per la maestra / for the teacher

The class mom organized an end-of-year gift for the teacher weeks ago. I was duly scolded on Monday for not getting Young One's drawing to her in a timely manner. Oh, the shame! 

She completed the entire project Wednesday after school. It took her nearly 3 hours. I watched as she carefully first drew everything very lightly with her graphite pencil and then meticulously retraced with her colored pencils.

Each child was given a huge piece of paper to create a drawing for the teacher. Somehow they'll be bound together, and the resulting book will be presented to her at the upcoming class dinner. Considering that this class mom is rumored to have presented the teacher (a nun, too) in the asilo with a Cartier planner last year, this is a stellar idea.

I gave her the idea of dividing the page into quadrants, and the rest is all her choice. Interesting. My favorite part is the drawing in the bottom left of Young One and her teacher; we've never seen the teacher in any clothes other than a black or white habit. Never. Yet, she depicts her in a bright pink dress, flowing red hair, surrounded by birds under a radiant sun, arms outstretched in anticipation of an embrace with our dear Young One ... all in the name of amore.

It's a good thing when a child has these feelings about her teacher.

And then there is the letter, which translates roughly to ... 

Teacher, thank you for having taught us many things. In this world there are more things to learn, but I don't know them and neither do my classmates.

I think that you are the most beautiful and the best teacher in the world.

Love, M

Like I said.  It's been a good year. I have a feeling that she is expecting to begin learning all of these things in the world beginning next September, when she'll have the same teacher.

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Happy Friday & Have a Great Weekend!
We've got a busy weekend planned, including a sleepover with three other first graders. (Wise idea? Stupid idea? I'll let you know.)