Commissioner in the Classroom! Part II

I was asked to be a guest and reader at Sherwood Elementary School's Career Day 2022 yesterday...What a great day!

Although I had attended a few events there during my 10 years on the School Board of Escambia County from 2006 to 2016--the last time I had spent any really measurable amount of time at Sherwood Elementary School in West Pensacola before yesterday morning ----was when I attended the school in 1977-1978 as a 5th grader in Mrs. McDonald's 5th Grade Class.

So, when I was asked to come to Sherwood for career day and to read to a 3rd grade class I was happy to do so.  Actually, I was really excited to do it.

Sherwood Elementary Library, 1-24-2022

I arrived in the office and was given a badge.  Then, I was escorted to the library where the staff greeted me, showed me a selection of books from which I could choose, offered me coffee and assorted pastries, and then sent me on my way--over to Mrs. Glaser's 3rd Grade Class with my selected reading, "Stick and Stone:  Best Friends Forever" by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld.

Upon entering Mrs. Glaser's class--I was immediatly struck by how well-behaved her students were.  After Mrs. Glaser gave some brief instructions to her class, she asked that before I read the book that I give the students a brief description of my "job" of County Commissioner.  That was a fun question to try and fit into the attention span and comprehension abilities of 3rd graders.  😊.  So I remembered another recent classroom visit I had and what really got the attention of those even younger students.  Roads and building stuff.  LOL.

Mrs. Glaser's class gave me a warm welcome!

"Class, a county commissioner like me gets elected by the people to make a community better.  We work together to approve the construction of roads, bridges, and subdivisions--we make and maintain parks, and we regulate where businesses can go--we do a lot of things"  was my fumbling attempt at a basic description.

Then the hands went up.

"Do you make a lot of money?" asked a young lady on my left.  

"Well, compared to some people, like Doctors, I don't make much money at all.  Compared to others--like janitors--I make more."  

"Do you make more than our teacher?"  

was the next question I fielded from a young man in a desk alone at the front of the class.  "Well--I'm not sure what Mrs. Glaser's salary is--but I might make a little more than her."

"How come Bus Drivers get paid as much as teachers when they only have to do one job they they just drive off and the teachers are here all day"  was the next question I received, to which I responded to Mrs. Glaser in jest, and with a chuckle "Mrs. Glaser--are you sure this isn't a political science class I've walked into?" and I continued with a direct answer to the student  "Some drivers make more, but most make less than the teachers--it's all based on how long they have worked."

As I read through the book, which was a very quick read, I took time to try and make the reading interactive.

"Who knows what this is" as I pointed to a deer in the picture. And several hands went up.  "Is that a whitetail deer" said a smiling student.  "Well, it's definitely a deer" I responded with a smile.

"Who knows what this red bird is called?" To which one really motivated student raised her hand really high and excitedly bounced up and down in her seat.  I called on her and was somewhat surprised when she said "I'm not sure".  The next student I called on correctly identified the bird as a cardinal.

Several Sherwood 5th Graders served as my escort during my visit yestereday, and they happily posed for a picture with me next to their "Readers are Leaders!" bulletin board!

Upon finishing the book and thanking the class for their time, invitation, and attentiveness--and in an attempt to convey to the students just how long it had been since I went to Sherwood as a student--I asked this question:  "Class, you know, I went to this school in 5th grade way back in 1977-1978.  Who knows how many years ago that was?"

No hands went up.  Then one young lady put up her hand.  I called on her and she said, sheepishly, "39

years ago?"  to which I responded "Close--but it is actually 45 years ago"

As I was preparing to leave, I wanted to take a minute to explain to these students just how important teachers are.  But I never even got that far as I made the mistake of starting this statement with a statement of my age---which really caught these students' attention.

"You know class, teachers are very important.   And you will always remember your favorite teachers your whole life long.  I remember my teachers and I am 53 years old......" Which was all I could get through before the class came alive with oooohhhhs! and woooooows!

Then the hands went up again, and I called on several students--but this time they didn't have questions--they just wanted to make statements.

"You're older than my mom"  said one

"My grandpappy is 83" exclaimed another

"My grandma is dead now, she was 103" said a third.

At which point I changed the topic quickly, thanked the students and Mrs. Glaser for the invitation, and ended my visit to the classroom while the "getting was good."

You never know what these 3rd graders will say, LOL, but I always love the opportunity to come to their classrooms to hear it!