the same only different

Zack and I were asked to read to the children today during lunch. The students eat in the cafeteria with their teachers, then return to the classroom. They don't play outside, as the playround is currently a safety concern. The teacher doesn't get a break, as someone needs to be with the children. So we read, and provided a few minutes of peace for their teachers.

We both read to an Infant 1 classroom, which would be equivalent to kindergarten. Of course without consulting we both picked The Cat in the Hat, well, who wouldn't.

As I read I observed the classroom dynamic. There was the girl who sat right in front of me, and always had her hand up, or was nodding to affirm any comment I made. There was a little boy, very small for his age, who spoke in whispers, and whose eyes were riveted to the progression of the story.

There was the girl next to him, who was sound asleep on her desk, which the quick to please student across from her was quick to point out. There was a girl in the back, intent on getting the attention of those around her by her silly behaviour, and the so cool with the slicked hair boy, beside her, that was falling for it everytime.

Before and after our reading we were given the task of cleaning and organizing the student workbook room. While going through endless piles of used book, we would point out all the funny words, and drawings that were written on the brown paper that covered the wornout book. " Peaceout", "Allissia+alexandro forever", scribbles of stars, hearts, and random squiggles

At lunch we eat in the cafeteria, and observed that all the girls sit in clusters, and all the boys sit together. There is no interest in speaking to each other during free time. Although, as the older girls in grade 7 and 8 get up and clear their plates, the older boys notice, and feel the need to provoke comment as they walk by.

They live in a world that's very different from ours, yet so much is the same.Those universal things that make us human.