Monday, February 17, 2003

Dad: glad
Ellie and I worked through Hop on Pop yesterday for the first time. I had to give her a lot of help, but she did great! When she channels her intensity to learning, she makes great strides.
posted by Tom 8:16 AM

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

anxieties
Clara came into our room early yesterday morning (6:30), which is definitely not her normal pattern. She complained of a bad dream (also unusual), and crawled into bed with Mallary as I left for work.

After work yesterday, I asked her if she remembered the dream. Oh yes, Daddy. She was at school on Valentine's Day, and only had one valentine to give out. Mrs. Riley had told them to bring either 18 or none!

What's next --- a naked dream?!
posted by Tom 6:19 AM

Saturday, February 08, 2003

Jesse, not Jessie
This week Clara turned in her first school report. Jesse Owens is the subject of her report (for Black History Month). When Mrs. Riley gave the assignment, she read names of famous black Americans aloud; the students raised their hands to indicate interest. When Clara heard Jesse Owens, she raised her hand --- thinking of Jessie from the Boxcar Children. She was surprised to learn he was a man!

I assumed I would know all of the subjects of the reports, but I was quickly proved wrong. Clara's friend Hannah had Benjamin Banneker (anyone? anyone?).

Mrs. Riley required the reports to include date and place of birth and death, reason for fame, five interesting facts, and how the subject's accomplishments had affected the student's life. After reading a few short books on Jesse Owens and thinking about the assignment, Clara's initial offering for Owens' impact was (I will try to quote), "If it wasn't for Jesse Owens, the Germans would still be, like, bragging and stuff?"
posted by Tom 3:29 PM

Saturday, February 01, 2003

a new obsession
The other night, at Clara's bedtime, I found a book in her bookshelf that I thought might be good for her at this age. I hadn't read The Indian in the Cupboard myself, but I knew that a movie had been made of it. She absolutely loved it. She finished it last Saturday, the night that Hal and Ellie were coming over for bookclub. Mallary called them and asked if they had any of the sequels: Bingo! Clara devoured Return of the Indian the next day, and said she enjoyed it just as much as the first one.

She has read some Boxcar Children books this week, but now says her two favorites series are Harry Potter and Indian in the Cupboard. Looks like our trip to London will be well-timed for a budding Anglophile.
posted by Tom 11:40 AM