“You were selling clothes at the sale, I saw you! “
“ No bags, no miss? I saw you selling bags. “
“ Nazmeen miss was selling bags, Sujata miss was selling clothes “
These are the comments that greeted me today at our Chimbel community library as I walked in on a wet rainy day. The sale that is being referred to, was on the 4th of February, 2018. Today is the 23rd of June 2018. I could only hang my head in shame from getting all my priorities messed up and becoming the sale teacher instead of the library teacher. How much has happened in my work life since we began this community site more than seven years ago.
But before I could become melancholy, three chirpy children were flitting about. I realised only one of them had borrowed a book. I had prepared some treasure hunt clues so it was not hard to draw them to the idea of finding a book and reading with an adult. We were well balanced with an almost 1:1 correspondence of adult to child and so each of us settled down to read with someone.
In a while more children trooped in, startled when I wished them a good evening. I realised that a small cultural practice of greeting by name, welcoming each child has faded. Relationships begin here, it is so obvious to me and yet not followed by the larger team as evidenced today.
We had a session that was well planned because old habits die hard. I have been thinking of my session all week, reviewing books that would fit a mixed age group yet extend into ideas that older children could reach and younger ones could dwell within and not surprisingly the very simple and charming Friends by Eric Carle won my selection round. I liked the bio endnote which brings out the relationship between Eric and his friend and is authenticated by a photograph taken in 1932.
I had most of the elements covered and simply had to execute them. This was made infinitely easier by the ease with which the children respond to me. I try and make each child’s presence important but I realise it is not an effort, they really matter to me and in that moment it is what they sense and pick up, so I get a relatively cooperative, interested group. I often wonder why this is so hard for other people to grasp. I presently have a struggling team, trying very hard but managing to do very little in terms of relationship building with the children.
A good story helps greatly. This text with its various settings and actions allowed us to shed our inhibitions and we floated on a clouds, swam through rivers, climbed mountains and slept under the night sky with Eric in his quest for his friend and when we arrived at the last page, a gleeful chuckle emerged at the stunning illustrations of the wedding play . A most startling end and a simple one but one that endears the story so completely.
While I remain despondent in parts about our inability to have great sessions in this site, I also recognised today so many good things that have transpired. The room is full of the children’s art and craft work connected to story. They use the print around the room to reinforce the past and also refer to the present. There is a sense of pride in the artwork. The routines are well placed and the children know what they must do in terms of book return and browsing and circle time. This was good to see, but what really delighted me is the story grammar that has become such easy vocabulary for them.
Anjum, who makes her presence felt was keen to show me she has this text covered. She read the title which looks like this FRIENDS ERIC CARLE. “ I know Eric Carle , “ she says, “ he is a character in errrrr… hmm “ looks around at others for help. “No, “says Tanaaz, “Eric Carle is an illustrator, his book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar and one cat book also.” Anjum looks confused while Ankita says “he is both author and illustrator, there is only one name on the cover !” If you peeped into this room at this precise moment, you would be startled to hear this conversation from children who struggle with school, reading, English, life and more. But it was there, I was present I heard every word. And if this was not enough, when we passed the title page and came to a page filled with brush strokes in colour, Safina shouts, “ the silent page” and everyone goes silent.
The MOP makes this happen despite so many hurdles and my absence from the site, something good has been passed on. The children are shifting in their vocabulary and their thinking. They are affected by the program and that is a tremendous thing.