I'm spent. A good deal of energy goes into squatting from a 6 foot position to a kindergarten height to say:
Ok now, remember what I showed you in class yesterday? That's what we're going to do now. I'm going to point to the shapes and you tell me what they are.
Ok, let's start here. What's this shape? Yes, good. And this one? A box, yes, you can say box, or square. Ok, now what's this one called? Yes, that's right. Now what about this? What does this look like to you? Ok, a tooth is good. Some say it looks like a heart, some an apple, but you can call it a tooth if you want to. Ok good job. Now let's look at the little ones. Ok what shapes are these? Good. Ok now cover one eye with your hand like this. Now don't poke your eye, just cover it. Ok, what's this shape? And this one? And this one? Good. Now take your hand off your eye and cover your other eye. No, now you can't see with both eyes covered. Take one hand off and cover the other eye like this. Good, now what's this shape? And this one? And this one? Good job! You did great!
Now come over here and sit down and you get to look in these magic glasses and see this cool E. Do you see that E right there? Now in one of these squares is an E that looks just like that but you can only see it with these special glasses on, so put these on and tell me which square you see the E in? Good! Yeah isn't that neat!?
All right, now we get to play the hearing game? Remember what I showed you in class? Ok, well, I'm going to put these earphones on your ears, and you're going to hear a quiet beeeeeep. When you hear that beep you have to raise your hand so Nurse Sheila knows you hear it. Show me what you're going to do when you hear the beep. Ok good. Hear we go. Ok, are you ready? All right listen and raise your hand! (Pause. Push button. No response from student.) Did you hear that? (Child says, "Yes I heard it.") Ok, when you hear it you have to raise your hand! Ok, let's try again. (Pause. Push button.) Yes! Good job. Ok, keep listening and raising your hand when you hear it. (Repeat for 8 more tones). Great JOB!
Ok, let's see how tall you are and how much you weigh. Stand on the scale over there....
Repeat for about 30 kindergarteners. At that point it was only 10:30 in the morning and I was sick of the sound of my own voice.
By the time I was on my way home at 4pm I was ready for a good nap. That didn't happen. Picked up the kids from school. Got the usual, "It was good," responses to, "How was your day?" Came home to check emails, go over long-division struggles, change into baseball practice clothes and off we went to practice.
Ryland was proud to get nailed in the lip with the bouncing grounder he caught with his mouth and glove because the coach praised him so much for being tough and catching the ball.
Connor was showing everyone his eyes to see if they could see his new contacts. Yep, my 9 year old has contacts. I don't need vision correction so I really can't speak to the issue, but I think the visual reflex of shutting one's eyelid tightly to prevent foriegn objects from entering the eye is a good enough talking point for why one shouldn't get contacts. But my husband, who does need vision correction, and wears contacts, thinks it good for a boy who is as on-the-move as Connor to have contacts and not glasses. So he's got 'em.
I love these words:
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. - Psalm 32:1-5
Quieted,
Sheila
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