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.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
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.
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.
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