Last Thursday, I went out to check on Stay and Play recess after our "lack of supervision issue" from the previous week. I wandered out, and around the playground. I watched a tiny wild first grader try really hard to slide bottom down on the slide, without any part of his body really touching any part of the plastic. I think he was having a fantastic time and was safe as far as I could tell so I walked on. I saw some superman flight from a little girl whose feet and/or rear end should have been touching the seat of the twirly toy, but weren't. I thought about the crazy world we live in where playing tag is outlawed on the playground, and then walked over to stand with a teacher friend while keeping a scanning view of the whole scene.
As we chatted about ... I don't remember... ELD assessments or collaborative team meetings or maybe the bloody crash of 3rd grader and pole at last week's recess... a fantastic teacher came bounding out of the double doors at the end of my hallway.
She was wearing a forties style tan stocking hat with a gigantic flower on the left side pulled low over her ears. Her blonde hair curled up around the brim, bouncing just like the ball that passed between boys. She was crouched low to keep eye contact with the twins who were playing basketball. Her long coat hung over her plaid pants, stretched wide like her arms ready to capture that ball should it try to fly through the air past her. My friend burst onto the playground ready to play! No wonder those kids love her. I think some teachers know they are fantastic, but I'm not so sure she is one of these. I have to remember to tell her that I know she is, and so does the after school Stay and Play recess basketball team!
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