Santa has immiators: they're Dads'.

Wow.  I'm in my last week, three days left, frame of mind as a preschool teacher before the Christmas break and I feel like I accomplished everything except world peace with my preschoolers.  Candy canes and all!

Last time, I was fretting about our dear friend C, who did not want to be Santa and dismissed any plea from either a three year old or 26 year old.  In addition, I had reindeers who didn't want to be reindeers and experiencing stage fright for the very first time..badly. Well the performance day arrived and C was the most amazing 3 year old Santa, stage fright reindeer became the most outgoing and loudest reindeer I've ever witnessed, and more so - they all sang :)

Whoo-hoo!

My 3 year olds weren't the only ones to let me down either.  The remaining classes did fantastic, the crowd turnout was perfect, and the views of watching new families mingle with one another was very satisfying.  We only had a small hiccup with locating a Santa for two of the classes because originals bailed.  But luckily, a couple Dads' saved the day.  What became really entertaining was trying to either tell their child 1) not to say anything to their buddies that that's really their Dad sitting up there. 2) convincing them that that really IS Santa and not their Dad. or 3) that Santa has helpers..and those helpers are their Dads'.  Take your pick on which one you would most enjoy explaining to a four year old about (it was my four year old classes that were struggling to find a commited Santa!).

Despite the amount of drawbacks I could list into what I hate about planning Christmas concerts on my own (four in total), I really can't.  The list is so minimal after witnessing the kids do their performances YOU taught them and see my families being there for all the same, simple reason.  I mean, we had almost every father of each child attend, even if it meant he had to go back to work afterwards.  Satisfactory? Hardly.  More like inspiring!  It inspires me ..to keep doing what I'm doing..start thinking of ideas for next year..and most importantly, to always enjoy the appreciation of all that hard work!

By the way, instead of getting 18 different gift cards from Starbucks from my 3AM students, their parents all pitched in for a group gift instead. 

"Ms. Jenn! We bought you coffee!"

They know how to keep my heart warm.

It's December at Preschool..

So, you know what that means.  It's only the BEST time of the year to be teaching preschoolers! 

I swear, out of all the holidays, this is the most care-free, fun, enjoyable lesson planning I actually enjoy putting together and implementing.  How about you?

This week my 4 year olds are learning about different holidays that happen in December other than Christmas.  Today, they learned about Kwanzaa and all of its holiday traditions.  The purpose of Kwanzaa is to celebrate the African American culture and it becomes the festival of the first harvest.  Along with food, traditional clothing, and gift giving, there is also lighting of seven candles, one for each night of the seven day holiday.  Four are red, one black, and 3 green.  Red is to represent blood that was lost for freedom (in preschooler terms we called it "passion", black to represent the colour of the people, and green for the lands of Africa.  When I explained this, our only Black boy T piped up when I had mentioned the Black candle's significance.

T: Yeah, like me. I'm black.
MsJ: Exactly.
T: Yeah, I'm from Africa.
MsJ: Yes, your heritage is African.  Do you celebrate Kwanzaa?
T: Na.
MsJ: Do you know anyone that does?
T: Na.
MsJ: Oh okay..
T: But I'm Black.
MsJ: Yes..you are.
T: Just saying.  I'm black.

..Seriously? 


Another tale:
This year we decided that with our youngest three year old class to do T'Was the Night Before Christmas play.  Really, it's just a bunch of growing up toddlers dressed up as reindeer, Santa, "Mama" and "Papa" and so forth, walking out and sitting down with me to continue listening to the story infront of a gazillion Nikons and Canon EOS'.  Throw in some "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Jingle Bells" afterwards and there you have our concert.  My expectations are really low as all I know the families are going to care about is how cute their child looks the moment they walk onto that stage.  Stage meaning one of our block centre's shelf emptied and flipped upside down :)

Anyways, the only problem we appear to be having is our "Santa" actor, C.  This kid literally has the best personality when it comes to acting and being dramatic.  I mean, come on.  When this kid wants to tell you something, regardless of how inappropriate his interruption and timing could be, he always starts with "I have to tell you something.  ______________________".  Better yet, you ask C what his favourite movie is, he'll tell you "anything with the Three Stooges in it."  C even expressed his dissapointment with me IN ME because I didn't have a Halloween costume decided as of October 1st and told me to "get cracking".  Despite it all, C refuses to be Santa.  He threw a temper tantrum the other day at preschool because he couldn't tell us why exactly he doesn't want it be St. Nick and we just didn't seem satisfied with his repeated statement "I don't want to".  Even some of his friends, including the "Bro" twins (I'll tell you about them in a later post..adorable to say the least) were pleading for him to be Santa for the play as he's "the most important pwart".  However, mention to the "Bro" twins about one of them being Santa instead and C being their reindeer role, and you will get a solid "NO.  Imma weindeer and staying as a weindeer!" (I promise that's not a typo). 

The costume is ready to go, beard and all, and we're only days away from the show.  Well, really only one class day away from it.  Sigh.  Hopefully, C will arrive tomorrow and tell me the magic words both myself and his mother are begging to hear: "I'm gonna be Santa, Ms. Jenn!".

True Facts

Koodoos goes to my former coworker and dear friend, Mzz. Mackenzie.

You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

Scissors the Enemy to all 4 year olds

In my class, everyday in the 3 day program there is a scheduled time slotted for "Small Group" sessions.  Here, the kids are split up into three "animal" based groups and it is at this time, preschool brings in the academic learning.  Right now, the kids are learning how to print a new letter each week.  Last week was "A", this week is "B".  I try to make the small group activities as interactive as possible, but repetitive in the sense that what it entails (i.e. cutting, gluing, colouring = fine motor development).  With the six groups I've made, I know which ones are my strong and my weak and so I make extra time for those groups who I know will benefit from it most. 

Today, in my afternoon class, I chose to change things around by scheduled groups based by day because only three of the six were present.  However, the group I chose to do instead, ended up being one of my struggler groups.  So I anticipated the usual reactions - excited to learn a new letter, not so excited to hear cutting was involved.  Although the usual, "Ms. Jenn, this is too hard" wasn't sounded, the "Ms. Jenn, my hand isn't working right" was. 

Two students in particular in this group, J and L, are the ones who have, now had, problems with learning how to hold a pair of scissors.  I'm sure their anxiety towards the task was equivalent to me having anxiety before a plane ride to anywhere.  Anyways, after some attempts, I decided to take on a different approach.  Here's how the conversation went:

MsJ: L, look into my eyes.
L: Okay..
MsJ: When you cut, YOU tell your hand where you want it go.
L: I tell my hand where to go?
MsJ: Yes.  You do.  You are the boss of your hand.  Do not let the hand tell you what to do - YOU tell IT what to do.  You boss your hand.
L:...I'm the boss of my hand...
MsJ: Exactly! 
L: (holding scissors, looking at his hand) HAND!  YOU STOP BOSSING ME AROUND!

And within seconds, this child was cutting out the perfect circle!  Not just once, twice, or three times.. FIVE TIMES!  And while I'm cheering this kid on with a "KEEP GOING!" and a "YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!" and hearing him tell his hand he's the boss.. J is mumbling the SAME THING!  And guess who else ends up cutting out those five circles?!

I was so excited for them!  They were excited for themselves and more importantly, PROUD that they were cutting out shapes that used to be so exhausting and challenging!  I'm not even sure what they more excited about it - being able to cut shapes or finishing their worksheet the same time as the rest of their peers (also something they hadn't experienced in a long time).

Regardless, those two kiddos were extremely proud of themselves and I was proud of them.  And so satisfied too in what I had accomplished in my job for the day.

Who knew telling your hand to stop being so bossy could conquer the evil scissor pair?

Teachers have feelings too

Today I was placed on a "highly recommended" mental health day because of a situation I was placed in last week that I hope to never encounter again in my entire time remaining in this career.  I won't go into details because it's unneccessary, but if you're an E.C.E and reading this, think of some horrible, insulting times you've been placed in - and compile that into one day.  You feel like shit and want to quit your job..well, that was me; enough to scare my employer that resulted in a day off and a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure.

Like any job, you encounter your bad days just as much as you do with your good ones.  Typically in this field, every child care worker can tell you that it's not so much the kids that are the problem, it's the parents.  And time and time again, us child care workers learn this and are proved right.  For me and my experience last week, I finally had a set of parents who drew the line and it almost pushed me to quit my job.  Not because I don't have a solid support system from the school itself, but because of how I was left feeling after a conversation with a parent who chooses not to take responsibility for their child's and own actions.

Despite the tears and emotional rollercoasters you go through, a person who chooses to work with children also knows they are choosing to work with their parents and what it entails and I will tell you, it's not all lollipops and flowers.  We know what has and will be thrown at us; we have been called every name in the book, we have been told we don't know what we're doing or saying because some of us may not have children of our own and "have no idea what it's like".  We have been lied to, disrespected, and ignored.  We have been thrown up on, name called, and told "I don't like you anymore!".  Some of us are labelled as "glorified babysitters"; we get looked down upon because that's all they see childcare or any form of it as babysitting.  We don't have the best salaries or even benefit packages - sometimes none at all.  We change poopy diapers, clothing that's been peed in, and wipe snotty noses.  We do alot of things people will hire nannies for.  And yes, depending on the situation, it can feel degrading. 

However..

We have been told we're fun because we like to play and listen to them.  We get hugs good-bye at the end of the day because we actually spend time with them.  We keep good secrets and bad secrets.  We wipe away the tears, give a little tender loving care, and send them back on their way.  We are their friend who they can always rely on, even if we're over the age of five.  We smile, do a happy-dance, or give a high-five when a child has learned a new skill and it's all because we taught it to them.  We are their advocate when they need us most.  And we know we are appreciated when we receive ample amounts of Christmas Starbuck gift cards, Valentines, and 'Thank You' cards with bouquets in June.  We get compliments that pertain to 'knowing what you're doing' and being speechless when asked "how did you get them to clean-up?".  There are individuals who respect us and what we choose for a living.  We get told "Thank You" by those who we want to hear it from most.

It's all those things that will determine a good day from a bad day.

Remember ladies, and gents, who work as a childcare worker, preschool teacher, nanny, babysitter, or any other kid-based paid position: YOU are good at what you do.  YOU know what you're talking about.  YOU are who they depend on.  YOU will be remembered.  YOU do make a difference.  YOU were meant to do this job.

Tricker Treaters do NOT like touching pumpkin guts

Oct. 31.2011

Seriously.  The above title is total truth.  At least with the preschoolers I work with. 

I remember as a kid this was the one major thing I loved about Halloween - carving a pumpkin and all the steps involved from beginning to end; including eat those seeds as soon as they were out of the oven.
Today, I find for the second year running, kids only seem to care enough about how "scary" it looks and even then!  I got a lot of "he needs to be scaryyyy...witha happy face!" from those who chose to at least be a bystander while I enjoyed the stringyness run through my fingers.  Despite the comments from the peanut gallery, I did have one who enjoys the same Halloweeny tradition I do.

Food's not very important

In my 3-PM class, I have a student who has quite the personality.  And when I mean 'quite the personality', I literally mean it.  Too dramatic for my liking sometimes, but consciously aware of everyone and everything around him.  He's very bright, loves conversation (in fact, with the amount of conversations we have between the two of us, he says that's why he likes me as his teacher), and sings Adele's "Rolling in the Deep". 


He was the first student to arrive to class today, and while I am fiddling around with paperwork waiting for other students to arrive, he is at the sandbox burying plastic insects. For the millionth time, a new conversation begins.


L: So, how are you today, Ms. Jenn?
MsJ: I'm doing alright, L.  How about you?
L: I'm pretty happy today, Ms. Jenn. 
MsJ: I like hearing that!


By this time, our parent volunteer had arrived with his daughter and was kind of just standing around, checking out what L was up to.


L: Ms. Jenn, what did you have for lunch today?
MsJ: I had soup and crackers.  What about you?  What did you have?
L: Oh, I didn't eat.  I wanted to get here early and I wasn't really hungry, so here I am!
MsJ: So, you didn't eat lunch?  You're going to be starving by snack time!
L: Well, that's part of why I didn't want my lunch.  I knew snack would be better.  Snack is usually better than lunch.






Too.  Smart.

I still get nervous on the first day

After some years of being in the early childhood education field, I think it's time I finally do what I'm sure alot of people think about doing - but don't actually do it.  They talk about it, but whether or not someone has taken on the intiative of actually producing and sharing tales, is another.  They tell these stories every night to whether its their husband who just "doesn't get it", our parents who think parenting was better "back in the day", or whoever you decide to share your latest "kid" story with.  For me, it's typically my husband who gets to hear the stories.  Sometimes he really does listen and will get a good laugh; other times I know I would have better luck talking to our fish instead.  I'm refering to an idea that I have decided to go public with: I'm going to blog about my days at work. 

For those of you who do not know, I'm a preschool teacher who works five days a week with children aged two and a half to five years.  I have four classes in total: two classes that attend two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday, and they are my youngests except for the afternoon class which is a split of three and four year olds.  My other two classes consist of a three day program, Monday - Wednesday - Friday, and they are my four to five year olds.  We currently have 60 students and if they were to be put into one big room, I would know each their names.  Including both sets of identical twins.



Like any job, a preschool teacher can have their good days..and bad days.  Sometimes more than others, but at the end of the day regardless of how much coffee I've consumed to stay awake, I know I love my job.  And that is something you don't hear every often.  So why not write about it? 



For those of you who do work in the field, you know that kids really do say the darnest things.  However, so do their parents.  And let's be honest, you are frequently thinking, "How are they a parent?".  It's unfortunate, but you learn how to handle it as time goes on and keep a mental note of what NOT to do with your own kids.  Its moments like that, that really get me thinking.  Other moments include a 3 year old telling me "Please Don't Stop the Music" is more fun to sing than our "Hello, Goodmorning" song at circle time.  Or how about the time when a four year old called a peer who is our autistic student, his best friend.  My favourite of all time: a five year old telling me I dress cooler than her mom.



These are the stories I want to share.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I experience them.