Hobos and Hummingbirds

Someone should've told me that one should refrain from asking 8th graders serious questions about the world. In the midst of an Anne Frank unit, I had my kids keep diarys over topics that would change daily. They went from mundane to much more serious, just like Anne's diary. While I've got some brilliant kids, without the thunder of war outside their windows, serious writing baffles them. I asked what the world's biggest problem was today and I got (real answers here, people): Hobos, body odor, braces, prescription drugs-as a general pricipal, Jews, a lack of corporate office space, hummingbirds, The Gays, and fossils. One child told me that if it weren't for dinosaur fossils, then those "dang ignorunt scientists" wouldn't have gotten on a roll and discovered "all the other junk that idn't Christun." I was genuinely expecting disease, pollution, maybe some political answers thrown in for fun, but hummingbirds and hobos tripped me up. I also pondered upon my prodigies what one thing would benefit the world most today. Apparently Edward Cullen's image could cure cancer, a drinking age lowered to 8 would get everyone used to it and therefore no more drunk driving, new pink camo for our Armed Forces would strike fear in our enemies hearts, and controlling the gopher population would just be good news for everyone. I love my kiddos tremendously, and I believe in their abilities. I also believe that I'm a little afraid of the gopher-free world these children are creating for the rest of us.