What do you learn in an American school?

One thing I've been amazed by the past two years is the number of things I've had to 'teach' that I never expected. It has made me realize that there's a lot of things you just learn without realizing it and since it's the first time in school for most of my kids...they've had no need for this stuff before. Here are the most amusing / strange things I remember.

• When the bell rings at the end of a class it means you leave
• It also means that you should walk to your next class and that you're expected to be there in a certain amount of time
  
• You don't go home for lunch in the middle of the day
  
• How to use a pencil sharpener (both manual and mechanic)
• How to click mechanical pencils to get more lead
• Mechanical pencils are actually refillable too!
• The end of the pencil has an eraser
  
• But no matter how hard you try, you can't erase regular pen ink
• And also, not all markers are dry-erase either...
• Oh, and dry erase markers only erase on dry-erase boards
  
• How to use three-ring binders and three prong folders
• How to use a stapler and hole-punch
  
• How to open and use a lock (wow new immigrant students really struggle with this at first!)
• How to hold and use scissors
  
• How to open the glue bottle
• Oops, I should have also taught how to use only a little glue
• How to CLOSE the glue bottle
• Appropriate classroom behaviors-asking permission, raising your hand, not talking over the teacher...
  
• And finally, thank you for your enthusiasm but there is no need to stand on your desk to introduce yourself. I understand that you just want everyone to be able to see you, but we can see you just fine from the ground