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children


I went to Owen's school today and while I was waiting outside his classroom I overheard a conversation going on in the kindergarten room. Glancing over, I saw a teacher sitting primly in a red plastic chair. Her tone severe, she lectured her young audience who attended to everything in the room except her voice. "Scissors are NOT used to cut crayons or playdo. They are ONLY for cutting paper. We cut paper to learn the skill of cutting. We study bears because they are interesting. Tommy, pay attention, Bears ARE interesting. Hands in your lap Susan. Eyes on me. Eyes on ME. Bears are interesting and you are learning important skills that will prepare you for the first grade. Excuse me, excuuuuse me. I am waiting. Kindergartners sit quietly and don't talk when I am talking." The lecture went on and on. I found myself imagining a flock of birds trapped in a cage, or monkeys carted off to an experimental lab, or something wild being stripped down and tamed. I wanted to run into the room, wildly, wielding crayons and scissors, nibbling on playdo and screaming "REVOLT". I wanted to yell, "FREE YOURSELVES". I wanted to call out, "Grab your paste and crayolas and join me". I wanted to instigate a revolution, overturning the social order. I didn't of course. I graduated from the school of "color in the lines, cut only paper, and never talk over a teacher", with honors. Besides, my son was already walking toward me with the self satisfied appearance of one recently liberated from study. On the drive home I began to wonder why we can't color outside the lines, or cut playdo with scissors, or sing in class. I am a teacher too. I know what it is like to manage a myriad of young bodies, whose every atom is screaming for movement. I put scissors out with the playdo, I don't have lines to color inside, I sing while I work (quietly, more like humming really) and yet I ache for the child in us all. The child, who like Bodhi, wants to discover and explore, to experiment and express. The child who is not yet tame.
"Unless ye become like little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven."
GRAB YOUR CRAYONS, EAT YOUR PLAYDO, GLUE YOUR FRIENDS, and LIVE LIFE LIKE YOUR ALIVE.

Comments

china cat said…
you're wonderful.i remember in kindergarden having to draw a bike by order of Mrs. Williams. i picked up the turquoise crayon and drew an oval, with handle bars, a seat, and a perfect smiling face. then i broke the crayon. she came over and scoffed at my bike and slapped my wrist for the broken crayon. the girl sitting next to me had drawn a perfect bike, all the gears sketched out and a perfect triangle frame. the teacher applauded her. i sunk lower in my seat. and still haven't forgotten that feeling. i don't even think most teachers know they are teaching us compliance and not citizenship. i fell into it. and all i got in return was a sheet at the end of the year with some letters next to each subject. not a proper exchange. i probably won't glue my friends or color outside of the lines but i just might buy some playdo and stick it up my nose. thank the heavens you are a teacher! and me too!!
September 28, 2007 at 11:42 AM
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