Nose picking is a problem in more classes than mine, right?
You know that feeling when you are pleasantly reading a book to your class when out of the corner of your eye, you see one of your most adorable students slyly stick their finger up their nose. In that brief second, you are filled with hope that they will quickly pull their finger away realizing they have no exit strategy. Sometimes they choose a better strategy and you breathe a sigh of relief. But SOMETIMES, you see their finger slowly make it’s way to their mouth. You either interrupt the lesson and boldly suggest a tissue or you stifle your gag reflex for the rest of the book and quietly suggest an alternative in private with the student. However, that image is already burned in your mind.
Well, every year I have had my fair share of pickers (sometimes eaters, GAG! Dying of gross thoughts even as I type it!) This year after a particularly bad incident, I did a google search for books that could help me broach the topic with my class. This led to my discovery of Julia Cook’s, I am a Booger…Treat Me With Respect!
As soon as you introduce the title of the book, you can expect a room full of giggles and blushing cheeks. It is fair to expect this for the first few pages. But then, once the kids start to get sucked into the book, they become engrossed in the cute illustrations (by the author’s son!) and facts about the human body that the students may have never heard.
Julia Cook explains the topic with a balance of silliness and true facts. A particularly funny page shows an illustration of boogers hiding in a nose and defending themselves from a finger with a shield and picket signs. The text says, “Since boogers swallow germs, and touching germs can make you sick, you should try to never, ever touch boogers with your fingers.”
My favorite part of the book is that the author suggests children make a “Booger Ghost” with a tissue over their finger if they ever need to put their finger in their nose. She cleverly says everything I want to say with class, humor, and age-appropriate sensibilities.
All of the nose picking issues are touched upon:
– No one likes to see people pick their nose, because it is DISGUSTING!
– Boogers can spread germs
– Flicking (gaggggg!!!)
– Using tissues
– Washing hands
– Try not to leave boogers hanging
– And the infamous, EATING
After teaching Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade, I can say with certainty that this book is a MUST-HAVE for any teacher in these grade levesl! Since reading this, I haven’t caught any of my notorious pickers {sigh of relief}. BUT, just in case anyone in my class is tempted, I made this sign and have it hanging by our tissue box.
Get your hands on this book and download this freebie here for your classroom and tame those pickers!
