I was talking to a younger Kindergarten brother of one of my students as he and his Mom were outside my door waiting for his older brother.  It was right before Christmas vacation and therefore mid December. Making conversation, I asked him how Kindergarten was going.  Expecting an enthusiastic response, I was quite surprised by his response.  He said, “Well, if you really want to know… I am waiting for the day when I come and learn something I didn’t already know before I came to Kindergarten.”

I made a habit of asking my sons what they had done nice for someone at school every day when they arrived home.  One day I ask this and my son said, “My teacher asked me to teach Jimmy how to spell his name today.”  I could sense he was a bit unhappy about that task so I asked him what he thought of the request.  He responded, “If my teacher can’t teach Jimmy how to spell his name and he has a Masters Degree, why does he think I can when I am only 5 years old?”

My grand nephew, Robbie’s story, is the last one.  He is a precocious reader trying to be happy in a Kindergarten class.  He was ok through the letter people “A” and “B”, but by the time the teacher reached “C” his patience had left him.  The teacher asked the class what words they thought of when they saw the letter “C”.  Robbie responded “Si” – yes in Spanish; sea – like the ocean; see-like my eyes.  The teacher was not amused.  She responded to Robbie that he needed to learn who the teacher was in that Kindergarten class, and it wasn’t him. 

And one day on the way to church, Robbie was reading the flier on AGATE and he said, “Every child receiving the education they deserve?  What if they are receiving an education they don’t deserve?”

Yeah, what if, Robbie?!  Out of the mouths of babes!

Audrey Dowling, President