Silver Linings

When the glass is half full, there is almost always a silver lining. When I had 3 kids and 2 of them were fighting, well 1 of them wasn’t.

When it snows, there is joy in hearing the happy squeals of children as they play with small snow toys.

…and bigger toys as well.

When Covid came and affected our schools, my little school has made many silver linings for the children they love.

3/4ths of our students come to school in a hybrid model just two days a week.

Fact: 2 days is not enough. We have multiple 7,8,9 year olds who have stomach aches and anxiety because there are too many days between being at school.

Silver lining: Those kids who need extra support attend their regular class 2 days and go to Special Ed 2 days. No pulling out from their ‘regular’ day and blossoming social/emotional growth on the other 2 days.

Fact: The health of each student has to be attested to prior to them entering school.

Silver lining: My Principal turned what could have been a logistical and legalistic nightmare into a warm and daily welcome. Each and every child is greeted by name and with smiles and jokes. I watch each morning as the adults return to the office with grins on their faces.

Fact: Our school has been serving students in person since Oct. 4 2020. We have had zero breakouts of Covid at or from school.

Silver lining: Parents are not sending their children to school when they sick or even have the sniffles. We have shelves and shelves of Kleenex we’ve not needed.

Silver lining: With no way to socially distance in our library space, My Librarian removed all of the tables. With no tables we re-examined our plans and our hearts. What did our students really need? We went Old School. Selecting classic novels we began reading to each class. No screens, no bells and whistles, little activity, just the safe constant voice reading books we love to children we love….and it has been magical…for us all.

I get to read to the 3rd graders. It was time to pick new books. I remembered my Mom reading The Swiss Family Robinson to my brother John and I, from this actual book. My mother’s name is inscribed inside.

I set the stage for my 3rd graders, that this is a classic, that the book was written in 1812. I was not sure how it would go over, but they were captivated. Their eyes were round, their bodies were still and everyone in the room (My Librarian included) were eager to hear each word as we started the story.

My heart was full. I wanted to tell my Mom and John so much, but they are gone. I wrote to my older brother Fud. We reminisced…and I am blessed.

What are your silver linings?

PS: The other classics we’ve been reading this year to 3, 4,5 :

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

The Witch, The Lion and The Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Gregor The Overlander by Suzanne Collins

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

Judy Moody was in a Mood by Megan McDonald

Grab a kid and read to them.