Good morning. 🚌📚🚸

15 August 2026

My granddaughter, a first‑year teacher, held her very first class two days ago. She has twenty‑two five‑year‑olds — all brand‑new to school — which already makes for an interesting combination. She told me that many, if not most, of her students don’t speak English, and I think that adds a whole different level of challenge to her job.

She described day one as total chaos, and in my mind’s eye I can see a scene straight out of a movie. She had five behaviorally challenging kids and four runners. Evidently, runners are the ones who just take off out the door. She said she tried to stop one by blocking the way, but the kid slid right between her legs and kept going. Wow. Can you imagine teaching twenty‑two five‑year‑olds, many of whom can’t speak English? That’s well above my capabilities, so hats off to my granddaughter.

Day two went much better — things settled down, routines started forming. She made me smile when she said she’d be “duolingoing” on the weekends. I love that she invented her own word. That means she has a high level of geniosity.

Rumor has it that every kindergarten teacher at her school from last year quit. I tried to find out more because… well, because I can sometimes be nosey, as they say inquiring minds want to know. I asked my granddaughter, and she just said, “No gossiping.” I’m proud of her for that.

My mind immediately jumped to Hee Haw:
“We’re not ones to go ’round spreadin’ rumors. No sir. We’re just not the gossipin’ kind. You’ll never hear one of us repeating gossip… so you better listen close the first time.”

“Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.” — C.S. Lewis (attributed)

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” — Plato

“A closed mouth gathers no foot.” — Southern proverb

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