Mrs. Kenneth James Stevens Wants A Baby by Leanne Dyck (Ch 10)

Chapter nine: Arriving early for work, school teacher Aster checks in on the neighbouring classroom. What she finds truly upsets her. She leaves in a hurry heading to...? If you were Aster where would you go?

photo by ldyck

Chapter ten

Reaching her classroom, Aster took a moment to calm herself. She leaned against the door frame as she beheld the peace, the order, and the oasis of good teaching. A small clay pot containing a Germanium with bright blood-red petals was on the left corner of her teacher's desk. To the right of the flower was an empty rectangular wicker basket there to collect homework. The centre of the desk was covered by a beige mat bordered by a print of multicoloured flowers. The placemat was clear of any clutter. A ‘World’s Best Teacher’ mug occupied pride of place on the far right corner. It was a gift from this year’s teacher’s pet Elizabeth Joy Hall.

Shrines to Elizabeth Joy adorned the walls. Her artwork and math assignments were framed with construction paper and tacked to the bulletin board. She had accumulated the most stars on the reading chart.

Elizabeth Joy wasn’t the only student who had benefited from Aster’s instruction. Every year Aster’s students outshone all the others. During every assembly, her students were the best-behaved. At the year-end evaluation, her class obtained the best grade point average. Year after year, Aster’s record was unblemished.

The sun’s rays poured in through the window at the back of the room. Aster marched down the aisle. She seized the strings and turned the slats first one way and then the other. Sun successfully blocked, victory achieved, Aster claimed her teacher’s chair at the head of the classroom. Aster opened a drawer and pulled out today’s lesson plans. A quick review was all that was required. After so many years, she knew the lesson plans by heart. 

As usual, the first student to arrive was Elizabeth Joy. She and her mother Victoria wore matching mother-daughter sailor dresses, but their hair ribbons were contrasting—Elizabeth Joy’s was pink and Victoria wore red.

If Elizabeth Joy were my daughter, Aster thought—not for the first time, she wouldn't wear such a silly getup. She needs to be recognized as the smart, capable individual that she is not be mistaken for some...some carbon copy.

“Good morning, Mrs. Stevens.” They showered Aster with sunshine. “Thank you for sending arithmetic homework home with Elizabeth Joy. We enjoyed working on it together.” Victoria put the sheet of paper in the basket.

“Together? I trust you didn’t complete the work for her.” Aster cautioned.

Victoria’s cheeks reddened. “No, of course not. I would never. You know I would never do something like that.” Victoria straightened Elizabeth Joy’s hair ribbon and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek before she left the classroom.

Elizabeth Joy made a bee-line for her desk, pulled out a textbook, and silently read as she waited for the buzzer to sound.

When the buzzer sounded, Aster’s students filed in regimentally. They folded their hands on their desk and waited for Mrs. Stevens to begin their day.

“Good morning, class,” Aster greeted them.

“Good morning, Mrs. Stevens,” they sang in unison.

Roll call began. “Andrew.”

“Present,” each child replied in turn.

Her students knew without being told that reading followed roll call. They opened their books.

“Elizabeth Joy, please begin reading where we left off yesterday.”

The girl cradled the book in her hands and read with skill.

Aster’s heart swelled with pride.

A loud noise broke through the wall from Bunny’s classroom. Elizabeth Joy stopped reading. Worried faces studied Aster.

“Class, that noise is none of our concern,” she told them. “Who would like to read next?”

Rows and rows of hands reached for the ceiling, but Devin Morris’ hand remained on his desk as he slouched in his chair.

“Devin, please continue.”

He used his book as a shield and moved his lips but didn’t make a sound.

“Devin, lower the book and read loudly, clearly. Your classmates want to hear you.”

He stumbled from word to word as the classroom filled with laughter.

“Oh, Devin, we’ve gone over and over those words. Sound them out—at least try.”

10 Ways to Support Learners with Dyslexia

photo by ldyck

Mrs. Kenneth James Stevens Wants A Baby

Chapter eleven

Unlike Bunny, Aster maintains a well-organized classroom. A classroom in which many students--such as Elizabeth Joy--thrive. But what should she do with students who refuse to learn, what should she do with Devin?

photo by ldyck

Marie Elliot's author talk was...

Mrs. Kenneth James Stevens Wants A Baby by Leanne Dyck (Ch 9)

 Chapter eight: Do you believe that Kenneth James is making unreasonable demands on Aster? Do you think that it's healthy for couples to have separate interests? Do you believe that Aster's marriage is in trouble? And if it is, what do you think should be done to repair it? Do you believe that their marriage is worth repairing? Who's responsible for repairing it?

photo by ldyck

Chapter nine

A raindrop landed on Aster’s shoulder as she left the bus stop and headed to the school. She climbed the stairs, pushed on the push bar, and crossed the threshold into her domain. Tap, tap, tap. The heels of her flats beat a quick tattoo on the tile floor as she strode down the corridor. Before stepping into her own classroom, she peeked in on her neighbour. She usually diverted her eyes, but today she was feeling magnanimous. “Good morning,” she called, but the room was vacant of any warm bodies.

And what a state the room was in. Books were scattered like autumn leaves around the classroom. Some... Well, some appeared to have been tossed. Tossing books? She couldn’t imagine what would have caused someone to be in that much of a hurry to mistreat books so badly. And on the walls...? Paper hung askew like peeling tar paper. Why the desks weren’t even in straight rows. She’d assumed that the room was ill-kept but had had no idea it was in this sorry state. She felt sorry for the students who were expected to learn in such chaos. Her nostrils caught an unpleasant odour. Mouldy bread? For the sake of the children, she had to take action. No one else had. It was up to her. She began to straighten books, but the smell persisted and grew worse. She needed to find the source. Like a knight doing battle with a dragon, she boldly stepped up to the first desk in the first row and began to search. Her stomach flipped. Feeling nauseous, she braced herself and reached her hand into the dark cavernous compartment under the desktop.

“Hey? Ah, what are you doing?”

Aster straightened to face a young woman who wore a flowing skirt and bangles around her wrists. “Good morning, Bonnie.”

“Bun-ny,” said clearly, with emphasis. “Can I help you, Aster?” The voice was calm—only edged with steel.

“I’m looking for the source of the stench,” Aster explained. “I’m surprised that the janitor didn’t take care of it.”

“Take care of what?” Bunny set the cardboard box she’d been carrying on her desk and then headed down the aisle to Aster.

“The stench.” Aster moved to the next desk in the row. “Surely you can smell it.” She pulled out a binder and flipped through the pages.

Bunny took the binder out of Aster's hands. “Everything is fine. Thank you, but I don’t need your help.”

“Oh, yes. I assure you, you do. If you aren’t aware of the stench, you most assuredly do need my help.” Aster cackled and moved to the next desk. One hand on the chair and another on the desktop, she leaned in and then back. A bank of shelves that stood against the wall caught her eye. The shelving unit was full to overflowing with a variety of items. Aster was appalled at what she identified as a mess.

Bunny rushed over and picked up a lid that rested beside a green plastic box.

The closer Aster grew to the box, the more she knew she was right. “That box is the source of the stench.”

Bunny covered the box with the lid.

“What are you attempting to hide?”

“Nothing.” Bunny removed the lid. “Go ahead, look.”

Black, pebbly sludge, mould, rotten apples—food in all stages of decay.

“That—! That is unhygienic and should never—never! Be in a classroom,” Aster declared with the full force of her conviction.

Observing more closely, Aster noticed something pink crawling through the muck. Was that...? Was that a wor—?

Bunny quickly replaced the lid. “It’s compost—one of our science experiments. The kids find it fascinating.”

“A science experiment? You can’t be serious.” Aster grew silent but only for a second. “I have half a mind to report you.”

“It’s okay, Aster. There’s nothing to get upset about. The principal knows and approves.”

“Well, I never,” Aster huffed. “Imagine expecting students to learn in such squalor. It’s disgusting. Truly disgusting.” She wasted no time in leaving Bunny’s classroom.

photo by ldyck

Mrs. Kenneth James Stevens Wants A Baby

Chapter ten

Arriving early for work, school teacher Aster checks in on the neighbouring classroom. What she finds truly upsets her. She leaves in a hurry heading to...? If you were Aster where would you go?

photo by ldyck

On Mayne Island, March came in like a lion. It started snowing on Tuesday, February 28. It