My Heart Was Warmed

There's something to be said for rural schools.  At least, there's something to be said for the school where Dear Son and Darling Daughter attend.

This afternoon, when I went to the school to teach some very cute little students piano lessons, my heart was warmed by what I witnessed.

I got to the school just after lunch was over - just in time for the students to be back in class. Well, most of the students were in class.  All the students were in their classrooms except for the youngest class and the grade 11 class. Scattered throughout the hallway, on floors, in the forum, on couches and chairs, were the little kids - partnered up with the big kids.  The big kids - the grade 11's were buddied up with the little kids - the kindergartners, grade 1's and grade 2's. Dear Son was reading to the youngest kindergartner, Bret.  Bret is still 4.  DS is almost 17. And there they were, huddled closely together, reading and being read to - together.

And further down, at the forum area, 1 of the little girls was snuggled on the knee of 1 of the 'big kids' - one of the grade 11 high school girls.  They were snuggled. Reading and being read to. Heart warming.

I didn't dare disturb my piano students. How disappointing would THAT be - to be yanked from such a neat experience - for a piano lesson? I'm convinced that both age groups learned so much from that experience. An experience that is, I think, lacking from the bigger, urban schools, where students are separated into high schools, middle schools and elementary schools.

In our little school the big kids and the little kids quite often do things together.  Christmas parties. Games. And reading.

When the reading time was finished - I only had to wait 10 minutes - I watched some of the little kids hug the big kids. My heart was warmed all over.

And then, I was able to take some of these sweet, little, impressionable, dear students to the piano. How fun! And my heart was warmed even more!