You were only two years old when you officially started teaching and I can't get that picture out of my mind. You have put your small chairs in a neat row and a doll on each of them. You named the dolls, I still remember one was Pat, Mira and Tina were the names of the others. I loved the way you called their names and told them: "Listen to me, I want to teach you how to count and how to read and everything," spraying your little arms into the air to exaggerate the "everything."
You counted to seven, then you read them some stories out of a small storybook, asking them questions all the way. You answered the questions in a different voice, pretending one of them answered you. You also taught them a song: "Mary had a little lamb" was the song and you sang it at the top of your voice. I wish I could make a video of it, it was so precious, not only the way you did it but the way you enjoyed it.
Grandma, I started working today. Twenty children and I'm still wondering how I'm going to handle it. Inola was one to one teaching, now I've got twenty Inola's, and some of them are so shy, you can hardly hear their name when you ask for it, or they seem to want to disappear when you talk to them. Maybe I should start with a song to get them to loosen up, most children enjoy singing.
Penny, speak so soft, I had to ask her three times to repeat her name before I realized she was saying "Penny". Then there is Anni, she is so shy, she tries to lower herself in her bench in an effort to disappear out of my sight when I asked her a question. Maybe I can come up with a game to boost their confidence.
I wonder if a small classroom with dolls and a faux blackboard can help with this hurdle. There are some folded carton boxes in the shed. Some blackboard paint can change it into an easy-to-set-up divider cum blackboard behind my desk. Then I can make the dolls sit on the tiny chairs underneath my blackboard. In that way, the make-believe teacher can interface with me.
I've got a lot to do and maybe, just maybe this is not a bad idea. At least if the make-believe teacher has to repeat every word I say to the class, she will learn what she needs to learn. I can make it a game like numbers in a hat then it will not be too obvious that it is meant for a certain kid. I would like to make it fun. They can write the numbers themselves, keep one and throw one in the hat, it has to work. I can only pray that it works. They are so fragile, I don't want to mess around with their feelings, but I need to boost their confidence.
YOU ARE READING
Granny's Diary
Teen FictionFinding her grandma's diary in the stuff that her mother wanted to donate to the Salvation Army made Beth really sad. She hid in one of her drawers with the intention to read it later and was surprised at what she found inside.
