Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Be True To Your School

Bright and early Monday morning, Noah and the twins and I went over to Noah’s new kindergarten elementary for him to be evaluated. Apparently, this year, the teachers are quizzing all the incoming students about what they know and don’t know so that they can divvy them up into appropriate classrooms. I am not sure if they are putting kids at the same level in each of the four classes, or if they are trying to make each group equal. But I guess they are making up four class lists and then the teachers will be picking lists out of a hat. That way, none of them picks the easy ones or shuns the troublesome cases.

Noah was pretty excited to be able to actually go inside the school yard rather than just the usual drive-by. We went into the auditorium where Mama was given the usual 12 pages of forms to fill out, and the babies were allowed to run free around the giant room and play with some toys there for siblings.

One of the kindergarten teachers, one who was pointed out to me during registration as being the ultimate kindergarten teacher, came over and introduced herself to us. She was very sweet and friendly, and invited Noah into the library to ask him some questions about letters and numbers and colors and such.

The babies had a blast running around and shrieking, making echoes with the other toddlers. I filled out the obligatory forms.

When Noah came out, the teacher said he did a wonderful job, and pronounced him “just delightful”. She was so sweet and comforting I almost swooned in her presence myself!

I gave Noah a little tour around the “campus” as it were. I come from Ohio where the whole school is indoors in one rectangular building. In California, they are more low-lying with doors that let out into the outdoors, with covered walkways in case of rain. There were little low hooks on the sides of buildings to keep your jacket on, and painted trails on the ground so that you can follow a colored walkway to whatever destination, preventing newbies from getting lost. Noah wanted to check out the playground. It was fenced in and locked but he got up close, gripped the chain link and stared intently inside, picturing his future.

“Wow… I am gonna have a lot of fun on that playground.”

What Mama liked about it was that there was no sand!! Noah comes home everyday from preschool with an entire sandbox inside his shoe and completely brown sock-bottoms.

We stopped in the boys bathroom for a potty-stop before heading off to preschool. It had those cute little low-lying potties and a set of three urinals on the wall. I asked him if he had ever used a urinal and he said yes, Daddy had taught him how.

He paced back and forth carefully studying them. And then pronounced, “Mom, I really like the urinals in here! THIS one is my favorite one!” And he christened it right then and there..

In the car, we headed over to his third-to-last day at Montessori preschool, and he told me, “Mama? I am tired of Montessori. I’m ready for Kindergarten. The teacher told me so.”

"I know, baby. I think you are, too!"
(beat)

“Mama, what does delightful mean?”

3 comments:

Snowbird said...

How neat. I love the look of the desk. It looks like an old fashioned one room schoolhouse desk. I can't believe my baby is starting school all ready. When does school start? So did you tell him that you think he is delightful too??? :-) Let's hope he gets that teacher. She sounds like a jewel.

Snowbird said...

Ok, so where was that picture taken??

Shama-Lama Mama said...

That was taken at his kindergarten! You know, with tax cuts these days, the schools have to make do with old materials...

NO!!

Just kidding... that was taken in Old Town at San Diego's first school, a one room school house. Didn't get the chance to make it all nice because it was kind of crowded in there, and they were kicking folks out as we arrived because it was closing time.