once a week i volunteer in my kid's classes at school.  one because i have to, they attend a school that requires parent participation and we have an assigned work day in the classroom.  two because i absolutely love being in school with my kids, if it wasn't required i would still be there.  i love their school.  here is my quick shout out to MCEP. 

Marysville Cooperative Education Program:  is a public school within the Marysville school district that is housed at Quil Ceda Elementary.  we follow the same curriculum as any other marysville grade school, but there is a huge focus on parent involvement.  there are a few requirements: you have to put in two and half hours of volunteer time per kid per week, attend a mandatory monthly parent meeting and attend two field trips per kid during the school year.  so there are the basics.  here is my thought on a school like this, from your child's first day of school you are showing and telling them that their education is important.  you are wanting to see your child succeed and are willing to sacrifice to help them be successful.  i personally believe that this is a HUGE message to the children of this program.

unfortunately our school has a poor reputation as being a school for the priviledged or rich kids.  this is completely false.  i am a single mother who works (outside of the home), i give up a day of work (and pay) to be a part of this program.  a good portion of the parents of this school work outside of the home, some are two parent homes, single parent homes, blended families what have you.  we are just a group of parents who want to be involved in our kids education.  i could go on and on about our school, but funny things happen at school and i just have to share!

so tuesdays are my work day.  i spend the first half of the day in my son's classroom, he is in 1st grade and the second half of the day in my daughter's 3rd grade classroom.  i am the parent who sits on the floor during general instruction time or a lesson, i raise my hand to answer the questions (sometimes i even get called on), i sit at an empty work station (there always seems to be a kid missing) and do the work that is assigned.  i am a 34 year old woman repeating elementary school!  i am a complete disruption to the poor teachers that get my kids in their class, but i am disruption most places i go.

in 1st grade the writing assignment is a multiple day project, but today was list 5 facts about me.  so true to form, i am participating, well that is what i call it.   "Mrs. Wolff read mine."  i scan her card (they are writing their facts on notecards), 1st grade penmanship/grammar is atrocious.  the words are misspelled (a huge pet peeve of mine), the sentences jump around, oh my word it is just torture to read their work, but this cherubs work is pretty good.  so i scan her card and read it out loud to her, changing her facts to something totally off the wall and ridiculous.  i can see her over the card and her mouth has dropped open, her precious eyes are popping out of her head behind her glasses (which now they look enormous but still precious), and she has thrown her hands up in the air in disbelief.  she whips her curly head around to get some assistance from her teacher who is across the room, but the teacher is giggling (the teacher and i are really good friends), this is just another day with flo in the classroom.  i hand her card back and give her a huge hug, "those are great facts.  thank you for sharing them with me."  hee hee another bites the dust.  ok ok this may be cruel, but we are halfway through the year and by now i have spent enough time with these kids that i know which ones i can mess with and they are used to my antics. 

so i am standing next to this other kiddo who is working very hard on his paper.  now this kid is very quiet, not sure if i have ever had a conversation with him, but he is always on task, turns in his work and doesn't create any chaos in the classroom.  he looks up at me and says, " i really like your hair today."  "wow, thanks."  "it looks different than usual"  "yep, it is curly, i have naturally curly hair. i iron it everyday."  you could tell that he was pondering what i was saying, tyring to make sense of this crayz idea of  "ironing your hair" and he says, "well i like it this way."  oh my goodness i wanted to take him home.  nothing like a 7 year old to make your day.

i just love being in class with the little critters.  sometimes they drive me absolutely insane and i can't wait to get out of there and other days i don't want to leave.  i couldn't imagine being a teacher, having to manage a classroom everyday and attempt to teach them something, praying that it is sinking in.  i commend the teachers for the time, patience and joy they bring to each of the kid's lives.  i do think it is an absolute priviledge to be in school with my  kids and thank you to the teachers that put up with my antics at school.  you know i was a really good student and never made trouble, not sure why i do now?  hmmmm.....