(photo by Abby Twarek) Mbali is 3rd from the right, front row, green sweater.
Today we wrote out letters of the alphabet. Line by line with broken wooden pencils on sheets of lined paper.
Mbali and I held the pencil together.
Lowercase letter A.
And then I’d encourage my precious girl to try.
The result…
Then she’d turn to me for a look of approval.
“That is beautiful. I think you have a future in abstract art, but writing is not your thing.” I’d say excitedly and she’d smile. The letter A was not happening today.
Moving on to letter B. Lowercase B.
I thought to myself: let’s try this 7 times for the heck of it – it worked at Jericho and I am determined to break down this learning barrier.
“B. B. B! B for Bah-lee!” I steered her little fist and pencil straight down a line and then bubbled up the circle. “Letter B!” Seven times.
“Now you try. You can do it, Mbali.”
Scribble. Scribble. Scribble………………….circle!
Circle. Loop and a straight line up the left side.
b
Mbali turned to me for approval.
I cheered in exuberant victory and squeezed her tight. High-five. Big high-five.
Mbali smiled the biggest smile ever. Then she poked Laine. I prompted,“Look Laine! Mbali made a letter b!” Mbali stared at Laine; Laine praised her and said “Beautiful!” Again Mbali turned to me, so I responded “YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!”
Mbali’s eyes did something I had never seen them do as she smiled – they lit up.
More circles with straight lines followed and we celebrated each and every single one of them.
