Day 33 - Volunteering at elementary school

"Only when we give joyfully, without hesitation or thought of gain, can we truly know what love means."
---Leo Buscaglia

Today I volunteered for the first time this year in my daughter's class. Subject was math but I was given the task of collating simple reading books, which I did gladly since it needed to be done.

Volunteering in a classroom inevitably leads me to have great respect for the teacher, regardless of whether he/she is stellar or not (in this case she is!). How do these mere mortals do so much for so many children each and every school day?

And the kids could not be cuter - so eager to learn. This was my second day in a row in the classroom, as yesterday was the annual Open House when parents can come and go in their child's classroom. But each day is equally inspiring. I am amazed each time I go at how different classroom settings are today than back when I was a kid - back then, at least in my private school, there was so much order to everything.

People say today education is geared too much toward testing, but I recall a much less creative and bustling classroom than I see in elementary school today. I remember teachers standing at the front of the silent room (other than her voice) and teaching one lesson at a time. If you didn't listen, you were sent to a corner or to the principal. Now it seems kids are working together in groups, talking together about their work rather than listening to a teacher lecture, and doing more creative projects. If only it continued to be this fun and low-stress through middle and high school......