focus...
So when I got there to pick Harry up yesterday, I followed the usual regimen of upstairs to grab jacket, hat & gloves, and then back to the middle floor to get the boy, and home we'd go. But yesterday I got to watch him for a bit.
When I came in, he was spread out on the floor with a large fire engine puzzle. Ms Angela was handing him pieces that he'd turn a few times in his hand, take a look at what else was already down, and decide where it might fit, and began trial & error (most times he got it on the 1st try, but a few got set aside for later).
It got interesting when some of the distractions got introduced...
The girls screaming in the corner challenging one another on whether the bug in question was a moth or a butterfly (it was everything I could do to not go explain the easy way to tell), who decided they needed a teacher's intervention, which required a path across the puzzle field. Ms Angela was quick to ask them to go around, but it was a tossup of how long it took for that command to sink in, 50/50 on if it wasn't until after they stomped across the puzzle.
One of the other boys in class saw me, and noticed that Harry hadn't yet, and felt it imperative that Harry acknowledge me. Harry finally did, but kept on working intently on filling in the blank spots.
Some of the younger kids from downstairs were getting antsy as Harry was gaining on completion, and wanted nothing more than to start taking it all apart, but each time they got close, ms Angela gently intervened, and instead they started handing the remaining pieces to him.
At this point he had a nice crowd gathered to watch him finish the puzzle. Usually this is the point at which Harry either tears it all apart, gets aggravated that there are too many people watching, or loses it when someone takes the piece he wanted.
None of that, just a nice big dimply grin when he finished, that was instantly followed by the encroaching crowd upending every piece they could. Again, rather than burst into tears, he kept the flashy smile going and ran over for a big hug.
Then it was all business again... jacket on (no hat or gloves on today), and a quick collective good-bye to the room, and off we went.
As we headed to the door, Ms Nathalie was quick to ask if he had finished the puzzle - met with a matter-of-fact "yes," and kept walking out the door. I mentioned to her how interesting the focus was to watch, and she reassured me that that's good.
Nice.
When I came in, he was spread out on the floor with a large fire engine puzzle. Ms Angela was handing him pieces that he'd turn a few times in his hand, take a look at what else was already down, and decide where it might fit, and began trial & error (most times he got it on the 1st try, but a few got set aside for later).
It got interesting when some of the distractions got introduced...
The girls screaming in the corner challenging one another on whether the bug in question was a moth or a butterfly (it was everything I could do to not go explain the easy way to tell), who decided they needed a teacher's intervention, which required a path across the puzzle field. Ms Angela was quick to ask them to go around, but it was a tossup of how long it took for that command to sink in, 50/50 on if it wasn't until after they stomped across the puzzle.
One of the other boys in class saw me, and noticed that Harry hadn't yet, and felt it imperative that Harry acknowledge me. Harry finally did, but kept on working intently on filling in the blank spots.
Some of the younger kids from downstairs were getting antsy as Harry was gaining on completion, and wanted nothing more than to start taking it all apart, but each time they got close, ms Angela gently intervened, and instead they started handing the remaining pieces to him.
At this point he had a nice crowd gathered to watch him finish the puzzle. Usually this is the point at which Harry either tears it all apart, gets aggravated that there are too many people watching, or loses it when someone takes the piece he wanted.
None of that, just a nice big dimply grin when he finished, that was instantly followed by the encroaching crowd upending every piece they could. Again, rather than burst into tears, he kept the flashy smile going and ran over for a big hug.
Then it was all business again... jacket on (no hat or gloves on today), and a quick collective good-bye to the room, and off we went.
As we headed to the door, Ms Nathalie was quick to ask if he had finished the puzzle - met with a matter-of-fact "yes," and kept walking out the door. I mentioned to her how interesting the focus was to watch, and she reassured me that that's good.
Nice.
posted by Kevin McDermott at
2/14/2008 09:48:00 AM
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