English impatient

I spend Wednesday mornings volunteering in Dag's second-grade class. I like the gig -- it gives me a reason to do my hair (and maybe makeup) and get relatively dressed up at least once a week. By relatively I mean instead of my usual uniform of tee-shorts-flipflops, I wear a tee-skirt-sandals. And by makeup I mean blush and lip gloss.

Anyway, it's a win-win for her teacher and I. Her teacher needed someone to help with the kids during school Mass on Wednesdays, then help with their Daily Language (aka Grammar) and I was looking for a way to spy on spend more time with Dagny.

It's also afforded me tons of time to observe other people's children which in turn helps me make better parenting decisions. And also helped me decide to relax my snack options for the kids just a smidge. A girl should have some fun -- and store-bought granola bars -- once in a while! And I decided that the occasional juice pouch wouldn't hurt either.

It has also made me realize I'm pretty much just as impatient in a classroom as I am at home. I really, really, really gotta work on that! I'm fine with the kids who have their hand in the air, ready with an answer, stay on task and/or make funny, unintentional jokes. I'm not so fine with the slacker kid who clearly isn't even trying, or who isn't listening, or asks to go to the bathroom four times an hour. (Maybe I should try to find out why?Nah.)

So props to all our great teachers, patient teachers, teachers who love their job -- and man, whether you teach at P.S.136, private school, Harvard or homeschool, it's a job you better LOVE -- and teachers who know how to reach any kid. The rest of us? Better off volunteering as needed and then going home to thank our lucky stars that we have teachers in the first place.