kiddie moments

when you work with elementary school-aged kids, it opens up your mind. i say this because with teenagers, everyone remembers what it's like to be a teenager. they think they know everything and they just bug but with little kids, parts of their behavior you recognize but then does anyone remember what it was like at that age? probably not. they say and do things that just makes you understand things from a different perspective.

- back in late spring, i was helping my executive director with a project. i had to ask the kids about their experiences at the club. one of the questions i asked to one third or fourth grade student was, how do you think your volunteering will help you in the future? his response, "i don't know." i then tried to rephrase that question. his response was still, "i don't know." that's when i realized, oh! he's too young to think about the future. little kids don't think that far ahead. maybe to the end of the week if they have something fun to do but to think about something 5 or 10 years down the line, no.

- yesterday at work, during homework time, i went around the first and second grade group. one of the kids, little miss sunshine #2, a first grader, needed help. she had to read a passage but it had to be timed. she started to read. outloud. since she was sitting at a table with other kids, i asked her if she could read quietly, in her head. she said, "no." i'm not sure if it's just her or maybe little kids her age can't do things like that yet.

- during this same homework time, if kids are done with homework they are then to do worksheets and then find a book to read. a few weeks ago when i first started helping out with this activity, i noticed little miss shy sitting with her seat turned around (so she's not facing the table). she had her book upright on her lap, facing away from her and she was reading the book as if there was a group sitting in front of her. in other words, she was pretending to be a teacher. it was so adorable. she still does that sometimes. yeah, she's at that age where she mimics adults.

more drawings

i've been collecting pieces of nature on my walk to work. i get a lot of inspiration from her.

in the bottom one, the color is off and i couldn't figure out how to correct it in photoshop. will probably have to buy a professional grade scanner in the future.

creating, again

watercolor and pencil on paper, 3" x 5"

i started this project (of drawing and painting) some time last year. i made a few pieces and then got distracted by other things like job hunting. i hope i manage to stay on track this time. i'd like to just keep doing this. i really miss creating these drawings. i will post them on the blog as i make them. i do have plans for them and i'll share that when the time comes.

mr. smalls

continuing on the subject of little miss and mr. men, i'd like to introduce another "character." i call him mr. smalls. he is the smallest boy in first grade. he comes dressed everyday in hip hop style: an l.a. baseball cap one size too big, a t-shirt also a little too big, sneakers and jeans (his jeans are thankfully not baggy). i'm sure his parents dress him or maybe an older brother. mr. smalls is too cute for words. luckily he does not have a hip hop attitude to go with his style. he's still just a first grader. anyhow, what makes him too cute for words is that on top of his personal style he is also missing his front teeth. when he talks, it makes me smile and giggle. being toothless in the front makes him say everything with a hissy sound. sometimes i don't understand the words he's saying so i just turn to a colleague and ask if she understood him. it just makes me think, "mr. smalls, you just lost your street cred when you smiled. good thing, you're only in first grade."