COMPLETED ✔
"Damn she's thick." We both hear.
I move to step over towards him. Eureka holds my arm drawing my attention back on her. She gets on her tippy toes. I brace forwards to cut the gap between us. Eureka holds around my neck putting her fac...
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"I don't understand, Ms. Eureka."
Mumbles the cutest little seven-year-old. His name is Kyle. He's a head of brown wavy curls, a round face with a small nose, and light brown eyes that look golden brown depending on the lighting he's in.
If I were next to him I'd squeeze him tight, pinch his cheeks. But I'm not so instead I smile and make funny faces until a smile captures his pout from before.
Kyle loosens up. He's one of the children I'm tutoring this school year over Zoom. He's kind, smart, and quite sensitive for his age.
"It's okay. I'll explain it again. Don't worry soon you'll understand how to multiply." I promise.
I went about thinking how to simplify my explanation so he'll grasp my instructions. When I break it down again Kyle went about solving the problem until he gets the answer for question ten.
He looks up from his winter packet and smiles so wide you can see his two new front teeth still growing in.
Thesearethe moments thatmakeme love my job.
"I did it. I did it. Are you proud of me?"
I nodded first. "Of course I am. I knew you could do it. Let me see you attempt the next question."
Kyle nods his head excitedly and gets to it. He's the sweetest little kid. I watch like I'm his proud mom as he reads out loud the instructions for the question. He works on it and I watch through my screen. Sadly with the current pandemic I'm only able to tutor through zoom or Microsoft teams these days.
The COVID-19 health crisis came out of nowhere and shook up the world for everyone. Not just my own. Things I'd taken for granted like seeing my friend, working in person, even something as simple as taking public transportation was affected.
No longer could I tutor inside homes but instead through a computer screen, to practice social distancing. I love my job, love making children smile, but I'd hate to put any of them or their families at risk.
"Ms. Eureka, I'm finished. Look."
Kyle's soft voice is heard from my old HP computer. I lean in closer so I can make out his handwriting on the white sheet. Carefully I check his work and conclude he answered the question correctly.
Giving him a thumbs up. One of the hand gestures I've established to make the Zoom sessions easier with my children. Kyle immediately knows he didn't make a mistake. Kyle bounces in his seat happy I've affirmed his confidence.
We continue like this for the next hour. Kyle attempting each question after reading the instructions then answering them after, then showing me his work to double check. After the hours is up I end the Zoom session letting him and his mom know I'll see them for the next scheduled session, at our usual time like always.
