I was in my second year of teaching and was beginning to have some confidence in multi-tasking (a requirement of any teacher, especially elementary). My student, Guilo showed me that I was still had much to learn. My first graders and I were sitting in a circle in the little first grade chairs and I was reading them a story. Guilo was sitting right next to me – as always. This was not for love but for survival of both of us. Half the time Guilo innocently caused trouble the other half he intentionally caused trouble and thoroughly enjoyed it. He was the one in the class that I knew I had to know where he was and what he was doing all the time. Now you might think that is a simple job. Not so easy.
As I was reading the story, I began to realize the room was hot and stuffy. I got up from my little chair, walked to the window, raised it and all the while kept reading. Oh my, I thought, I’m getting good at this multitasking. I walked back over to my chair and sat down ---oops, oops. I landed on the floor flat on my back! While I was congratulating myself for my coolness, Guilo had simply used his foot and slowly but surely moved the chair back out of the circle. Since I expected it to be there, I did not look, I had not noticed any clue that anything was amiss.
There I lay on the floor. I looked up and 26 little faces were looking down at me. There was a second that would decide whether we would have chaos or all would be well in the classroom. I carefully got up and said, “I’m alright, I’m not hurt but that is a dangerous thing to do and I lectured a bit more on how it could really hurt somebody.” Then I glared (you know, that teacher’s look) at Guilo and said, “go to the corner.” Order was maintained and we continued with the story. Guilo was lucky that I didn’t leave him in the corner forever.
OK, Guilo made a point – always always be aware of what’s happening in a first grade classroom!
He taught me another lesson too. This was early spring and Guilo was still having trouble getting any of the class work done. It took all day because – he fell out of his chair, couldn’t find a pencil, broke the pencil, somebody distracted him, and on and on. On day I was exasperated. I said, “Guilo, you are going to stay after school today until that paper is done. I’ll stay and do schoolwork, I’m in no hurry. We are not going home until it is done!” We stayed after school and now it’s just Guilo and me. I won’t talk to him or interact with him. But, he falls out of the chair, can’t find a pencil, the pencil has a broken point and on and on. It was getting late and I had finished everything I could think of to do and was ready to go home. Guilo was not finished. I realized my mistake – never never make an absolute statement that leaves no wiggle room for either of you.
My realization came too late. He had outlasted me. I was going to have to make up some excuse to end this standoff. I said that I just remembered some errands I needed to do and had to go home. I thanked him for really trying (and I think he had) and said that he could finish the paper tomorrow. There was an innocence and tenderness about him despite all the difficulties he caused. Some 40 plus years later he is still in my heart. He moved away from the district and I never heard from him again. I wonder how he is today.
We closed up the room, gathered up our belongings and started to leave. I was taking him home. We were walking hand in hand as we went past the secretary’s office. In my southern accent, I cheerily called out, “Good night, youall”. Guilo tugged on my hand and asked,” Mrs. Summerlin, what’s a youall?”
Ahh Gulio, you wear me out and then you steal my heart again.
