How we cite our quotes: (Section.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Do you think I'm smart enough for second grade?"
"Oh, Billy. Absolutely. Yes." She paused. "Are you worried about something?"
He told her his story—about falling—and he showed her his lump.
"Your bump is nearly gone," said Ms. Silver.
"The doctor said when I fell I protected myself."
"Well, that was smart of you," said Ms. Silver in a voice that was clear and kind. "You are very smart." (1.5.55-60)
Ms. Silver sure knows how to make Billy feel better. Second grade might be scary, but having an awesome teacher makes all the difference. And Ms. S is one awesome teacher. Did you notice that she doesn't just tell Billy that he's smart enough for second grade, but she provides evidence, too? She's got encouragement in the bag and the know-how to make her support count.
Quote #5
He said, "Mica sparkles like jewels. It is a mineral in caves. It's like glitter."
Billy had been looking down as he spoke, but when he had nothing else to say, he raised his eyes, connecting with Ms. Silver's. She was in the far corner of the room sitting casually on the window ledge, holding a clipboard.
Ms. Silver nodded approval, and Billy felt proud. He also felt a surge of relief when he was done. Back with his tablemates, he sank into his chair, loose and slack as a rag doll. (2.4.2-4)
We're sensing a bit of a trend for Billy: He might feel like awesome-sauce one minute, but then he'll feel like a big ol' puddle the next. And when he shares his diorama in front of the class, he goes from "proud" to "rag doll" pretty quickly. What do you think of this contrast? And what does this tell us about Billy's attitude toward school?
Quote #6
"Ms. Silver told us about the Year of the Dragon today. The Chinese New Year started on Monday. It's different than our New Year because theirs is lunar, which means the moon," Billy explained. "We didn't do anything special at school for the Year of the Rabbit, so Ms. Silver had a dragon party today. We ate tangerines because they're a symbol of good luck. And we watched Chinese dancers on the computer."
Billy paused, trying to remember everything Ms. Silver had taught them. "The dragon can have the head of a donkey and the body of a snake. Or it can just be a dragon." (3.2.12-13)
Okay, is it just us or does a dragon party at school sound really fun? Plus, we can tell that Billy is learning and excited about school because he's recounting all of the facts to Sal and Gabby over dinner. And even though Sal doesn't get to go to school yet and Gabby is way older, they learn some new info from Billy, which is pretty cool. Looks like learning doesn't just have to happen in the classroom.