Drumming In The Park At Dusk

Tomorrow is Johnathan's last day of Kindergarten.

Johnathan goes to a school with a system that groups 3 years of classes together at one time. For example, two years of Pre-K and K in the same room, grades 1-3 in the same room, etc. It's a great model. The younger children learn from the older the children and the big kids teach the little ones. I believe it's empowering for the children and it gives them a different and more accepting perspective regarding a diverse peer group with a diverse level of abilities. In short, I like it.

This system also means that Johnathan has had the same teacher for three year. His beloved Ms. Mary.

Ms. Mary, who embraces all the amazing potential in every child and does her best to get out of the way of that potential so as not to stifle it. Who manages to allow each child to explore what interests them the most while at the same time guiding them to learn what needs to be learned, i.e reading and math.

Ms. Mary, who uses a list of virtues as teaching tools to the point that the children are truly able to recognize and appreciate virtues in themselves and in each other. It's interesting to be lectured by your child on the topic of moderation and awesome to hear him speak sincerely about what is special in another person.

Ms. Mary, who while being the personification of gentleness and warmth, is not someone to test with inappropriate behavior. (I will totally confess to once invoking the name of Ms. Mary during a fit of frustration over behavior at home. As in, "Johnathan, do you want me to call Ms. Mary?" I know, bad... but oh my gosh, so effective.)

Ms. Mary, who gives her students the gift of music and the gift of poetry. One of my favorite things from the past few years is how Johnathan will just start singing songs about anything and everything. Sometimes in Spanish. My second favorite song was a rap song about the layers of the earth. Inner core, outer core, mantel and crust. With gestures for each layer. The full body gesture for the viscous mantel still cracks me up. But my all time favorite is a lullaby about pretty little horses that Johnathan sang to soothe his little brother on one particularly fussy evening.

Tonight was Ms. Mary's end of the year evening family picnic in park. Time for all of the families of children in her classroom to get together, visit, watch our children play and celebrate what they have accomplished over the past ten months. At a certain point, the children gathered to share things they learned a few weeks ago about drumming from a professional Cuban drummer who came to visit the classroom. Some of the kids drummed on drums they made from plastic buckets or trash cans or whatever. Most sang. And all celebrated the gifts they have been given by Ms. Mary.

So I am anticipating tomorrow, the last day of Johnathan's Kindergarten year, with a little bit of sadness. Because I know that while he is moving on to exciting stuff in the lower elementary classroom and that I am sure that he will flourish with his new teacher, he is also leaving behind a very magical time in his childhood.

My deepest thanks to Ms. Mary for all that she has given to Johnathan. I know that 30 years from now, he will be using the virtues in diplomatic conflict resolution and singing songs about anything and everything.

And... I am deeply happy to know that 3 months from now, I will be escorting Atinafu to the Pre-K gate to be introduced to the wonderful world of Ms. Mary. Little does he know at this moment the amazing things in store for him in the next three years.