LJ Idol Exhibit A entry Week 2: Throw Back The Little Ones
When I sub, I generally prefer the older students. They are less needy, can work independently, generally don't spread as many germs and don't tattle. However, if want to work every day and be paid, I need to be prepared to handle the little ones too.Their elementary school teachers really do have my respect, and I can feel inspired and energized by younger students and the elementary education environment just as much as by sophomores, juniors and seniors.
One day I was a substitute in an elementary art class. I love everything about being in an art room at every grade level. I love the water colors, the sticky glue, the damp smell of clay and especially the big sheets of white paper, just begging to be designed on by an eager little first grader.
But man, those little first graders can drain you of energy, even when they're at their best! You have to be on your game 100% when working with the little guys.
Thank goodness for free bells. Thank goodness even more for free bells, and the main office not paging you to come assist them with stuffing mass-mailing envelopes when all you want to do is pee and drink Diet Coke alone for 45 minutes.
One morning at my break, as the bell rung and the other teacher escorted her charges back to the regular classroom, I heaved a sigh of relief to be done with the " wild group" and stuffed a dollar in my pocket. Off to the vending machine for a 20-ounce bottle of carbonated caffeinated courage! I rounded the corner by the restrooms and out to the hallway, lickety-split because free bells don't last very long.
There stood Eli, a kindergartner. His eyes were large and brown; his face was round; his hair was golden. He was wearing an over-sized Green Bay Packers jersey which hung down to his knees. I looked down.
His sweat pants were bunched at his ankles with his underwear snaked around his sneakers. A large poo filled the space between his ankles. There was a brownish smear on one shin. He held back the shirt tale of his jersey to keep it clean, and I saw more than I wanted to see.
"Help", he said shyly. Tears began to roll down those puffy cheeks.
There were no paper towels. The school had gone to hand drying machines to save on paper and mess. I raced back to the art class and pulled mass amounts of brown paper towels out of the dispenser by the sink. I ran back to little Eli and blanketed the smelly and shameful site between his feet and had him step out of his pant legs gingerly, freeing him from his fecal fiasco.
I needed gloves and maybe the school nurse. I managed to hustle the five year old back to the nearest restroom, out of sight from anyone who might laugh or report him.
"Dude, wait here. I'll get your teacher or the nurse, OK?" I said to him. I hated having to abandon the little guy, but he needed help, and we were alone. Eli nodded and understood.
"Thank you." He was such a sweet kid.
Eli is ten now. I wonder if he still remembers that November morning in the school hallway when some substitute teacher he didn't even know happened along and helped him out. As much as I still prefer the big kids over the grade school set, I will never regret being there for one little guy who put his trust in me for a few moments and thanked me. The littlest ones are the most in need of not throwing back.
AW
One day I was a substitute in an elementary art class. I love everything about being in an art room at every grade level. I love the water colors, the sticky glue, the damp smell of clay and especially the big sheets of white paper, just begging to be designed on by an eager little first grader.
But man, those little first graders can drain you of energy, even when they're at their best! You have to be on your game 100% when working with the little guys.
Thank goodness for free bells. Thank goodness even more for free bells, and the main office not paging you to come assist them with stuffing mass-mailing envelopes when all you want to do is pee and drink Diet Coke alone for 45 minutes.
One morning at my break, as the bell rung and the other teacher escorted her charges back to the regular classroom, I heaved a sigh of relief to be done with the " wild group" and stuffed a dollar in my pocket. Off to the vending machine for a 20-ounce bottle of carbonated caffeinated courage! I rounded the corner by the restrooms and out to the hallway, lickety-split because free bells don't last very long.
There stood Eli, a kindergartner. His eyes were large and brown; his face was round; his hair was golden. He was wearing an over-sized Green Bay Packers jersey which hung down to his knees. I looked down.
His sweat pants were bunched at his ankles with his underwear snaked around his sneakers. A large poo filled the space between his ankles. There was a brownish smear on one shin. He held back the shirt tale of his jersey to keep it clean, and I saw more than I wanted to see.
"Help", he said shyly. Tears began to roll down those puffy cheeks.
There were no paper towels. The school had gone to hand drying machines to save on paper and mess. I raced back to the art class and pulled mass amounts of brown paper towels out of the dispenser by the sink. I ran back to little Eli and blanketed the smelly and shameful site between his feet and had him step out of his pant legs gingerly, freeing him from his fecal fiasco.
I needed gloves and maybe the school nurse. I managed to hustle the five year old back to the nearest restroom, out of sight from anyone who might laugh or report him.
"Dude, wait here. I'll get your teacher or the nurse, OK?" I said to him. I hated having to abandon the little guy, but he needed help, and we were alone. Eli nodded and understood.
"Thank you." He was such a sweet kid.
Eli is ten now. I wonder if he still remembers that November morning in the school hallway when some substitute teacher he didn't even know happened along and helped him out. As much as I still prefer the big kids over the grade school set, I will never regret being there for one little guy who put his trust in me for a few moments and thanked me. The littlest ones are the most in need of not throwing back.
AW