I am a SECOND GRADER!

Once again, I was a instructional assistant (IA) substitute for Lower EL (grades 1-3) at the Montessori School today. The teacher was doing a lot of individual assessments today just outside the classroom, so it was the job of us two IAs to keep the students on task. This was frustrating, mostly because of four squirrely students. That's the way it always has been, and always will be. 

We had a cursive know-it-all moment at the start of class. Among the first rituals of the day is having a chosen student write down the date on the whiteboard. At first, she forgot to write down the year, but when prompted she wrote down "2026" with two cursive twos. Another student objected, saying these weren't twos at all, but rather two cursive capital Q's. I thought this was a curious argument. Even though the figures did resemble cursive Q's, the cursive twos were perfectly fine as they were. The teacher had a similar reaction, and the know-it-all student did not have the satisfaction of triumph. 

Lunchtime brought me into contact with more Lower EL students. Lunchtime is always loud and boisterous. One student remembered playing keep=away with my cap about six months ago and he resumed this game with enthusiasm. I kept my cap, though. 

Outside post-school recess was abbreviated by the rapidly-rising afternoon heat. Students were sent into the cafeteria. The students rapidly-improvised a game of tag that was almost frightening in its vigor, just as my energy was flagging from hours on my feet. 

One girl playfully hid behind me, giggling and tapping my shoulder, and moving with my movements in order to avoid detection. Later, she reminisced, "I used to see you a lot when I was in kindergarten - now I'm in second grade." And she was right! Time is whipping by. Two minutes later, a playmate shouted in her face, and collided into her, intruding into her personal space. She summoned her personal dignity, and announced, "I'm not just some kid. I am a SECOND GRADER!" 

And she is! 

Here's something more on the theme of the know-it-all student.