There's a new girl in my class, Jasmine, who moved here from South Carolina and is still learning how things work at this school and in this community.
Today it was my turn to escort all the kindergarten bus riders --something like 45 kids--down to the APR to wait for buses (which is the recipe for an instant migraine once all the other bus riders in the school have arrived). It was just one day this week rather than the usual five days in a row, thank goodness.
By the time Jasmine heard me announcing that I had "bus duty," I was wearing dark trousers and a white shirt, having shed my cardigan like a mealworm molts its exoskeleton--because even with the windows open it's like 85 degrees in my classroom. Jasmine came right up to me, eyes wide, taking in what must have looked like a uniform.
"Teacher! I didn't know you could drive the bus!"
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I have dreams, you know.
At the end of the day, I'll lead the line,
singing,
all the way onto the bus,
climb into the driver's seat
and zoom away,
without even synching my Palm first.
I bet your mom would let me.
~Heidi Mordhorst 2012
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"having shed my cardigan like a mealworm molts its exoskeleton..."
ReplyDeleteHeidi - you are funny! I adore these charming snippets from your classroom; your students are so lucky to have you.
I like to see you leading the line, singing.
Thank you for this warm chuckle at night's end... a.
What a lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks
I loved the poem, and the story!
ReplyDeleteI listened to an amazing radio programme a couple of weeks ago about a teenager in rural wales who DOES drive his school bus - his parents happen to run the local bus company and when he turned 17 he took all the appropriate exams and now he's the one that does the bus route collecting all the kids from the villages, before himself going in to class!
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