Welcome to Magical School

Welcome to Magical School

There are two rules in this school.

1.      The teacher, Miss Sunshine, must always speak in calm, carefully measured tones. That is part of the magic.

2.      And if you are a guest, you must never, ever laugh no matter how unusual the carrying-on might become. Got it? Okay, let’s get started.

3.       

“Good morning class, did you all have a good weekend?”

No answer, so I tried again. “What did you do this weekend? (Aside) “It can be just pretend.”

The only ‘real’ child responds, her hand waving.

“Yes, ‘Susan’; what did you do?”

“We went on a long, long trip; way down to the States.”

“That’s very nice, what did you do there?”
She didn’t seem to know so I decided to help her out.

“Did you visit relatives?” (I wonder if she knows what relatives means.) She nodded so I let it go at that.  Other ‘students’ had opportunities to tell what they did. It was mostly variations of the same theme, and then Miss Sunshine made an announcement.

“Before we get out our workbooks, we are going to learn about rhyming words. Cat. Does anyone know what rhymes with cat?” Evidently no one did but one little girl was looking among the pencil crayons for clues.

“Crayon?” she asked hesitantly.

“I will give you a hint.” On top of the homemade play fridge were two doll hats. “What is this?” I asked picking one up.”

“Hat,” Susan eagerly announced.

“Cat and hat are rhyming words. Can anyone think of more words that rhyme with cat and hat?”

Thoughtful silence.

“Grrrumph?”
I wasn’t sure what that was so let it pass. “What would we say to a cat if she came in here?”

“Go?”

“Something that rhymes with cat: scat.  Cat, hat, scat. They all rhyme. Okay, let’s say them all together. Cat, hat, scat.”

I’ll leave the rest of that part of the lesson to your imagination as we have a snack break and hand out slices of oranges and some pretend and some real vanilla yogurt to all the students.

“Who’s going to eat theirs when they are all done with them?” my granddaughter asked with a perfectly straight face.

“Oh, we’ll share. I added equally matter-of-factly.

Since this was supposedly an old fashioned school Miss Sunshine sharpened her pencil crayon with a knife and was guilty of letting the shavings fall to the floor. Of course this called for the use of a broom and Susan eagerly volunteered to sweep the floor, and later wash it. (Hey, anything goes in Magical School.) While Miss Sunshine supervised the mopping of the floor, she found herself using the same instructions that had worked while teaching this little sanguine sweetheart to color nicely. Remember to go carefully into the corners, and do every area.

Maybe you should start by the fridge and walk backwards towards the door so you don’t leave so many tracks.”

…And remember it’s perfectly appropriate to troupe over to the Chicken Barn (coop) while the floor is drying, and to carry all the smaller students in a clothes basket. I wonder why they didn’t share their thoughts more often. Too be sure, they had to be corrected now and then, and shown how to color neatly, or whatever, but still, “Susan” seemed to be doing all the talking. What should I do about that?
               Okay, that’s enough for now. A certain little one wants me to read this to her, which I don’t think she would find extremely comprehensible. I feel like indulging in a nap before the next school session. (I’m getting out of the need to read this because she scooted off to get an apple. (She loves her fruits and veggies,) and I’m goooooing before I fall asleep at the computer.