Reader of the Day

As I walked in the room, Gwen looked surprised, then pleased, then completely joyful! With a little yip, and a yell of "MOM!", she barrelled past the crowd of her classmates and slammed into me in a full-contact hug. We've been talking about not doing the throw yourself at someone, so you almost knock them over hugs so much; but I'm not upset by it this time - not when it comes from a place of real happiness instead of a mischievousness.

Gwen's teacher, Ms. M, gives me a warm smile and invites me into the room. Gwen's classmates stream over to the reading corner and take their seat, ready and waiting. I drop to the floor behind them, in my best "criss-cross applesauce" seat, and give her an encouraging look.

"Red or Blue, I Like You," she reads the title to begin. Bolstered by the surprise, and relaxing in the knowledge that she's done the work to be ready, she makes her way naturally through the story, pausing to show the pictures on each page before moving on.

Only when she finishes the last page do her classmates start to move again. Hands shoot into the air, confusing me for a moment.

"You read fluidly!"

Ahhh, questions and comments time.

"Why did you chose this book?"  "What was the author trying to say?"

She took a moment before answering or responding, sometimes looking to Ms. M for confirmation. They ask for responses from her classmates as well. "I loved when they ate spaghetti, because I LOVE spaghetti!"

When everything is answered, they give a round of applause. A literal one, with hands clapping in circles, and Gwen beams in a happy, bashful way. She brings her book to put in her backpack, as she walks me to the door, where she hugs and kisses me goodbye. Its only a little over an hour until I pick her up at the end of the day, but we say good bye the same as if its for all day.

As I walk home, I feel content and loved, and I know that Gwen is feeling the same back in her classroom. I hope she can always be made so happy just by my surprise appearance.