When you want to cry, I want to cry too.

I needed to write a new post this time because I was on the brink tears when I experienced what I saw today from a sad four year old.  Already feeling blue myself and on the verge of needing a good cry, my heart broke for what I shared with a child.  This week has been really bad for having students away sick with either bad colds and/or flus, so my little friend I'm about to talk about, makes me sure she's on the brink of getting either one of the two as well. 

When she got dropped off this morning at preschool, she really seemed to struggle in letting go of her father's hand.  Something you never, ever see from her.  Even on her first day of preschool with us, she ran into the classroom.  So for her to not want her father to leave, meant something was up.  Anyways, after some convincing from him, she slowly let go and walked into the classroom.  Not paying much attention, I followed her in and started to prepare for circle time.  Well, as I was grabbing my keys to lock the front door, I looked into our reading corner and this is what I found:

Back in September, we had made a family photo album for each class and have kept them in our reading corner.  So, our little friend was making good use of ours today as you can see.  But at first, I thought she was just "looking" at it, like what most kids do.  That's why I took the picture!  To prove that these photo albums really do work!  But, this wasn't the case.  After I took the picture, I noticed something was not right.  I stopped right away and just stood there, watching her.  And within that second, she looked up and tears were streaming down here face.  I walked over to her, got down at her level, and just hugged her.  By that point, I had my own tears welling up as I just felt so sad for her and wanted to cry with her too.  She told me she missed her mom and dad and wanted to hug them. 

Bring out the tissues!

After a good cry and a good hug, our little friend managed to get through her class after that.  Lots of times, I'm reminded why I do what I do for a living.  But today?  Well, the fact that when I was ready to cry with her just because, well, once again realized that I knew I was in the right job.

When the teacher gets sick

Since I have been working with young children, I always averaged two major sicknesses per school year.  It's guarnteed it will be a major cold each time as well.  And usually, I'm able to stick it out.  Take enough meds, get plenty of sleep, and keep the vitmans coming.  However, this time the strategy and assumption fell through. 

Needless to say, although I ended up taking a day off work, it really doesn't make things better for the teacher.  The amount of prep that needs to be done, the final post-its on notes already written out twice because the first one didn't look neat enough, and of course, the aprehension of 'will the kids be good?'. Only once, I got a bad report back and needless to say, the next time I was away, that class was on their best behaviour after that.  But needless to say, it's alot harder to "call in sick" then the average person in their job.  My husband still struggles to comprehend that it isn't as easy for me to call in than it is for him.  All he has to do is call.. no wait.. EMAIL his boss, and it's done.  I wish.  And I'm sure so does everyone else in the early childhood industry.  Especially for those who have dayhomes.. how do you do it?!

After returning for one day and the next two being the weekend, by Monday I felt like a million dollars.  And the kids seemed to have noticed it too.  The older ones said I wasn't boring anymore and I didn't look like I needed a nap.  The younger ones, who were the ones that experienced their teacher being away, asked why I got sick when I saw them again.  I told them because I got some bad germs in my body.  But what I was really thinking was, "because of all of you and your snotty noses!". 

And we all know, it's the honest truth.

My favourite.

Now that Halloween is over..What do we learn about next?

I know for myself as a preschool teacher, I am so glad Halloween is over.  Don't get me wrong - I love planning the fun Halloween activities and games.  And of course, seeing all the preschoolers excited and dressed up. 

HOWEVER, it can be just as exhausting from start to finish.  So, when Friday approached and the clock struck 4:00pm, I was out of there with a huge sigh, while locking the classroom doors. 

Now that Halloween is over and November is here, planning for such a "bleh" month, can be challenging!  Alot of professionals struggle on themes because not too much happens in terms of holidays and any special holidays that are coming up - well, don't really happen till December. 

But for me at the preschool, November is always one of the busiest months through the whole school year.  It and January are my two months that I choose to do a "random" monthly theme.  Meaning, I choose an area of learning (or theme) that we haven't done before.  The past two years and Novembers, I did community helpers.  But just like kids getting bored with the seeing the same toys and same books, I too get bored, but with the themes.  If it starts to become too predictable on what "we will learn about", then you know it's time to do something different.  Granted, you can't have this approach with certain months such as October - Fall, Thanksgiving, Black and Orange, Halloween or May - Spring, Mother's Day, Bugs, Gardening.  They're just unavoidable.  But when you have months where nothing obvious is happening around you such as holidays, then you have to jump onto those opportunities to explore and learn things you haven't done before!

So, this November, we're focusing on literacy.. or as I have decided to call it "Fun with Books!".  The theme is pretty self-explanatory but in a nutshell it will be ranging from types of books that make us feel, move, and think to our favourite nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and characters.  The older kids will also learn how to find a title and author, gain the understanding of reading left to right, and top it all off, we will be doing a trip to the local library.  There, the preschoolers will get a tour, sign up for a library card if they don't already have one, and participate in a story hour with a librarian.  With the youngers guys, they have a story teller coming in with puppets and all sorts of cool stuff.  I'm pretty excited for it myself. 

I do have to admit, Pinterest has been my lifesaver on literacy-based activities.  This week we will be having an Eric Carle day and there are so much fun things we'll be doing just on that alone including learning to paint like Eric Carle pictures!  In a later post, I'll be sure to post some examples on what we created. 

Eric Carle - Author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar

November is also a busy month as it is also the time that I do developmental report cards on the preschoolers as well.  All 60 of them.  Sure, it's alot of work, but it really gives me an idea as to where each of the preschoolers are at in terms of development.  Areas assessed include physical (fine and gross motor), social, emotional, language, cognition, and level of independence.  That begins tomorrow and I am nowhere near being ready for it.  (Along with some other things for work but no surprise there.  Seems like there's never enough time in a day for an early childhood educator when it comes to planning).  Prep usually includes flashcards, setting up a quiet area for the assessment to take place, locating specific toys that will be used to assess, set up of each child's file, etc. etc. etc.  The list can go on. 

But it's all part of the job.  If the kids are happy.. and the parents are happy.. well, then I guess I'm pretty happy too.  Even if it means losing sleep and drinking two to three cups a coffee throughout the day.

 

For the record, I'll drink two a day, once and awhile.  And that's usually because my first one is cold by the time I can get to it.  Always little people before big people!