For those who don't know...I'm a teacher. And I'm a teacher of the variety which is most misunderstood, and thus, least appreciated: I teach preschool. For some reason, while teaching 4th grade is respectable, and teaching English or History to teenagers is noble, supervising a class of 16 3-5 year olds is just masochistic. Personally, I've never worked so hard in my life at any job (and for so little money, I might add)...but I can't imagine doing anything else. As MS said, my students make up for all the crap.
So yesterday morning, I'm sitting on the playground with several children, when one of my older students (almost 5) runs up to give me a hug, for no reason whatsoever. Before he starts to run off, he points at my shirt and says excitedly, "You got (mumble mumble) on your shirt?"
Not understanding, I look down to see what the shirt stain du jour is...nothing. I'm wearing a tee with the Giants logo on the front. Suddenly, I realize what he's talking about, and I laugh, ready to share a part of me that my students don't always see.
He laughs also, and repeats his question: "You got baseball on your shirt?"
"Yes, I do. See, this says 'San Francisco Giants'," I note, tracing the words with my finger, "and they're my favorite, favorite, FAVORITE baseball team in the whole world!" I add a little dramatic flair to my words, and now I feel like a big kid, too.
With some effort, he spells out Giants, pointing to each block letter on my shirt. "G-I-A-N-T-S". He's proud of himself, and I nod approvingly. Then, with a co-conspirator's smile I'll never forget, he asks, "That means baseball?"
Giants. That means baseball?
"Come here," I open up my arms, laughing, and he jumps into my lap to give me another big bear hug. And as I cradle him under my chin, I whisper into his ear. "Yes, that means baseball."
So yesterday morning, I'm sitting on the playground with several children, when one of my older students (almost 5) runs up to give me a hug, for no reason whatsoever. Before he starts to run off, he points at my shirt and says excitedly, "You got (mumble mumble) on your shirt?"
Not understanding, I look down to see what the shirt stain du jour is...nothing. I'm wearing a tee with the Giants logo on the front. Suddenly, I realize what he's talking about, and I laugh, ready to share a part of me that my students don't always see.
He laughs also, and repeats his question: "You got baseball on your shirt?"
"Yes, I do. See, this says 'San Francisco Giants'," I note, tracing the words with my finger, "and they're my favorite, favorite, FAVORITE baseball team in the whole world!" I add a little dramatic flair to my words, and now I feel like a big kid, too.
With some effort, he spells out Giants, pointing to each block letter on my shirt. "G-I-A-N-T-S". He's proud of himself, and I nod approvingly. Then, with a co-conspirator's smile I'll never forget, he asks, "That means baseball?"
Giants. That means baseball?
"Come here," I open up my arms, laughing, and he jumps into my lap to give me another big bear hug. And as I cradle him under my chin, I whisper into his ear. "Yes, that means baseball."
"Win any way you can as long as you can get away with it."
--Leo Durocher
--Leo Durocher
