Where's the glue?

Due to some trips, visitors, and other breaks from the normal, this last week was the first time that I have had Daniella and Micah in school for 5 full, consecutive days of school. It has been so good. From now until Christmas the schedule should be much more regular and I am glad that all of us can get into a regular routine. Once again, I’m learning how different the way I have done school in the past is from the way I do school now. 

At Walla Walla, in my dorm room I had a desk full of odds and ends, papers, notebooks, binders, gobs of books, internet access. There was a bookstore down the street, friends living in the village, a cafeteria, Safeway, Taco Bell. If I forgot something it wasn’t far back to the dorm, easy to call a friend or look it up, fine to climb in my car and go get whatever it was I needed. There were layers that cushioned me. I could rely, and did rely, on these layers. That usually worked just fine there. Here it is just a little different. Working with kids is just a little different. With those layers gone I am realizing how much I just launched into things just assuming they would work out.

Assuming it would work out, I started Micah into an assignment the other day. I got out the page for him to do in reading. It requires him to read a short sentence, cut it out, and glue it next to the picture that illustrates what the sentence says. We began. He read the sentences through and we pointed to the pictures. Then it was time to cut them out. 

“Where are the scissors?”

“Check the basket.”

“No, I can’t find them.”

 Hmmm...I get up to check. Here they are, under the Egypt book. 

“Are we going to learn about Egypt?” 

“Yep!”

“Today?”

“No, not today.”

“Are we going to make the that thing the boy is playing with?”

“Maybe, we’ll see.”

“Okay, because I would really like hmmm...to do that.” 

We make it back to the desk. Razz the kitten walks by. Micah scoops her up and deposits her into his desk. 

“Look at Razz Miss Annika! I think she likes it there.”

“Yes, I think so Micah. Okay, let’s cut out the sentences now and glue them.”

Sentences cut out. Now where is the glue? “Oh bother...should have got that when we got the scissors”,  I think. “I’ll get it Micah! You just stay there.”

I look for the glue. Where did I leave it? I had it yesterday when we were making the bean ten stick...there it is. Back to Micah’s desk. 

“Look Miss Annika! Razz is playing with my pencil! Where did the sentences go?” 

The sliding glass door is open, offering a clue. “Oh shoot...should have had that closed,” I chide myself. 

“Okay, well, let’s pick them up!”

One is under the sofa. 

“Look at this Miss Annika! Razz's marble! I’ll put it by her other toys.” 

He scurries off before I have time to protest. Finally, scissors, glue, sentences and Micah all collected he matches his sentences with the pictures and glues them down.

Micah is a first grader. He is learning how to do this whole school thing. No matter how good I am he will still get distracted and that is ok. Both kids are getting used to this year’s routine. And while they are learning, I am learning to help them. I am learning to think through ALL the steps slowly and carefully, to have the glue set out, the door shut, and the activity tested. I am learning to make sure things are charged when the power is on so they can be used when the power is off. I am learning to shop for the week’s fresh produce on Tuesdays and to think through what I’m planning to make before trying to make it. To remember to start laundry while there are still enough clothes for a little while because it sometimes takes things a few days to dry. I think this is all very good for me. Even with thinking through everything life isn't fool proof, but I am learning that thinking through where the glue is instead of assuming it is there is a good way to go.