Smart P

“You are so smart, P.” I say as as I watch her work. “The doubling rule is like the rabbit rule for reading. See, in hopping, you split it between the, well, I’m not going to say it.” She points to the double p in the middle of the word. She’s not only smart, she’s wise and witty, too.

She eyes me and answers, “Yup. I’m pretty sure you’ve told me that at least a few times.”

P and I have been working together for three and half years now. Our relationship began in the early winter of her kindergarten year. If I remember correctly, we connected pretty quickly. She was, and is, eager to learn. Our teaching and learning routine was moving along on a solid ground of routine, structure and expectation. Then, suddenly the ground cracked and caved and our world was turned upside down. The next thing I know, our once multidimensional relationship was reduced to two dimensions.

With the help of P’s parents. We somehow got ourselves back on solid ground. We found a routine and a loose structure but expectations for a 5 year old, at home, on a screen is well, tricky.

In first grade, back in school, hybrid style, P gave me a gift. She walked in one day with a tiny burlap sack. “This is for you, Mrs. Sherriff.” Her smile held all her pride. I carefully took the bag and slowly opened it. Inside was a used, stubby, yellow pencil, one blue ‘gem’, and one pearlescent bead. I opened my eyes as wide as I could and smiled the biggest smile. “I LOVE IT!” Her eyes sparkled, she said, “Your welcome!” I watched her skip out the door and back to her classroom.

Fast forward a few years and here we are back on solid ground with routine, structure, expectation and, now, independence. Our long standing working relationships makes my days better. She’s one of those kids whose presence, like that pearlescent bead, can make anyone’s day brighter.

2021 gift from P