California Educator

O On the Friday before spring break, Annie Solomon's fourth-graders are busy making cards. Along with hand-colored pictures of bunnies and eggs, the children draw American flags and soldiers. There are heartfelt messages, too. "We hope you come back safe and uninjured," says one card. "Thank you for protecting us," says another. Earlier in the day, two girls quietly approached the teacher and asked if the class could make cards as a writing exercise. They confided to Solomon that their fathers had recently been deployed to Iraq, and that they would like for the class to send cards and letters to them. "Yes, of course," said Solomon, a teacher for more than 20 years at Twentynine Palms Elementary School. Such requests happen frequently in schools located in the community of Providing c when parents go o Twentynine Palms, home to the world's largest U.S. Marine Corps base. An hour away from Palm Springs, the area is remarkably similar to Middle Eastern terrain, with blazing sun, high winds and s andstor ms t hat make it ideal for military drills. The elementary school where Solomon teaches is located a few miles from the b a s e , an d m any students there have parents serving in the Marine Corps. This year, fortunately, there have been no injuries or deaths of parents whose children attend the school. However, the stress of wartime has taken a toll on students. Morongo Teachers Association (MTA) members know that many of their students struggle on a daily basis with more than just schoolwork. They live in a constant state of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. Their families are often struggling financially, too. Military pay is so low that the schools are designated Title I. Many students have had to move frequently around the country. They may have attended several schools during their young lives and may be in the process of adjusting to yet another new school. Solomon says that teachers and others who work in the Morongo Unified School District define their role as keeping things "as normal as possible" for their students to help them cope. "We try to keep them in a routine," says Solomon. "It's easier for them that way." Earlier in the week Solomon knew something was up with one of her students, who nervously twisted her fingers. It was behavior the child doesn't normally engage in, and her teacher could sense she was upset and frustrated with an assignment that should have come easily. LEFT: Morongo Teachers Association member Annie Solomon with fourth-grader Makya Bullion at Twentynine Palms Elementary. ABOVE: Students make cards to Marines — some their own parents — as a writing exercise. 18 California Educator | 8-21 June.09.indd 18 june 2009 6/4/09 1:58:03 PM

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