English. Kelly loved the class, and she loved the teacher, Miss Applebee, too. The moment Miss Applebee entered the room, Kelly perked up. Miss Applebee smiled at Kelly and ruffled her hair.
“Are you excited to work on letters some more?” she cooed.
“Um, you mean grammar, right?” Kelly asked. Miss Applebee shook her head. She handed Kelly a worksheet, clearly meant for preschoolers. Kelly looked at the worksheet. Her heart sank. It was simple writing exercises for children still learning their letters. The exercises consisted of copying down the letters shown on the lines provided.
“If you finish early, I’ll give you a sticker!” Miss Applebee chirped, poking Kelly’s nose. She went to the front of the classroom and began to write things on the board. Kelly looked over at Lisa. Lisa shrugged.
“I don’t know what to tell you. Some of the teachers keep treating you your age, no matter what you say. Your parents insisting on an easier curriculum for you can’t help,” Lisa said. Kelly swallowed. Her favorite teacher treated her like a toddler, and her favorite class had been reduced to “learning” her letters. This was a worst-case scenario.
Kelly finished the worksheet quickly. Like Miss Applebee had promised, she stuck a sticker onto Kelly’s clothes. The sticker was of a cookie and read “Smart Cookie” on it.
“Can I get another one?” Kelly asked Miss Applebee. Doing the worksheet was degrading, but it was better than nothing. Miss Applebee looked at her thoughtfully before replying.