Thursday night, we sat in tiny chairs and listened to Lu’s teacher, Mrs. Robinson, tell us the rules of the road. She is a charming, bright woman who is undeniably The Boss. I think there must be very little B.S. in her classroom. What there is in her classroom is very well-ordered fun. She emphasized a few key concepts she’s working on with “the friends,” which is what she calls the kids:
• Finish what you start. Move on to the second thing when you finish the first.
• Everything has a place. Put it back when you’re done.
• You can do it yourself. Just try — you know how.
Focus. Order. Independence. If anyone had asked me what values I most wanted to instill in Lu at this age, I would not have come up with any of those. I think would have said “kindness,” “compassion,” and “creativity.” That’s why school is good for her. She’s learning things we don’t really do here.