Bright Points

In the more challenging weeks, I appreciate the bright moments more. For example, this week. If Wednesday had been Friday, the weekend would not have come too soon. However, Thursday, the plant manager set up a new desk and chair in the library for me. I now have a small cabinet that locks! Then, today, when I was sorting through a chart that someone in a past life left in the library, I discovered a box of school supplies: dry erase markers, post-it notes, pencils, washable markers, white-out... A fantastic surprise!

Yes, that's right. My bright moments come in the form of school supplies.

Of course, some bright moments are teacher-moments. In our 6th grade reading group, we spent a little bit of time discussing if the teacher was black or white, initiated by a child's question. First of all, I was glad that someone was processing the book on the level of thinking about characters and visualizing them. Secondly, the question got them talking about race. I can tell from overhearing conversations that they talk about race among themselves. But they avoid it with the white girl. I've mentioned it in non-threatening, off-hand ways, for example, when the girls ask me about my hair. Also, when we compared "scarlet" to "scalding," I told them that if you scald your skin it can become scarlet, but had to add the proviso that it might just be if your skin is as pale as mine. We're reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, which I think, like To Kill a Mockingbird with 8th grade, will inspire safe discussions about race.

Race and diversity at the school should be a separate post, but I will say that safe discussions of race with a person not from their demographic will be as beneficial for them as for a sheltered upper class white kid.