* The Year 6 children were about to go for a walk and were waiting in the rain wearing our outdoor education centre-issue waterproofs.
“Rachel,” I asked. “Do you know you have your waterproof coat on inside out?” “Yes. It’s so the outside doesn’t get wet.”
PETER OLIVER.
* A student had listened to my explanation of the significance of - ette when added to French words. The fact that the suffix creates a smaller version of the original seemed to trigger hisimagination. “I suppose,” he said, “fille becomes fillette, fourche becomes fourchette, so my father, who is a small homme, must be an omelette!” DAVID PADFIELD.
* A visitor ended her talk to my Year 10 class (bottom set, boys) by asking if they knew what “caress” meant. I winced at the thought of what they might come up with, but I did not anticipate Daniel’s suggestion: “It’s the green stuff you put in your sandwiches and salads, isn’t it?” ANN WHEELER.