Saturday, November 2, 2013

Ravenclaw


4th and 5th grade fun night.

This group of them, at this age, are still so easily entertained.

We can keep them in the same room, for two solid hours, playing carnival type games, decorating backpacks and pumpkins, and they think that it is the best thing in the world.

And, it has more to do with it being this class of them, this group, than it does with their age.

Because, there are kids here, middle schoolers who are helping, who would have chaffed at this so badly. Kids from classes who would have had the marshmallows in their mouths or in the air, but not on the tables to construct. Who would have had sharpie on each other just as soon as on the pumpkins. Who would have scribbled rather than deal with a drawing that didn't turn out.

These guys are calm. "Easy." Talkative. Questioning. Careful. Thoughtful.

Every three years or so, there is a class like this, one that plays with words and ideas like they are toys. One that examines everything, picks it apart and tears it down to it's tiniest pieces and then decides what to do with the results.

They will go wherever there is knowledge, information, just as happy to sit as to run, and they spew forth stories, words, ideas.

Loyal, but tentatively, testingly so.

A strong sense of systemic justice, "This thing (idea, way of being or doing) is broken; We should think of a way to fix it," and, a careful counting of fairness.

Everything is thought through. Everything is considered. And, if they act, it is because they have decided that it is the right thing to do and the right time to do it.

There are rules to their worlds, and, unless those rules are proven to be unjust or unfair, they will follow them largely without comment. An unjust rule is simply brushed aside, considered and then ignored as if it never existed.

Out of control doesn't feel good to them, and, although they will use it occasionally to test unclear rules and boundaries, they are the most likely to ruefully apologize for it later.

This is the class most likely to shadow and mimic behaviors in order to learn. Most likely to be astoundingly capable and confident when they finally step out on their own. Most likely to write a letter, make a craft, play music, express themselves by creating something tangible.

We have them as our fifth grade, eighth grade, and eleventh grade classes. In theory, our second graders and preschoolers as well, although I don't know the little ones well enough to say for certain. Every third class, up through, at least, the class above mine.

If Hogwarts students were sorted by year, by group, these classes would be Ravenclaw.

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