Kids in my Life!

When I decided to be the 'reading lady' to a public school third grade, I knew that this was an everyday affair. The school is a fifteen minute drive from my house, so the half hour I spend there each day, an hour all told, has just become my habit.

Here the kids are showing the swans they made in art class because they were so intrigued with e.b. White's "The Trumpet of the Swan".

I love my afternoons reading to these kids! I love how connected they are to the story and how they remember from one day to the next. And I must confess, I love the closeness and the smell and the dimples of them as they draw close to the rocking chair from which I read. I love the brightness of their eyes as they contribute to the discussion of what is happening in the book.  And I love the unexpected things that happen.

 When the kids made the cut out swans, one child, who I think is not yet steady in English, made an origami swan-such a perfect one! He gave this to me and I was honored. The next day, when I took the books back to the library, I checked out a few about origami and brought them to this class along with some squares of good origami paper to give him. 

The next day, Alejandro had taught everyone how to make origami swans! Of course I had to do an uproar of telling them that I knew how to make an origami bumble bee (I learned when I was seven and it is still one of my best skills!) After the reading, the best part, I quickly made an origami bumble bee, crowded around by many sweaty little bodies who should have been doing what is usually expected, and I gave it to their wonderful teacher who puts up with my playfulness.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone in these public schools has time for THE TEACHABLE MOMENT? They are so consumed with the requirements of the Florida Standards or whatever they call it.

But "my" teacher is different. In her quiet, warm, yet authoritarian way, she makes all her kids comfortable. I notice how respectful she is to kids. Without fanfare she made a program so that her students could take home the library books I provide, and I never have to wonder (or pay the fines!) for these books.

One time when I went in to read I was wearing my Tai Chi shirt because I had that class next. One boy said that he was in martial arts also and we chatted a bit. He told me that he had a lot of trophies in Tai Kwan Do and he wanted to show me them. So, today, as promised, he had a box of faux gold trophies! 

Another kid from the Jr. Garden Club has promised to bring his pet snake next Wednesday. Yikes! (He doesn't think it is a python.)

I am loving being a fun, fit old lady - and the kids are the best of it.