It is story morning at Kia Kaha Primary School!
In story morning you tell the class about a story you liked.
Then you all try to work out what it means.
It was going to be PE morning.
But the weather is so appalling it is story morning instead.
Ms Barry says it might be story morning again next week too.
And for the foreseeable.
Ms Barry says,
Does anyone have a story that has nice weather in it?
Zac puts up his hand and digs Jordan in the ribs.
He says,
I have one about someone walking around in the nude, Miss.
Ms Barry gives Zac a look.
She says,
Is this The Emperor's New Clothes again, Zac?
Zac always likes to do The Emperor's New Clothes.
Zac says,
No this is a different one Miss.
Ms Barry says,
Okay, what happens in this one Zac?
Zac says,
Well there's this guy who wants to be Emperor.
And heās sort of invisible,
because he wears a suit and no tie and shaves his head,
which is what heaps of other people do,
so you can hardly tell that he's there.
And he never has any good ideas of his own,
which is something an Emperor is supposed to have.
So instead he just goes I used to be a big CEO.
And that makes heaps of people salute him.
Because they think CEO is, like, good as an Emperor.
But he still worries about having no ideas.
Anyway, one day in the shower he finally gets an idea of his own.
And he's so excited he runs straight outside to tell everybody his idea.
And you would think people would say to him,
Never mind your little idea whatever it is,
why are you wearing nothing but a shower cap?
But instead they say
This is a total game changer and you're a contender for sure,
youāve got my vote Mr CEO,
even though your little idea wasnāt up to much,
I just really like the look of a CEO white male in a shower cap.
Ms Barry says,
And what do you think the story was telling us Zac?
Zac says,
You can fool yourself,
and also quite a lot of the people around you,
if they want to be fooled badly enough?
Ms Barry smiles and says,
That's very good, thank you.
It still sounds a lot like the Emperor's New Clothes, though.
Where did you find it?
Zac says,
It was on a Substack, Miss.
That's all Mum reads now.
She says it's way better than the Herald.
Ms Barry asks
Who else has a story to share?
Ciara says,
Miss I don't have a story exactly,
I was just thinking about Charlotte's Web.
Last term Ms Barry read Charlotte's Web to the children.
Everyone liked Charlotte's Web,
even though it was very sad at the end because Charlotte dies.
Ms Barry asks,
What were you thinking about Ciara?
Ciara says,
Well, you would think in a story about a farm that the pig would die, not the spider.
Ms Barry says,
That's a good point, why do we think that didn't happen to Wilbur? Anybody?
Amelia says,
Well, it would have, if Charlotte hadn't written all those words about him.
Ms Barry says,
That's true, Amelia.
And why do we think that might have happened?
Moana says,
Well they were good friends.
And a good friend looks out for you.
And they don't want anything for it, they just care.
The other children are nodding their heads.
It is a good feeling to have a friend.
Caleb says,
But Charlotte did get something for it.
Because after she died Wilbur looked after her babies.
Ms Barry says,
That's true Caleb.
When you look after someone else,
they tend to look after you too.
Ms Barry says,
Can we think of something we're all doing that's a bit like that?
The children all look at each other.
No one is quite sure.
Ms Barry says,
What did we all agree to put on our faces this term?
The room is quiet for a moment.
Then everyone goes,
Masks Miss!
The class can tell Ms Barry is happy,
even though she has a mask on.
Ms Barry says,
Who else has a story?
Tane says,
Miss, does a Simpsons episode count?
Ms Barry says,
Of course Tane, it's full of good stories.
Tane says,
Itās the one where Bart wants to get even with Miss Krabappel for giving him detention.
And he sees that she put a personal ad in the newspaper,
because this is a really old episode from, like, before Tinder.
And so Bart replies to her ad and catfishes her.
And it's funny at first.
But then it's really sad because she really likes the guy
and they make a date for dinner.
And of course he never shows.
And Bart sees her crying and feels bad.
So he tells Marge and Homer,
and Marge has the idea to write a kind letter pretending that the guy has had to go away.
And so Miss Krabappel ends up feeling okay.
Ms Barry smiles again and says,
I trust you weren't thinking of anyone in Room 13, Tane.
Tane says,
No Miss, I just liked it because it started out crackup but by the finish they were all like it's a dick move to treat people like that and true that.
Taneās sister is at high school.
She was crying in her room for a long time last night.
Tane says,
I just think some people need to think a bit more about what they say when theyāre messaging.
