“Does anyone know what a learning coach does?” I ask the wiggly 5 and 6 year olds as I introduce myself. I explain that my job is to learn about learning, and that I’m so happy to be in their classroom with their teacher so I can learn from them about how kindergartners learn to read. They proceed to ask me questions.
“What’s your favorite color?”
-¿Qué te gusta hacer los fines de semana?
“What is your favorite animal?”
“Do you know what my dogez names are?”
After a proper introduction and interview, the students transition off of the carpet into centers. The teacher and I stand up to prep for a guided reading group. As I walk toward the table where we meet small groups, I feel a soft hand reach up for mine. It was little Danny. He looks up at me, smiles, and says, “Do you want to learn with me today?
He’s holding his special yellow journal where he keeps ideas, stories, and reflections. I smile and say, “Danny, I’d love to learn with you today…Is there something that you’d like to show me?”
“Yes…” he says in a whisper, holding up his journal with a serious look. “There is something in here that is very dangerous.” I couldn’t help but smile at his sincerity. “What is it?” I ask, inquisitively.
I kneel down so we’re at the same eye level and Danny proceeds. “I’m afraid I have some bad news…the black plague existed almost 70 years ago. And 13 days ago…It came back.” He slowly flips through his journal, which is a series of drawings and scribbles, written in black crayon. He reads me his pictures, shares “facts” that are true to him. When he finishes reading his final page he looks up and asks, “Did you like learning that?” “Yes Danny, I liked learning from you very much. Thank you…”
——————————————————————————–
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our teaching/coaching lives we can forget what an honor it is to be in the presence of young ones all day. Danny, with his fascination of the black plague and his desire to learn with me, reminded me today that I have the best job on earth.
When you wrote, “I feel a soft hand reach up for mine,” I was write there with you. Before that I don’t think I’d ever thought about how soft the hands of the littles are.
This is such a sweet story and reminder to be present and walk in gratitude in this amazing job of teaching.
What a little thinker he is! Such a sweet story. Yes, you have a wonderful job!
What fun to be able to learn from the little learners! I love moments like these. It is so special to have a child share their learning and their journal with you.