Four Days with Fifth Graders

Last week, first period, Tuesday morning, Miss Norma stuck her head in my classroom and told me that she needed me for a minute. The fifth grade teacher, my friend Kathy, had seriously injured her leg and needed to go home. I was asked to sub for her. It always amuses me a little when I'm asked to do something. I suppose it's polite to ask, but come on, it's not like I can really say anything but "yes". I can't even imagine how that conversation would go. Haha. Anyway, I handed the preschool teachers the materials they needed for the Bible classes they would have to be taking over for the day.

As I walked into the fifth grade room, my mind reeled--'That girl is practically my height. They're SO big! Who knew fifth graders were so big?' When you live in preschool world, fifth grade is a huge jump, a whole new world. I tried not to look terrified made my way to Kathy's desk. Kids can tell when you're scared. They're quite perceptive in a lot of ways.  But here's the thing, I am an actress ;). Kathy started telling me everything I needed to do--for the rest of the week! I was so surprised at first, then I figured I better write some of it down before I forgot. I thought it would be good information to hand over to whoever they found to sub the rest of the week. Turns out that person was me. Myself. I taught language arts to 5A and 5B for four days last week. What an adventure.

I could tell you the ups, and I could tell you the downs. But the important part of this story is in the little moments rather than the details. This is why being a fifth grade teacher was meaningful to me:

I was able to comfort a crying student when the rest of the class went to lunch--and talk to her about what was wrong.
I was able to talk to a student that I kept for part of recess for bad behavior--and find out he hasn't seen his parents in over three months. He's not even sure what city they are working in.
I was able to explain prepositional phrases--talk about exciting! I am a grammar nerd.
I was able to handle a difficult class--and keep them quietly working.
I was able to really communicate with my students--I didn't even realize how much I missed being understood. And being able to understand.
I was able to do 4th-6th grade chapel. Here's the thing--I really did not want to. I was nervous about it the night before, and I bemoaned the situation to my roommates. I said that it was completely out of my comfort zone, and I didn't know what to say to them. I decided on a VeggieTales that sort of applied to the topic for the week--Humility. I threw in an old devotional book I had when I was younger, just in case I couldn't find a computer to play the movie. Turns out I couldn't get a computer for chapel. I looked through the book once, nothing jumped out. I said a silent prayer, went through it again, and found a story that seemed appropriate. 
It was a about a train full of military men and their general. An old lady gets on the bus and no one offers her a seat. She slowly makes her way to the back of the train, where the general instantly stands up and offers her his seat. Ashamed and embarrassed, his men jump up to give him their seat. However, the general declares that if there is no seat for the lady, then there is certainly no seat for him. Also, next to the story there was a Bible passage where Jesus talked about praying for our enemies and loving those who are mean to us. I looked it over once and decided I would read it.
After singing and prayer, it was time for the story. I began by asking what humility meant. Then I asked who had ever been on a bus and talked about what happens when the seats are full. Then I started to tell them the story of the general and the old lady. I went to open the book, but the page number I remembered was for the wrong story. Doing my best to play it off, I decided it was going to have to be by memory. As I started telling the story, the room was absolutely silent. Even more amazing--they remained that way until the story was over. I think I talked for nearly ten minutes.
After the chapel, Emily and Nelly both came up to me at different times and told me that it was one of the best chapels that group has had this year. Please understand, I'm not trying to say, 'Look at me! Look what I did.' No. Remember? I did NOT want to do this chapel. I was dreading it, and I tried to opt for an easy way out with a movie. There seems to be a pattern. Whenever God has something in mind for me that I really really do not want to do, and I pray about it and do what I can despite my feelings, God works in amazing ways.
After chapel I had 5B for three classes. During the last period, some of them finished the test early and had some free time. One of the students, Christopher, came up to my desk and asked if he could sit there. I was walking about the room and didn't need my desk, but I asked him what he was going to do if he sat there. He motioned to my devotional book that I had left out. I smiled a little and nodded. He sat there for at least 20 minutes intently reading! I didn't want anything to ruin that moment, so precious, rare, and seemingly fragile. I was happy that not all of the students finished in time for them to go outside. Christopher kept reading until a few minutes before class was over. He got up, set the book down, and tapped me on the back.
"Miss," he said, "that's a good book."
"You like the stories?" I asked with a slight smile.
"Yes." He replied, returning my smile.
"Me too." I said, simply leaving it at that. Some moments shouldn't be ruined with too many words.