I haven't written about the little first grader who I have been tutoring all year for a while. I am happy to report that he has come a long way this year. My one hour a week has contributed a little, but I give lots of credit to his full time teachers. He's not quite where he needs to be yet but he knows his numbers, understands adding and subtracting and the sounds of letters and can read short words. And he always writes his name left to right. He is left handed and I was reminded of that while we worked on his book today. I had stapled together some pages to create a book, and over the last several weeks he has been drawing and coloring pictures in it. He loves to draw, so that's his reward at the end of each tutoring session. As a former art teacher, this pleases me so much. Today he decided that the eight-page book was finished, except for the words. So we added words. He dictated and I printed. It turned out to be a book of advice. These were all his words. Each page contained one or two messages such as "Always be kind." "Always be nice." "Always swim." (that last was on the page with the shark picture). But here's what I found most interesting. When I suggested we should write The End on the last page, he agreed and flipped the book to what I considered the first page. But this is his book, so it will be read from right to left, with the pages open on the left edge.
Another funny thing happened today that didn't involve my student, but reassured me that chivalry is not dead. Having just come from an exercise class I guess I was climbing the steps to the media center where we meet with our students a little slowly. I promise I wasn't huffing or puffing, but a nice young man climbing the stairs ahead of me, turned back and offered me his hand to help me up the stairs. Of course I accepted. Such a gallant gesture should not be rebuffed. Since he looked to be about nine, he wasn't much help physically, but he certainly gave my spirit a boost.
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