Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Modge Podge Scandal


I introduced my students to Modge Podge last week, and I was careful to tell them that it is a Magic Substance and it enables people to create A-MAZING things with its magical essence. As I talked, they looked on with wonder as I explained what we were going to do with this miraculous element. I also made a point of telling them how expensive it was and that it shouldn't be wasted. And if they ever wanted to get me a gift . . . hint, hint . . . blah, blah.

It is at this point that I shall stop and tell you that I, as a teacher, always tell my students at the beginning of the year that I don't know everything and I will make mistakes. Mistakes that they will catch and pointedly point out to me, puffing up as they exclaim it to all the world, thereby making me feel like a complete bonehead. And I'm happy to do it, because as their teacher I'm prepared to "take one for the team" in order to increase their self-esteem, further their learning, etc.

And this was one of those times. One of my sweet, little, cherub-faced charges raised his hand and said "Um. Mrs. Scott, you do know that that says MOD Podge and not Modge Podge, right?"

Ah-hem. WHAT?!!!!!!

I looked at the container, then back at him, then back at the container then back at him. And I felt like a bonehead. And I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I did say to myself, and possibly out loud, "When did they change the name?" It was embarrassing. And funny. And embarrassing. Time stopped for a few minutes as I gathered my wits about me and reconciled this new little tidbit in my world of all things crafty.

I'm happy to say that I did recover.

I shared my little story with Janae, Girl Genius, because she is the Queen of All Things Crafty and Cute, and guess what? All this time, she knew that it was called MOD Podge and she continued to let me bumble on, advertising my ignorance to the world. The world!

And did not say a thing. She must have really enjoyed herself.

Anyway, Queen-Crafty-Girl-Genius-Janae works at Michael's and she says everybody calls it Modge Podge and she never says anything. So I feel a little better now.

But I'm still a little skeptical, because that's my nature. So now I have something personal to ask you. Have you been secretly laughing at me every ding dang time I've written the word Modge Podge? Go ahead. Confess. I won't hold it against you.

43 comments:

  1. I feel stupid too! I think I assumed that Mod was pronounced Modge! I never knew that there was a right or wrong way of spelling or saying it! OOPS!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. haha I never paid that much attention either! I always say modge podge! Though I'm not sure if I've typed it....well you can be sure that you're definitely not the only one that's done this! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'll admit to having a small chuckle at your expense. But what am I do to? Come to one of my favorite blogs and correct you? On YOUR own blog? Besides, your friend that works at Michael's is correct - nearly everybody calls it Modge Podge. In fact, I think people probably think I say it wrong when I call it Mod Podge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My friend recently chewed my butt for pronouncing it 'mod podge' instead of 'modge podge.' She told me the 'ge' is silent hahaha

      Delete
  4. I am laughing so hard right now because I could have sworn it was called MODGE podge. HA.. When did they change the name I wonder? I'll bet you are an absolutely fantastic teacher Jill, and probably you made that students day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks, Summer. I'm with you, I think they changed the name.

      Delete
  5. hi Jill I am new to reading your blog, I am also a Jill, from Australia, I am laughing right now As I too have always called it maodge podge I use to work in a craft store for 10 years and always called in modge podge, did they change the name. Or did someone years ago get the name wrong and the whole world caught on. Love reading your blog. Jill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jill. I'm going with "they changed the name, " for no other reason than to save face.

      Delete
  6. I just had to go check my bottle. I don't think I can get use to calling it Mod Podge.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I always thought it was called Modge Podge too, Jill. Of course, I'm a craft neophyte...

    ReplyDelete
  8. They totally gave it the WRONG name, in my opinion. It should DEFINITELY be called Modge Podge, rather than Mod Podge. It just sounds sweeter to my ears!! I think most people call it Modge Podge. Maybe we should start a petition to get them to change the name :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Don't feel bad...I was just as shocked as you as I sat here reading your post. I always thought it was Modge Podge too. Now I need to go down and look at my jar of it. Wild.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Just take a magic marker and add the ge to the end, I did :)

    Its a tradition, and I even called my mom-in-law the first grade teacher, she said "eh, its tradition, we all call it that in the teaching world"...so when you do the next class, just say to them that sometimes traditions over rule spelling errors...and hope that does not bite us in the rear :)

    You made my day, and my hubby is wondering why I am laughing uncontrollably right now!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've been calling it Modge Podge too!! In fact, I'm pretty sure I've been reading the words Modge Podge in every blog I've seen it in... I'm gonna have to make note of that.

    But thanks for pointing out that I'm a bonehead too! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Giiiirl pu-lease ;) I've always called it Modge Podge too, hahaha (but that's not saying much...I always say things wrong and my husband is always laughing at me ;)

    Jamie :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Jill,
    No worries! I always pronounce it Modge Podge because it's just easier to say. Whenever I saw you write it I figured you knew but were typing it that way as a joke. Like we all say it that way so it makes sense! :)Plus, if someone says it fast, it sounds like Modge Podge. I wouldn't feel silly for it. I don't think you're the only one! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Never! Because it SHOULD be called Modge Podge! It just flows better. : )

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am not laughing because I thought it was Modge Podge too!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well I have to confess that I had no idea it was Mod Podge! I have always thought it was called Modge Podge too! So my question is how many people are laughing at my expense? Cause in my corner of the world I am the Queen of all crafty and cute things, the Queen of OCD and of things that need to be organized and of course the Queen of control freaks! lol My friends say I am my own freak show! so really how many people are out there not only laughing at you but at me?! lol

    ReplyDelete
  17. from the looks of it-we are all in good company. Just tell people that you changed the name because you are cool enough to do that. (at least that is what I am going to think about myself because, yes, I did the same thing.)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I only realized a few months ago that it was Mod Podge & not Modge Podge. I think Modge Podge sounds better anyway!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I always thought it was Mod Podge then I was around people who called it Modge Podge and I felt like a dork for not saying it right.
    Then.
    I decided I could say whatever I wanted.
    So I did.
    So can you.
    Tell those little know it alls to go get a job while they know everything.

    Wow I guess I still have some bitterness.

    I love the post it made me laugh.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I don't know if someone has already said this or not but I think we all call it modge podge because that is what we do (or what they USED to do) with it. I've always call it modge. I think maybe it's call MOD because it is modern and modge podge is an old thing. Who knows? But I've never laughed. I've been just as clueless! :D

    ReplyDelete
  21. Too funny :) I could swear I have some modge podge sitting in my crafts cabinet right now.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have one word for you. Sherbet. Who the heck says that right? It's modge podge dammit.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I call it modge podge too-
    and I think the devil invented it-I am terrible with it-but love it!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Mod podge sounds dumb. Modge Podge should be the correct name. :-P

    ReplyDelete
  25. I honestly never even noticed it Wasn't Modge....I think it sounds better. We should petition them to change the name!

    ReplyDelete
  26. HA! Don't you love it when kids pick up on our mistakes. I remember one of my kg2 students used to get on to me they way I said "king" because I didn't pronounce the "g" -- I said it more like "keen" -- I think everyone thinks it SHOULD be Modge Podge. Now doesn't that make more since? What is mod anyways? Have a great weekend. Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  27. ok, this is cracking me up! I thought it was "Modge" too. that's what everyone calls it around here. I don't have any of it, but friends do and I've used it before w/ them for various projects!

    how odd!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I don't think I have ever heard anyone call it Mod Podge. Besides, I think that Modge Podge sounds a whole lot better. But I totally get it with your students. It is hard for me when some of my students correct me to bite my tongue.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm with Allie. What the heck is "Mod" - that sounds really stupid. Everyone knows what Modge Podge is! If someone said to me Mod Podge I wouldn't know what they were talking about!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Well, I'm new to your site, over from Words of Me Project, but I will tell you that I would not have corrected you either. All my crafty friends (at least I think all of them) call it Modge Podge. But leave it to one of your little cherubs to point it out, eh??

    Glad I stopped by... I'll be back!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. ha ha, I call it modge podge too... sounds better like that anyway!
    My husband is a teacher... he'll appreciate this story :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. I have to admit, I knew it was Mod Podge, but this does explain why I got a call from my Sister-in-Law at 6:30 in the morning a couple of weeks ago asking me if I knew what that stuff was called that you used to glue paper/fabrics onto decorative crafts. :D She just sent me the link to your blog, and now I've been up an extra hour reading it. Not sure that's a good thing, but I haven't stopped laughing yet!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Jill,
    Don't worry. As you have read many of us have called it Modge Podge. But thanks for going down that road and sharing so I too can correct myself!

    ReplyDelete
  34. I also called it Modge Podge, until now that is...LOL.

    You are so right on about the kids being very quick to point out our teacher missteps. :-D I like how you tell them that "you will take one for the team to support building their self esteem" that made me smile. As an ES Teacher myself, I'm enjoying your posts about school AND all the fabulous ideas for personalizing your classroom! You're so creative!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Three years and $3 short?... but I'll chime in!

    I believe it IS pronounced modge podge, because that is what we are doing - "modging." and Mod Podge came out in the '70's when everything was "mod." It was originally a DIY thing that the company got on the band wagon with.

    It was a play on the words, and now look where it has us! ;) Love that stuff.

    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Back in the 70's, before a company made it MOD PODGE...it was a craft known as Modge Podge. We just used Elmer's glue. My grandma was way ahead of her time, and her craft magazines called it modge podge.

    ReplyDelete