32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny

Yesterday I ran to the library and there tucked in between two huge biographies I found 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching by Phillip Done. This book has been on my To Read list for a while. So I took the plunge and checked it out. I read it on and off last night while I assisted my husband in changing our headlights. Both of which conveniently decided to burn out in the same month. It was a learning experience. Imagine what should have taken us half an hour ended up taking up four. I now know how to remove the front bumper and detach a headlight to remove a broken bulb. Sorry back to the book.



The book was perfect. Full of light hearted humor and real life situations I loved every second I read. I giggled a lot and then had to try to explain to my husband why I was giggling. I identified with the stories/dilemas and found myself wishing that I had read this book before I started teaching.

My two favorite parts were:

When Phillip identifies that there are six types of classrooms in the world.  The six types include the Shock, the Chi, the Natural, the Pile, the Hospital, and the Model Home. The Shock covers every available surface, the Chi has a zen/feng shui feel, the Natural has a down to earth/groovy feel, the Pile has piles on every surface, the Hospital has a clean/organized and slightly sterile feel, and the Model Home feels just like a model home with fake trees, lamps, and color coding. I like to think that I am a mixture between the Shock and Pile models. What kind of classroom do you have?

When he describes the night his brother and sister-in-law try to name their baby. Teachers naturally do not want to name their children something that reminds them of one of their terrors. I feel I will run into the same problem in November. I have already ruled out Michael, David, Luke, and Matthew. (No I do not know that I am having a boy. I've just had more boy students than girls.) Do you have any names that you absolutely will not use?


I whole heartedly recommend this book. A quick, fun, and inspiring read you will be grateful you checked it out. Have you read it? What did you think? What was your favorite part?