So what does a gypsy wear? Anything that looks the part according to my imagination, faulty or not. Initially, I intended going as Mother Goose. I went to my favorite fabric store to look at costume patterns. Would you believe there are NO Mother Goose costumes!! I did find bonnets from prairie days that I thought would suffice, but that meant a pinafore and in this weather (fringes of H....) a pinafore plus a long skirt plus a slip--oh my! My fabric store friend, also mother of one of my students, then suggested a gypsy costume! Yes! I have clothes that could be accessorized to look gypsy. So back home I went!
It was so much fun finding all the parts to my costume: long skirt with little reflective pieces of medal and tiny little bells attached to each piece, making the tiniest jingle sound as I walked--no, no, not that loud--tinier, yet tinier, barely audible, but enough to exude magic. Then I added a long-sleeve matching blouse--oh, did I say the skirt is yellow-orange? The blouse also but a clashing non-match. Too hot for long sleeves anyway!
Aha! Found it--the perfect top--a little lace and nylon number in beige. Perfect! The lacy cap sleeves made it acceptable (we cannot wear sleeveless blouses in my school, unless, of course, we wear a jacket of some sort over it). I tied a long sparkly brown and white gauzy scarf around my waist/hips to let the fringe dangle. Then jewelry: about seven necklaces of matching browns, oranges, gold, green, and finally, long gold hoop earrings.
Reaction of the four-year-olds, most of whom I had as three-year-olds. "You're not Ms Zuba. You're Ms Judy!" "No, no, darlings. I not Ms Judy. I'm Ms Zelda from Romania."
They finally let me pretend to be Ms Zelda, all the while letting me know they were on to me.
I fared no better with second-grade boys (Boys and girls alternate every other week with Art and Library to keep classes smaller for those two subjects). "You're Ms Judy, not Ms Zelda." "Aw, come on boys, use your imaginations." So they did (but they wanted Ms Judy. I guess I should be flattered.)
One boy kept looking all around. "What are you looking for, Thomas?" I asked him. He replied: "We haven't been here all summer and I just want to take it all in." What a lovely response!
Same story with third grade boys. They simply did not want me to be Ms Zelda on their first time back in the library after a summer's vacation. I'll do this again later when they maybe need a change in routine, but for now, I am touched that they wanted the real Ms Judy.
One final note: One middle school teacher told me the middle school girls LOVED my outfit (I never wear dresses), so on Friday when my middle school classes come to the library, I will wear another gypsy-look outfit. For now, though, I will remain Ms Judy.
I plan to book-talk some of our new books, read an excerpt from Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech, and, oh, of course, show a book on Romania!
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