Ever since I've started this new job at Christopher's school last December, I needed to take a break from the blog to settle in. Summer has come and gone and another school year has started. A great time to resume blogging.
First, let me tell what how great it is to work at my kid's school.
Some days, I stop in right after class ends and bring him a warm
ham and cheese croissant from Cafe Tartine Francais. It's right on the corner of the school and it's owned by a CAIS teacher.
We share a tasty snack before his piano lesson then I got back to my office and finish up the day.
Other days, I see him in class and at recess where he is just so happy and surrounded by happy little friends chattering away.
Just watching him doing his Chinese morning excercises or practicing his Chinese characters brings a smile to my face and reminds me how lucky I am to be there.
Then, the kids notice me lurking behind the door -- their giggles becoming contagious and a distraction to their classroom activities. The teachers say a few choice words in Chinese (I don't speak Chinese but I get what they're saying). They shoo me away...again.
Our duties vary in many forms at the school.
For instance, our Communications Director shares the added duty of "snake-sitter" for the summer break -- having been bestowed the Middle School Science Lab's two snakes who had no teacher to care for them this summer. After school, I brought Christopher to meet Strider and Marmalade, thinking he'd enjoy the encounter. I got my answer when I noticed the books he checked out from the school library included, How to Make Paper Airplanes, Origami Animals, and How to Care For Your Snake, Iguana, or Turtle.
< < gulp > >
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| Christopher's new friend, Marmalade |
Other administrative staff help with yard duty and as monitors during after-school pick-up when automobile traffic is heavy. What duty did I get assigned? Lunch duty.
Yes, lunch duty serving as an "adult" monitor for middle school lunch. There was no half hour longer than to my day than middle school lunch duty! What a reminder of those awkward middle school years, not to mention a reminder of how old I am! Those minutes seemed like days. Those kids eat pretty well though.
I was fascinated with the lunches those kids bring to school. I do not remember bringing a flat of rasberries or sesame noodles to school when I was in middle school. I do not remember those microwavable burritos looking so tasty when I had them as a kid. And, this IS a Chinese school so there's nothing unique about kids eating with chop sticks, chinese food, or pork buns here. But that one kid who pulled out the dumplings, noodles and veggies in separate baggies from the soup broth so he could pour them all in during lunch time -- ingenious.
I want his mom to make my lunch. She's ingenious.
And I am inspired to pack our kids lunch tomorrow!
