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Visitors

posted Thursday September 4th, 2008

Yesterday, I volunteered in Annabelle’s classroom. Really, though, I was more of a visitor. An interloper.  Special Agent Amy. (OK, too much “Harriet The Spy”.)

Drama aside, there’s nothing like a little while in your kid’s classroom to tell you what’s what. For example, 20 minutes into my morning in Second Grade, I’d diagnosed every single one of those kids with ADHD. There was not a lot of zen going on, although despite that, somehow, Mrs. Z seemed to have perfect control. She was, however, also having some difficulty with the newish laptops each kid is assigned (I know! We hit the jackpot! Experimental tech program in Annabelle’s room!) which contributed to the kids’ wiliness.

I, meanwhile, couldn’t stop staring at the Smart Board. Holy cow. You should see one of those things, if you haven’t. It’s like a souped-up overhead projector and a Power Point presentation you make as you go along, rolled into one, and that’s not even beginning to describe it. Way cool.

But the kids. Wow. There’s one girl in there, I’ve never seen her though I know all the other young ladies, one of whom sidled up to me, pointed to the girl and whispered, “She’s evil.” I sort of agreed by the end of my visit. Maybe just rambunctuous. The kid looks exactly like Junie B. Jones and stared at me for a while, then asked, “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

I loved that.

As always, Annabelle was a little weepy when I had to leave, but happy I’d been there. I’m not sure how long I can justify volunteering, since they’ve just about caught up to my meager math skills and I’m afraid of the laminating machine. But I’ll be back. I’ll figure out something. Because time in the classroom is too important.

Sophie’s classroom is another story. And it’s a sad one, for the moment, at least.

After I left Annabelle’s room, I tried to snoop outside Sophie’s. I felt like there was a quarantine, because it’s been decided all the way around that I shouldn’t volunteer in Sophie’s room. Not yet, anyway. She gets distracted by a lot of things — and I’m Ground Zero. It’s to the point where I can’t even walk into the classroom first thing in the morning to help Sophie with her backpack and lunch box; she absolutely balks at doing anything for herself if I’m there.

So I pressed myself up against the wall by the door outside the classroom and tried to peek in. There wasn’t much to see. They were doing carpet time and Sophie was up at the front, so I couldn’t see her at all. I watched a friend of mine sit with the kids — she’s got girls in both Ms. X and Mrs. Z’s rooms —  and then I left.

We had our own visitor last night: Megan. She’s got her own story about why she’s in town, and I’m sure she’ll tell it herself someday soon, at her own fabulous blog, megyn.wordpress.com, but suffice to say, we were happy to see her.

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Tags: Filed under: Uncategorized by Amysilverman

2 Responses to “Visitors”

  1. Geezer. I had to Google Junie B. Jones. You’d likely have to Google the Hardy Boys. Back up to speed now.

  2. I love you guys. And I love that Sophie is singing “Happy Birthday” to me in this photo. You hit the jackpot with these girls Amy.

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