It is fun for me to see the students, now in grades 7 and 8. I first taught them when they were in Kindergarten, and then I got to again in grade 5.
After a year and a half of the pandemic, I am starting to lose track of them. They have grown in stature and maturity and for the guys, depth of voice and facial hair. Now with our busy and conflicting schedules in different departments at school, I don’t see them often.
Today I did, though. They were at recess. They always play the guessing game with me.
“Do you remember me?”
“Of course, how could I forget you, Nawar.”
“Who am I?” one asks with her mask covering most of her face.
“Hmmm, give me a sec. I need to figure out by your eyes. Oh, yes, Noor.”
“How about me? Do you remember me?”
“Yes,” I say, tentatively, racking my brain, trying to figure out how she has changed and then to remember her name.
“Ah, I’m new! So you don’t know me!”
Oops.
I love that. When my students go upstairs to high school, they stay the same age in my mind. When I see them, I don’t know what year they are in. Sometimes they come back from college and I’m not entirely sure that they’ve been gone.
Oops, it posted before I could identify myself. It’s Ruth 🙂
I love to run into former students around town. Teaching kids in elementary school means they change a lot by the time they are adults. I know when you leave, you will miss keeping up with all these kids whose lives you have been a part of.
This is adorable! She wanted to be included, to belong! A good chuckle.
Your slice made me chuckle!!! Kids are so fun!! I needed to read your post tonight as instead I had some rude kid encounters today and needed a reminder of what kids are also like. Thanks for sharing.
One of the great delights of teaching is seeing what the kids are on their way to becoming in later years…it balances the shock of how quickly time passes! And how the young ones love to tease!