The Box

Awesome K Teacher (AKT) has been bummed out about the k's pretend violence during pretending time. Empty pizza box at our house gave me the idea to go in and set up a pretend pizza shop during free choice time. AKT gave the idea a big thumbs up so I showed up at 2:30 with the box, construction paper, and some little notebooks for order taking. As I set up, I felt a wave of nervousness. AKT asked me if she should make an announcement about the Pizza Shop. "Good God, No," I answered, hoping I could get by with as little commotion as possible. Within minutes pretty much every K (except for the sleeping K in the middle of the floor) was over with me, filling out orders, answering the phone, creating paper pizzas, and making deliveries. There was a wild exuberance in the room that gave me an edgy sensation of fear. After a bit, I pulled over a chair and ordered a large diet coke with extra ice. When AKT sang the cleaning up song, the place was a mess. One K said she could not help clean until she made a "Pizza Shop Is Closed" sign. Despite the disastrous mess, I thought her plan was fairly reasonable. AKT came over while I was under a table gathering up glue stick caps and said, "You have such a calming effect here."

I felt sorry for the AKT when she said that.