since today was the last day of school before christmas break, many of the kids stayed in their classrooms for parties or other fun activities (depending on their teacher's plans, etc). for my first grade group, based on emails back from teachers, i was expecting 2-3 kids. i never heard back about one - she ended up not coming. another student had already left for mexico. that left just one who came.
we finished his writing/picture project from yesterday. then he did an alphabet puzzle (matching letters with pictures/words). he sorted the vowels to one side, knowing that a, e, i, o, and u had something to do with each other. he told me all the letters, words, and pictures. after putting them all together he alphabetized them, singing as he went. then he counted all the letters. then we put them away and he played with legos for the last 4 minutes.
the whole time he chatted away happily with me. we talked about whatever he wanted to tell me, show me, ask me about christmas, the puzzle, etc. he's very talkative. he's also genuinely excited about lots of things. for being an EL student he's got a fairly decent vocabulary, and for words he doesn't know he's pretty good at explaining. i also just know how he talks, for the most part, by now. "i think so that........" : )
sometimes he's silly or defiant (or both : ). sometimes he gets caught up in the "not being so and so's friend" over some silly thing. but all that aside he's one of my favorites : ) very cute, very sweet, and his two front teeth are starting to poke through. he loves to talk and doesn't like to be cut off... ha : )
i let him pick a christmas sticker, and remembering they got a mini candy cane and a single hershey's kiss yesterday, and seeing my coworker's bag still on my desk he asked if he could pick another candy. i said yes... : ) (he ended up getting one of the extra goody bags she had for all of the kids yesterday, which was awesome for him!) he also asked if he was good today. i had to laugh a little because he was the only one, so of course he was fine, but i told him yes.
as he was picking his christmas sticker and getting his small bag of surprises, i looked at him and his almost two front teeth and reflected on our half hour together, just the two of us, and the special love i have for him as my student. i know things aren't always easy for him and his family, and i admire his enthusiasm for learning english and everything else in the world around him. he is a sweet, sweet child, and i know he is a child of God. as i looked at him i thought of this talk that Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave this last october in general conference:
this morning i'd heard there was a shooting in connecticut. it wasn't until i was home from school that i knew it was at an elementary school, affecting children and families just like the ones i had been with in the morning. this talk continues to be on my mind as i think of the purity, humility, happiness, generosity, and love of precious children. i'm very saddened by this tragedy, but i also know that our loving Heavenly Father is over all, and through Jesus Christ and the Atonement all will be made right. we can be comforted.
we long for children in our family, and recognize that it is a big responsibility and stewardship to care for, guide, and love our children when they come. i'm grateful for my opportunities to work in jobs with and be with kids each day to love them, serve them, and learn from them as we wait for our own. may we all look to the example and teachings of our Savior as we nurture and protect the children in our lives.
How Dear to God are Little Children
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