Small Tokens of Connection

Today I lined up with the teachers from my school to pass out materials for each of the kids to finish the school year at home. It was exciting to see each other, and then have family after family roll through our roadside pick-up station as we cheered them on. But when the last of the cars drove through for the students' packets, there was nothing to do but pack up and accept that this may the last we're together like this for a long while.

I've been zooming twice a week with each of the five-year-olds I taught together in the afternoons up until a few weeks ago. It's crazy going directly from one session to the next, dropping in on each student at home to engage them with an on-screen activity, which then ends just as suddenly with finding myself on my couch not sure what to do next. We've been drawing together using screen-shared step-by-step instructions, which works well even for the ones it's been difficult to keep on task in the classroom. They're probably happy to engage with anything involving someone outside their family right now! It can be frustrating at times, though, like when I couldn't show one of them how to fold a paper as the instructions were showing, or when one boy decided to show me how he could climb up a door frame rather than sit and talk to me. But what can you do? It's good to see them and fun to get a glimpse of who they are at home.

Also I can show them more of who I am at home. One student, who always asks about having a class party at my house, I took on a virtual tour of it, including the garden. I showed another student, whose obsession of the week was policemen, around my Crown Vic (otherwise known as The Officer). I happened to show one of them a felting project I've been working on, and she directly asked if I could make a unicorn--a rainbow unicorn, actually. She requested I have it done on the following day. I said it may take me a little longer, but it sounded doable.

Step 1: Stick felt marshmallows together for all the necessary parts

Step 2: Keep defining it till it's somewhere between a dog and a goat.

Step 4: Pick colors of the rainbow, argue with husband who is a designer about what colors are essential to a rainbow and what is purple and why, until you come to see his point. 

Step 4: Add on a horn and eyes and hooves and a special prayer that this will survive at least a week in the possession of a five year old girl!

I finished it up last night so I could add it to her packet to take home today. I was anticipating that she'd receive it with her typical over-the-top expressions of joy and amazement. However, when she rolled up to the curb in her backseat booster, she solemnly held out a necklace for her morning teacher, and a bracelet for me. It was clear that the news of extending school closure through the rest of the year was not what she'd been hoping for. I had her open the box with the unicorn, which although it could not make up for the disappointment she was feeling, seemed to lend some comfort as she rubbed its mane with her thumb. In any case, I felt the same about my bracelet, which I wore home.