Team8s and Counting

81. A New Teaching Adventure

As summer came to a close, the first day of a new year for preschoolers finally arrived. This meant new groups of children for Saw and Gaty to teach and play with.

Usually, Saw would be excited for this new group of children, and she was. However, this year, Saw was faced with a new task: Thread. She had been preparing to have her in her class all summer, and was thrilled to be teaching her this year, but she knew the day would come where she would have to explain to a dozen or so 2-3 year olds why she was in a wheelchair and how to be respectful to her. That day was today, and Saw could not have been more nervous.

The throuple was in their car with Thread, while Saw and Gaty were already at the school, ready for the arrival of their new students. Gaty was about to head off to her classroom to get ready, but she knew the task Saw was about to face and wanted her to give her some words of encouragement.

"Hey Saw," Gaty whispered into her ear, right before the two went their separate ways.

"What?" Saw whispered back.

Gaty gave Saw a peck on the check, "you got this, Thread is going to love having you as a teacher!"

Saw smiled, as the two of them made their way to their respective classrooms.

After what felt like hours, but wasn't more than around 30 minutes, the children started arriving one by one. Saw could feel her nerves start to treble, but kept her composure as her and Mr. Key greeted each student one by one as they entered the classroom.

Eventually, Saw could hear the sound of Thread's wheelchair moving across the hallway of the school. She decided to poke her head out the door, and Saw that Pin was pushing her into the classroom. Once Pin saw Saw, she smiled, as her and Thread made their way into the classroom.

Saw put a smile, "Hey Thread, are you ready for your first day?"

Thread nodded, "I'm really excited, Auntie Saw!"

Saw laughed, "That will be Ms. Blades once we enter the door!"

Thread chuckled back at her, "Sure then, Ms. Pickets!"

Pin smiled, excited to see her daughter so happy, "Thank you so much for doing this Saw."

Saw was touched, "It's nothing Pin, I love hanging out with her!"

Pin then let go of the wheelchair, handing it to Saw, "Just remember what we talked about, okay?"

Saw nodded, "I know! I'll see you later, Pin!"

Pin made her way out of the school and back to the car, as Saw was just about ready to start class. Her and Mr. Key gathered all of the kids around the carpet, introducing herself and Mr. Key to all of the children once more.

The children were mostly excited, as they went around and introduced themselves to their classmates. Saw made sure to take another mental note of everyone's name, so she could keep everyone and everything in order for the rest of the day.

Then, it was time for Thread to introduce herself. While all the other kids were on the carpet, she was still in her wheelchair, creating a bit of a physical barrier between her and the other kids. It obviously didn't take long for the other children to notice that their was something unusual about this girl, but they didn't make any comments.

Thread took a deap breath, "Hello! My name is Thread! It's nice to meet you all!"

"Hello Thread!" The students said in unison.

Before the students could say anything else, Saw decided it was time to address the elephant in the room, "Alright everyone, let's talk about something important," Saw began, her voice calm and reassuring. "You might have noticed that Thread uses a wheelchair. Can anyone tell me what a wheelchair is for?"

A few hands went up, and Saw pointed to a little boy. "It's for people who can't walk," he said confidently.

"That's right," Saw nodded. "Thread uses a wheelchair to help her get around because her legs work differently than ours. But just like all of you, she loves to play, learn, and make new friends."

Thread smiled at her classmates, feeling a bit more at ease. Saw continued, "It's important to be kind and respectful to everyone, including Thread. Does anyone have any questions about Thread's wheelchair?"

A girl named raised her hand. "Can we play with Thread even if she's in a wheelchair?"

"Of course, you can," Saw said warmly. "Thread can do almost everything you can do. Sometimes, we might need to make small changes to include her, but that's what makes us a great team. We help each other."

Thread nodded enthusiastically. "I love playing and learning new things, and I can't wait to do all of that with you!"

The children seemed satisfied with the explanation, and Saw could see their curiosity turning into acceptance and understanding. Mr. Key joined in, saying, "Remember, the most important thing is to be kind to each other and have fun learning together."

With the introductions out of the way, the children moved on to their morning activities. Saw kept a close eye on Thread, making sure she was included in everything. To her delight, Thread quickly became a favorite among the kids. They asked her questions about her wheelchair and included her in their games, just as Saw had hoped.

As the morning progressed, Saw felt her initial nerves dissipate. The children were adapting well, and Thread was thriving. She even saw Gaty peek into the classroom a few times, giving her a wink and a reassuring smile.

During a quiet moment, Thread wheeled over to Saw and whispered, "Thanks, Auntie Saw. I mean, Ms. Blades."

Saw chuckled, bending down to give Thread a gentle hug. "You're doing great, Thread. I'm so proud of you."

Thread beamed, her confidence growing with each passing minute. The first day of preschool was turning out to be a success, not just for Thread, but for Saw as well. She felt a deep sense of accomplishment and knew that this year would be full of growth, not just for her niece, but for all of them.

As the day drew to a close, parents began arriving to pick up their children. Pin was among the first, her face lighting up when she saw Thread surrounded by new friends, chatting happily. She approached Saw, who was tidying up the classroom.

"How did it go?" Pin asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Saw smiled, glancing over at Thread. "It went wonderfully. The kids were curious but kind, and Thread did an amazing job. She's already made a lot of new friends."

Pin's eyes welled up with tears of happiness. "Thank you, Saw. I knew you were the right person for this."

Saw hugged her friend tightly. "She's a special kid, Pin. We're going to have a great year."

As they watched Thread say goodbye to her new friends and roll over to join them, Saw felt a sense of fulfillment. It wasn't just about teaching; it was about creating a space where every child, no matter their differences, could feel accepted and loved. And today was just the beginning.

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Hey friends! Honestly, each time I write Saw, she becomes closer and closer to my top choice for the rejoin (if they could get rid of the freaking 8 gag that would seal it for me), but yeah, she was done dirty :(. I love writing her tho! Anyways, hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

- Sunny