During first grade math class, the students were looking at shapes. One of them looked at a five sided shape and said,
“Miss Jen! This is your shape, it looks like a pencil!”
We looked at each other, both confused, and when I asked her if I look like a pencil, she said, “No, it’s because you are from Pennsylvania.” I laughed, because I never noticed that my state seemingly has the word pencil in it, and she didn’t understand what was so funny. I suppose nothing will show you what a strange concoction the English language is like teaching kids to read and spell!
Jen Mullen
Immanuel Mission 