Teaching the Valiant 8/9 class: part sharing time

This week I didn't have to teach (Yay!).  At the same time, I always feel a little awkward interjecting during the lesson here and there--but I did make sure everyone who wanted to participate got to (I feel like you can see more in among them).

I am still working on the boys, but I have the girls won over.  In fact, this week's sharing time was kind of crazy.

Here are my girls:

• M is a little bit of a know-it-all, but she is eager to learn.  As smart as she is, you can tell she really likes stories of beautiful women--and why not? She is gorgeous! I am a little worried that she may equate beauty with power and intelligence.  She is the one whose favorite story was David and Bathsheba. . . 
• L is the second oldest of a big family and smart but not a show off. She is very what you see is what you get.  She and I trade books (I bring her one a week from a large bag of them, and she brings me a few).
• F is a fairy princess, all pink and blond, she loves a shiny, gauzy white dress, and looks like she stepped out of a fairy story.  She is one of the youngest, and so she is more nervous in class.  She also struggles the most with reading out loud.
• H is quiet and book smart.  She is going to be a writer--writing down all her observations.  She is more comfortable with adults than kids, she waits until the very end so she can walk down to primary with her teachers.  I can tell she is a little lonely.
• K is fun and playful. Quiet, with the most gorgeous head of long red hair imaginable.  A little bit of a tomboy with a mischievousness streak, she has been the hardest to get to know, but I was almost more excited when I won her approval last week.
• E is another one of our youngest, which makes her nervous in class.  A little bit sarcastic and snarky, Miss E likes to be contrary, but she is also extremely clingy and likes me a lot.  She has a hard time settling down, and likes to get into mischief when possible.

I walk in a little late to sharing time.

"I wanna sit by you!"

"I want to sit by her!"

"Can I sit by you?"

I haven't been fought over as a seat partner in years.  I slide in between E and F, knowing they are the youngest and the rest will be okay.  We are a big class, so we are already pushing the boundaries of the row. K is out this week, so there are only 5 of the girls, but the boys are easily settled around Sister B, so I figure they are fine.

Little E suctions herself to my side with a little "I'm cold!" whine and I am immediately reminded of church next to Karita.  I hold her hand on the other side of her body so she won't be too nestled next to my cleavage.  Little F who skipped last week to go to her mom's class (one class younger), but who I made sure to say, "We missed you!" to last week, snuggles in on the other side. Her mom eyes her incredulously, and delightedly asks, "Do you like your teacher?"

Poor H gets back from the bathroom and sits by herself on the far side of our row (alone again, sigh).  I ask her to sit by me when some of the others are volunteering during singing time and get her a seat on the row behind us, but she is still isolated and it makes me kind of sad.  Out of everyone, I was more of an H.  Though L and I have many similarities, too.

Anyway, halfway through, I reach my hand back to wave at H, and she grabs my hand.  So here I am, one child attached to one side, another carbuncled on the other, my hand stretching way behind to a third, and I look over to my co-teacher with wide eyes.  She is just taking it all in.

"I'm not sure how this happened. . . " I mouth to her.

"It's really cute!" is her semi-stunned response.

F chooses that moment to pipe up and say, "We should have a sleepover!"