Slice #25- Such a privilege

I meet A in the cafeteria the first week of school.  She is new at our school, doesn't have lunch money and some of her seventh grade peers are concerned. They wonder if I can help her get some lunch. As she eats in the almost empty cafeteria, we chat. I learn that A's mom is in jail, that she is living with an older sister and a toddler nephew, that she is interested in coming to school to see friends, but thinks reading and math are boring.

Over the last six months we've become friends, and she drops by to say hello on a pretty regular basis. Today, I run into her in math class. The class is supposed to be doing a math lab on the computer, but A's best friend, J, is providing a floor show, much to the first year teacher's chagrin. A is sitting beside her, not really participating in the comic chaos, but not getting the math lab done either. I kneel down beside her.

"What's going on?" I say, tapping the computer screen.

"I don't know how to do this," A says.

I'm a little surprised. A is a bright girl and this activity, having to do with dividing positive and negative numbers,  seems relatively simple.

"Yes, you do," J suspends her show and interrupts, glancing at the screen, where the problem -54/6 is displayed. "It's -9."

The computer deems J and A's work "Brilliant" and then advances to the next problem.

"-42/-7, that's 6," says J authoritatively. "Very good," says the computer, and the screen advances again to -30/5. J solves that one too, and then several more after that.

A reaches for the pad of post-it notes in my hand and writes me a note. "I don't know how to divide."

I am surprised. A is a bright girl and we have a great math teacher. I write a note back.

"You don't know how to divide, or you don't know how to divide positive and negative numbers?"

A writes again. "I don't know how to divide at all."

I take another post-it note. "Would you like someone to teach you?"

This time she has a one word note. "YES!"

Another note from me, "Would you like me to teach you to divide?"

And another one worder from A, "Yes!"

Another pink sticky note: It won't take us that long. You know how to multiply?"

A: Yeah."

Another sticky note: Well, then, division will be easy-peasy lemon squeezy. It's just the opposite of multiplication.

A looks at me doubtfully and writes another note. "OK."

I slide another note across the table. "So when do you want to start?"

A writes again. "I don't know. I 'll ask my mom."

I think about the rest of this week and write, "The week after vacation would probably work better for me. I can do Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays if you want."

This time A nods. Our conversation is over and she turns her attention back to her friends.

I'm so glad I walked through that classroom this afternoon. So glad I had a pad of sticky notes in my hand. So glad I get the privilege of caring for kids like A every single day.

Teaching. It really is the best job in the world.