Of Dots, Celebrations and Students Reminding Me....

...how fabulous they are.

This is one for the memory bank!

Two weeks ago, I celebrated International Dot Day with my first grade students (See the earlier post entitled, "International Dot Day!).  I wore my favorite "dotty" skirt.  We Skyped. We read. We discussed. We created. We shared.  Fast forward two weeks and one day, I am back in front of my first graders introducing a lesson.  Two hands shoot up. I gesture for child number one to share. "Mrs. Reed!  Your dress has dot mandalas on it!" I call in the art teacher, who was in the hallway, and we celebrate their knowledge and understanding of artistic forms.  The second child, who waited so patiently says, "Mrs. Reed, you should have worn that dress on International Dot Day!"  "Yes," I agreed and followed with, "I will wear it next year!" The same student raises his hand again and with a huge grin and sparkle in his eyes, shares (with a tinge of sadness), wait for it ... "But it won't fit you next year!" Indeed.  Nothing to do here but let out the laugh that built up inside me, give the student a reassuring smile and share with the whole class that I was likely past my growth spurt and would not be growing any taller. What a great reminder that we build our understanding on our experiences and his experience of six years has certainly been one of "out growing clothes."  I won't even consider the alternative method of outgrowing one's clothes. At six years of age he can't have been inferring that, right?"

So in celebration of the sagacity of six year old children, a little A.A. Milne!

From Now We Are Six
When I was One,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

When I was Three

I was hardly me.

When I was Four,

I was not much more.

When I was Five, I was just alive.

But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever,

So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

As for the other celebration, I attended a birthday party for a local children's book and toy shop, where it appears I was tempted to buy only books which matched said dress.

Here's to dots, celebrations, fabulous students (and a dotty dress which I hope fits next year)!