Conversations with My Students: Story Time Answers

For the older and more capable students, I often start with an activity on the board called "Story Time." I leave about four simple questions for the students to answer whenever they happen to roll into class. The last question is usually, "How are you?"

The boys give great answers.

Q: How are you? Why?
A: I'm good. (Reconsiders this, erases it.) NO.

Me: (Watching student write this) NO is not an emotion or an appropriate answer, Slightly Racist Teenager.
SRT: Yes but... Ah, wait... *writes JUST NORMAL*

Me: *facepalm* OK, you didn't answer WHY.

Q: How are you? Why?

A: I'm confused.

Me: Why are you confused, Mittens?

Mittens: Because a policeman yelled at me. I don't know why.
Me: Where were you? By the Koban (police box by the station)?

Mittens: No, I was by my house. He told me, "Be careful," but I wasn't doing anything.

Me: Well... I don't know, either.

And turn your head sideways for this one, didn't want to upload nicely.

He admitted to me later in class he hadn't seen the entire film but wanted to draw it anyway.