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Tuesday, 26 August 2008

School Tale

By Sharon McKinney

Question number six on the application: Why do you want to work in your child’s second grade classroom? My reply: My daughter said I had to. When I appear as ordered in the school office to sign in as a volunteer, the book says, child’s name, and parent’s name. I write my daughter’s name and then my own.

Seems fairly routine, doesn’t it? The only unique thing is that my daughter is the teacher. She was a teacher for a couple of years before she would let me come and volunteer in her room. I finally convinced her that I am now a professional volunteer. I do not come to observe her teaching, only to be an extension of her - extra hands, eyes, ears and interest.

When I started teaching more than 40 years ago, things were different. Children were different, parenting was different, curriculum, and methods were different. It was a whole different culture. I don’t go to school now to play “remember when.” I go to be part of what the culture is about now.

It helps to have a teacher who knows my strengths and interests. She gives me assignments like reading aloud, helping with art projects and writing in journals. I think my current favorite is writing. I am so impressed with what these seven-year-olds can accomplish so early in the school year.

The teacher has provided each child with a folder containing paper that has space for a picture and lines for words. They come in small groups of four and five and sit with me. We talk a while first about life and preferences before they begin their writing. Then my job is to help them with composition, stretching the word so they can hear the sounds that make it up, remind about spacing, capitals, and periods.

After the writing comes the drawing to illustrate the content. The last task is to read aloud. This seals in the learning and adds confidence building. At first the children write: I love my dog Jack. I play with my friend. I like to go to Kid Town. I like stars and flowers. We eat cereal. By late in the year, they are writing whole stories and some of them write books!

I enjoy reading aloud. Again, I can count on this particular teacher to know what kind of a ham I am and she supplies me with a story to read with lots of drama, voices, and action. There is something satisfying about looking at those open eager faces willing to play along with me. I especially like stories with repetitious lines and encourage the kids to repeat them with me.

One of my favorite ways to teach an art lesson is silently. I use large dramatic gestures to demonstrate the steps in a drawing, folding project or construction. It is fun to watch and guide the students without spoken words.

The biggest addition I bring to the second grade is my age. So many children do not have access to their grandparents and here I sit with hugs and a lap and an accepting attitude. I love their stories and listen attentively. I can do that for a couple of hours a week and feel that I have added to their school experience in ways beyond academics.

[EDITORIAL NOTE: All elders, 50 and older, are welcome to submit stories for this blog. Instructions are here.]

Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post