These kids.
First they wanted to know why they have to be in this reading group.
Now they want to know why they can’t come every single day for longer amounts of time.
These kids.
They are so hung up on what is “fair.”
When I ask Why? I am told: Because things are not fair at home.
I say You know I am going to be fair here.
These kids.
They notice everything. They want to talk about nails and where I get my holographic pencils.
They want to know when I will get cooler prizes in my treasure basket (a reward for working hard. I asked them what their favorite candy is. I bought it all and also put holographic pencils in the basket…the first things to go).
These kids.
They want to know if they can have two prizes (-Did you all work hard? -Yes. – Okay, You can have two…yes, all of you).
They want to know what I will do for them when we get to the end of all their reading passages.
They inform me that they want McDonald’s to celebrate. They have already composed their order…although it changes every day.
They want to know if they can eat it in my room with me.
These kids.
They all have stories. Parts I know. Parts I don’t.
I have questions about fair myself.
These kids.
They want to know who has the highest score, who’s going to be first, who’s going to update the group star chart.
That fair thing, again.
I am not going to decide for you, I say. You figure it out amongst yourselves.
And they do. Fairly.
These kids.
They don’t know how much they’re rising above, how many odds they’re beating.
But they can see their own trajectories climbing with every reading assessment.
And they linger in my space when they’re supposed to be going back to class.
When I look up after assessing the last one’s progress, I see why…
They were writing on the board.
These kids.
Love you kids.
*******
with thanks to Two Writing Teachers for the monthlong Slice of Life Story Challenge
lit bits and pieces 
OOOh, just the best. You have threaded it all together so neatly with that phrase and captured their higgledy piggledy but entirely logical way of how kids think things through and what is fair in their eyes. These kids… are our reason to be!
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These kids… have my heart too! The repetition and examples drove home the point. I love how they linger and draw, ask questions and answer them, and construct and change their McDonalds’ orders. These details…
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Fran, their message proclaims love and trust. And desire to stay with you because they have found someone in their corner and they know it. Your structuring of this today is lovely – these kids as a repeating line shares the challenges we feel in the truths of relationship building with the give and take, and then at the end we see the results of working together to build what is there, what is so important to the story that you are writing together. Lovely slice!
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Awww this is precious! I can tell you have built such a safe, loving community with these kids. Keep doing what you’re doing! It’s obviously working. 😉
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Oh, those kids… your kids… they sound like my kids. Those live stay in your heart.
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Those love notes stay in your heart.
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I really like how the repeated phrase has these different or fluctuating meanings. It does reflect our up and down day, and the way the kids are always on our mind, whether in appreciation or sometimes frustration…always there.
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I love the repeating of “These Kids” – I can hear the love you have for them and I can hear the safety and love they feel from you in their questioning. I’m so happy that they clearly stated their affection for you!
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Oh my gosh – Fran! You made me cry! I was with you all the way – “These kids, these kids,” and then the crescendo! You are much loved, and we all know why and the kids do too – you CARE! Thank you!
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