My mother taught kindergarten most of her teaching career. Every August, she would put me to work helping to setup her classroom. I can’t count the number of bulletin boards I decorated, shapes I covered in contact paper and school supplies I organized. Now I find myself in Darlington’s kindergarten classroom helping another teacher put up student artwork on a bulletin board, laminate suncatcher pumpkins and put out morning snacks.
During my first month volunteering in the Deaton Darlings’ kindergarten classroom, I have learned important life lessons:
- Start your day with a song.
- Find a comfy bean bag to read in each day.
- Enjoy a morning snack with friends.
- Not every pumpkin has to have the same smile.
- Dance like nobody’s watching.
I have learned similar life lessons from my girls in Cooper House:
- Warm brownies and ice cream make everyone happier.
- When you dance, someone is always videoing you for social media.
- Nothing brings friends together like a Netflix marathon.
- Washing other people’s dirty dishes builds character.
- And never, ever drink the lumpy milk.
Spending time in the Early Learning Academy reminds me of my mother’s passion for teaching kindergarteners. She loved sharing their first year of school with them and giving them a strong start. I feel the same way about my first year house of freshmen and sophomore girls in Cooper House. I love working with our house leaders to support first year boarders through their challenges and successes. Every day is an adventure when you are in a new setting whether you are 5 or 15.
I like to think my Tuesday mornings in the ELA, as well as my work in Cooper House, are a fitting tribute to my mother and her love of teaching children to do their best, play well with others and to always cut out the jack-o-lantern smile that makes them smile.
