Reason #8764658977 why I love my class:
I'm trying to do less. More spefically, I'm trying to do less with my left arm. It is so easy for me to carry piles of paper, pick up baskets of color tiles, and continue just doing everything in the classroom by myself (believe me, there is always plenty to be done!). Except, as you may remember, I have a broken arm. So, I really shouldn't be doing all those things. The doctor told me not to. My husband keeps telling me not to. Everyone keeps telling me not to.
It's so hard to keep asking for help, over and over and over again.
And while I'm significantly older than I was when I was in school and really good at doing everything my teacher told me, I am (mostly) capable of learning new things. I think.
I'm trying.
Last week I told my class that I had a goal: I was trying not to use my broken arm, even though I wanted to. It wasn't good for helping it heal, and I didn't want to hurt it again. I asked them if they could help me remember my goal if they saw me forgetting.
Later on that day, as we were modeling a project, I remembered my goal and kept asking various students to help cutting out different things for the project. Of course, I hadn’t realized how much there was – I should have had more of it prepared. After asking the third or fourth child to help cut something out, and feeling totally exasperated with myself, I burst out, “I’m so sorry you guys. I shouldn’t be asking you all to do all this cutting; this is not your job.”
Well.
There was this absolutely genuine outpouring of support from them: “We don’t mind!” “Of course it’s our job!” Miz F – you have a broken arm!”
It was as though they were all showing me, “Dude. We’ve got this one.”
I looked at all of them, sort of overwhelmed and didn’t really know what to say. And really, what else is there to say in a situation like that other than thank you?
So I did. ♥
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2 comments:
You have some really cool kids. I know because I've had the privilege to partake in their loving, too. :)
don't think of it as asking too much of your class, think of it as giving them the opportunity to learn more skills. I am sure their cutting skills improved after helping you out and they felt important in being there for you. I think your broken arm could be a real lesson in letting go for you and you will see how much those 1st graders can do! Nice job!
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