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?
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