Theme Week 6
Chairs that aren’t quite big enough. Desks in groups of four or five. Some desks have books neatly stacked according to size…pencils lined up... crayon boxes full. With the name tag still fresh and untouched , beside the pencil well. Other desks look ready to explode. One small jiggle will start an avalanche of books, broken pencils, eraser bits, and papers…some completed and corrected, others barely started. “Caught being good” stickers are stuck to the daily planner, and candy wrappers stuffed in the back. A run has started near the seam of the new carpet.
The unmistakable smell of chalk dust brings back childhood recollections of being the lucky one to write the date on the board.. Being the helper who got to clap the erasers. The new smell of dry erase markers competes with the old memories. The books are lined up in order for now. A-Z of the well used encyclopedias. Junie B Jones and the Bailey School Kids are ready for DEAR time…”drop everything and read”. On the walls, posters in primary colors contrast with the pastels of the world map. The classroom rules stress respect for friends, school property and ones self. All of the students have signed the rules. Some will remember them always. Others only until someone challenges them. The only sounds now, are the soft buzz of the clock on the wall and the occasional rattle of the hamster’s wheel. Ric tic tic, stop. He’s listening too. Ric tic tic, stop. Very soon the silence will be broken by the clatter of rolling packs, and the laughter of excited voices… Seeing one another after nine days at home. Catching up on the news. Making plans for after school. Re-forming cliques.
The closet will soon be filled with jackets askew on hangers, and backpacks stuffed haphazardly onto the bottom shelf. The ragged hand me down with the broken zipper alongside the Columbia 4 in 1 Systems, with a lift ticket attached to the zipper pull. The little girl, responsible for 3 younger siblings at home, competing with the privileged child, just back from his tropical vacation. Some are anxious to learn. Others are just happy to be back where they feel safe. Where no adult yells or raises a hand to them. Still others are already trying to decide if they have a headache or a belly ache, and can they convince the school nurse to send them home. Different sizes, different backgrounds, different goals and wishes. Which ones will be successful?
Another day begins.
The unmistakable smell of chalk dust brings back childhood recollections of being the lucky one to write the date on the board.. Being the helper who got to clap the erasers. The new smell of dry erase markers competes with the old memories. The books are lined up in order for now. A-Z of the well used encyclopedias. Junie B Jones and the Bailey School Kids are ready for DEAR time…”drop everything and read”. On the walls, posters in primary colors contrast with the pastels of the world map. The classroom rules stress respect for friends, school property and ones self. All of the students have signed the rules. Some will remember them always. Others only until someone challenges them. The only sounds now, are the soft buzz of the clock on the wall and the occasional rattle of the hamster’s wheel. Ric tic tic, stop. He’s listening too. Ric tic tic, stop. Very soon the silence will be broken by the clatter of rolling packs, and the laughter of excited voices… Seeing one another after nine days at home. Catching up on the news. Making plans for after school. Re-forming cliques.
The closet will soon be filled with jackets askew on hangers, and backpacks stuffed haphazardly onto the bottom shelf. The ragged hand me down with the broken zipper alongside the Columbia 4 in 1 Systems, with a lift ticket attached to the zipper pull. The little girl, responsible for 3 younger siblings at home, competing with the privileged child, just back from his tropical vacation. Some are anxious to learn. Others are just happy to be back where they feel safe. Where no adult yells or raises a hand to them. Still others are already trying to decide if they have a headache or a belly ache, and can they convince the school nurse to send them home. Different sizes, different backgrounds, different goals and wishes. Which ones will be successful?
Another day begins.
posted by marciamellow at 2/27/2006 09:31:00 PM
2 Comments:
Hey mm, very very nice. You handle the details very nicely--much more than a list. Strong eye displayed! Ambitous and generous to imagine the kids coming in--that adds lots of dimension and depth to the piece.
And dealing yourself into the physical description--your thoughts and memories--is very canny writing, just what's needed.
It really is all very slick--could I use this in the future?
Certainly you may. I wish I had my camera right now to show you a pic of the closet! It's pretty much the same as what I imagined! Thank you.
Post a Comment
<< Home