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Little L.'s favorite story to tell is Garbage Lizard, a character she made up over a year ago. As you know from my earlier posts, she tells these stories often. Today she tells a story about Garbage Lizard that gets me thinking. Here's a story about good ole GL learning to ski:
Skiing is a big part of our life in our family. My husband and I both have skied since we were toddlers, and I was a ski instructor all through college. When we moved back home to Vermont about a year and half ago, a large part of the decision to move to the town of Jericho, where we live, was its proximity to Smugglers Notch, the mountain where we ski.
Little L. was two years old the first time she tried out skiing. The equipment was so heavy that she could barely move her legs! No problem. We pushed and pulled her around in my in-laws' driveway so she could get the feel of it. She stomped around in her big heavy ski boots and played tag and hide-and-go-seek.
Last year was L.'s first year really skiing. She even had her own season's pass and everything. I took her up to the mountain every chance we had--and that added up to somewhere around 50 ski days! She started out on the "Magic Carpet," a sort of conveyor belt for people that takes you up a small hill, perfect for beginners. By the end of last season, L. was skiing on what she calls the "Big Kid Lift," a small chairlift that is really called the Village Lift, that has many easy trails to choose from.
This year we've been just as dedicated, going skiing every single weekend. Here she is just about a week ago, skiing on an intermediate trail (I can't help myself… I'm so proud of her!):
L. is fearless and strong on her skis. She is confident and tenacious. And she loves it!
In L.'s story about Garbage Lizard, she describes how he skis first on the Magic Carpet, then a bigger lift, and she talks about how first he skis on the beginner stuff, and then the big stuff. I was so pleased to hear this, because I think, I hope, that this shows that L. is begining to form a concept of what it means to work at something. Learning something new is HARD. Sometimes you can't even lift the equipment! Some things take years to learn! But if you stick with it and practice, and practice, and practice, you get better and better at it.
Oh my God- this made my day- she is wonderful, and you are remarkable! I especially love the helmet made of a ping pong ball, such a perfect choice and the visual made me happy inside. I may have to share this with my students as an example of the importance of having a picture in your mind as you write; she is clearly visualizing this little lizard in his gear!
ReplyDeleteWell, I thought I was impressed enough with L's story telling abilities, and now I see that her skiing abilities are just as impressive. How marvelous that she is growing up with the sport, just as you did.
ReplyDeleteYes, my favorite part, too, was watching L's thinking as she created the ski outfit for Garbage Lizard. It's all about the equipment, ya know.
ReplyDeleteImpressive extemporizing.
As a girl from Kansas ski life is somewhat foreign to me, but every sport has it's outfits and paraphernalia.
Loved this!
Especially her question at the end, "Did it come out? That joy.