Peter

I love Peter. Peter probably has A.D.D. or something, or he's just amazing, I'm not sure. Peter's the kid on the slide, marching to the beat of a different drummer. He can't sit still in class, really he can't ever stay in his seat, really if his seat isn't being used as some sort of weapon or a fort I'm happy. Peter's the kind of kid you hand something to at the beginning of class and let him destroy it, just so he's occupied. I wouldn't call him a terror, more a riot.

As I go down my row of students with picture card in hand as Chinese students dutifully recite their memorized English word, I typically come to Peter and he's maybe laying on the floor under a table looking up at me or hiding behind his chair or on the other side of the room playing with something he shouldn't be. When he's on the floor, or under a table, I show him the picture card, he says the word, and we're both happy. Peter's the kid who tried to push me over those ledges at the old Summer Palace. He's the kid who literally bounces off walls. And he's the kid walking up the slide. That really captures him so well... off doing something funny, something he's not supposed to be doing, and something that makes me oh so jealous.

This one's for Peter.