Second Grade in the Bag
posted Thursday May 26th, 2011
Earlier this week, Sophie’s teacher sent home a note asking that students bring a “sturdy” bag to school to pack up their stuff from second grade.
Yesterday was Christmas in May. Along with the random spelling tests and half-finished worksheets were several treasures. Like a haiku (I had to count the syllables to be sure) called “Winter”:
Santa brings me toys
Snow angels with Annabelle
We drink hot cocoa
And a sensory tribute to spring:
Spring looks like sun.
Spring sounds like birds chirping.
Spring feels hot as summer.
Spring smells like flowers.
Spring tastes like yummy pizza.
Looking through the bag, I have to admit I had the same feeling I had when Annabelle was in pre-school and brought home elaborate construction paper animals that would be challenging for a 10-year-old. (Busy teacher!) I sort of doubt that Sophie wrote a haiku unassisted.
But I love that she was exposed to the process. And that yummy pizza line? All Sophie.
I don’t want the year to end. This morning Sophie was out of sorts. Her teacher and I followed her to the bench where she was prepared to plant herself instead of going into the classroom, and as we trudged through the gravel, I whispered to the teacher, “Don’t you think Sophie needs to repeat second grade?”
The teacher turned and grinned, but only for a moment. Her attention was on Sophie.
I love this teacher. She and Sophie fell for each other many years ago at a science fair at the school. Sophie’s got good taste. This woman’s an old soul with a lot of experience on top of it. And she absolutely adores my kid. That is how I felt about kindergarten and first grade, too, but I don’t have that feeling about any of the third grade teachers. It makes me nervous.
It wasn’t an easy year. But looking back, it was a good one. We haven’t had a bad one yet, actually. We scrape by no matter what, and Sophie has learned and grown — in her own way. And she will next year, too.
That’s what I need to keep telling myself. I think I’ll hang a beautiful watercolor that Sophie (or someone) made in second grade on my inspiration wall as a reminder.
She will learn and grow. She will learn and grow. She will learn and grow.
Wow, that is the exact mantra I need to repeat to myself about MY youngest daughter. (The daughter who just completed her first year of college.)
A timeless and universal mother prayer.
Noan, as soon as I read that I had to go back and look up the lyrics to Edelweiss: “bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever.” Thank you.
Well, it’s happening. 3rd grade next year woohoo! I’ve noticed now that kayli is going into 5th grade that there is a steady learning curve, much like the physical growth curve, on the chart it is slow and steady but at a slower pace – it’s own sweet time. But steady….