Teacher, teacher!

Recently Kevin accepted the calling of CTR 7 teacher in our primary (6-7 year olds). He has worked hard, worrying over how he would teach the gospel principles to the children in his class. Watching him in primary, I’ve had to smile as I watched the terror on his face each week as he faced those 8 small children in his care.

Yesterday as Kevin came with his class into the primary room for closing exercises, I couldn’t help but smile at the slightly bewildered look on his face as every child in class frantically patted the chair next to them, calling “Teacher, teacher! Sit by me!” I could tell that he couldn’t quite figure out how to divide himself between so many seats. One blond curly-headed girl was frantically clinging to his arm with one hand as she begged him to sit by her with the other.

Since closing exercises hadn’t begun, I walked back and came up behind him, leaned down close to his ear and whispered, “Isn’t it nice to be so loved?” As I straightened up, the little boy next to him looked up with amazed surprise and asked “Are you his mom?” I nodded and then told him that it hadn’t been that long ago when his teacher had been in primary just like he was. He turned to Kevin with disbelieving eyes, as if he couldn’t comprehend a time when Kevin had been his size.

Laughing as I returned to my seat, I realized that in the eyes of that young boy, my son had moved into the realm of “timeless old people” where all teachers reside. Half of me was a little sad to know that Kevin no longer belonged in primary himself, but the other half is confident that he’ll be a wonderful teacher!

Photo by Tamara Rimington