Almost...

This summer, I've been teaching reading to a small group of rising second and third graders. It's been an adventure. It ends tomorrow. The jury's out on how much reading growth has occurred...

Although my job expectation is to teach reading, it seems like I've been working on survival skills: turn-taking (versus taking all of the turns and throwing fits if someone else gets a turn); sharing (instead of hoarding and destroying things so others can't use them); listening (listening...listening); using words and body language in ways that get your needs met (as opposed to warfare); self-control (rather than impulsively flailing about); asking for and accepting help (instead of calling everyone and everything stupid and crawling under a table); focus (no, we're not talking about your wheelies on your shoes right now); knowing what to focus on and when (yes, I'm sure the wheelies are fun AND do you know what we are doing right now?); finding ways to describe what you do and see, so that others can understand you (okay, so there's a thing and it goes in a thing and then you do what with it?). Oh, yeah, and in the midst of that, reading...quite honestly I'm not sure whether the reading piece stuck. I'm not sure ANYTHING did, or will, but I see moments of almost...

Today, my student who "hates" me was seen all about the room offering to help others, asking to use things before just grabbing them, waiting for others to speak, and apologizing if he spoke over them. And...

We have a buddy rule for the hallway: have one. Another student needed to go to the restroom; getting my nod and reminder to look for a buddy, she turned to find someone. Immediately, "he who hates me" kindly offered to go. He then raced to the door, plowing into and knocking her over on the way. Sigh. As it turns out, he was actually trying to open the door for her...well, he's trying...he's almost there.