this helpful. I would love to hear your stories of responses from your kids when you ask them, "So, how was school today?"