Preparations

Over the past two months I have assisted the cooperating teacher with some preparations for getting her class ready for the next day. 

 

What I usually am in charge of is seeing that our early morning Language Arts materials are all ready to go.There are SO MANY different materials that this program requires: Picture cards, letter cards, tracing cards, game boards, worksheets, flashcards....
I go through many different file folders and tubs to get all of the materials in order for my group, and then I do the same thing for the teacher's group.

Come language arts time, it can be overwhelming...trying to cram all those mediums into those little 5 year old heads!

 

  (Side note: I don't know if its just me, but repetition has always been most effective for me!  When I am constantly changing from different cards and papers and games and worksheets, the kids seem to get antsy and lose focus... I think keeping it simple would be more effective!)

 

I also help the teacher clean and sanitize all of the tables and chairs, hang up and take down the students artwork in the halls, and run copies in the copy center.

 

Sometimes I wonder how teachers do it all when they don't have an aid in their classroom, or a volunteer!!  That could get so overwhelming!

Exceptional Students

After reading about ADHD and learning disabilities, it is hard to pinpoint if these little kids are dealing with a chemical imbalance...or just normal 5 year old concentration issues!

It's so common for these little kindergartners to lose focus, or focus on many things all at once!  They can be day dreaming, or jumping up in down instead of sitting quietly in their seats.

At this young age they are still learning HOW TO LEARN.  They are learning what it is like to be in a classroom for multiple hours at a time.  They are learning what its like to sit at a table, work with others, how to share, and how to listen and follow directions...it can be tiring!

The last week of January we were teaching the students all about Groundhog Day that was coming up.  By the end of the day the kids were getting restless.  I was working with a group of students at my table and they did NOT want to sit in their seats!  So...I allowed them to learn in a new environment...out of their seats!

The 5 kids all crouched down below the table, so I called them my little groundhogs!  I would hold up a sight word that we were supposed to be learning, and they would "pop up" out of their "groundhog hole" to see the word and then shout it out!  They LOVED this! 

They became so focused on the words!!!  I had their undivided attention....something I was desperately struggling for while they wiggled in their chairs.  

Allowing them a little "wiggle-room" made their educational experience not only more enjoyable, but also more EFFECTIVE!!! :)

We do have two students in the classroom who are being observed and tested for specific learning disabilities.  The Special Education teacher has come in multiple times to observe these students doing different activities.  They leave the classroom once a day to receive specific help to meet their needs.  They are getting a jump start to their academic journey, finding the tools the need in order to be a successful student and participant in life.  :)

Every Student Can Be Successful

This week I had the opportunity to work with many students on one-on-one basis.  In this particular classroom of kindergartners, the majority are ESL students, making their scholastic journey an extra struggle as they pursue to master learning the basics of both languages.  

On Wednesday, the teacher assigned me to pull kids aside one-by-one and help assess where they were at with their math skills.  I would read the questions aloud and they would follow instructions to the best of their abilities.  

One experience really touched my heart.  Little Juanito (name changed) has the lowest scores in the entire class.  He struggles with the alphabet, with sounds, with numbers...you name it!  He gets frustrated and says he can't do things like every body else.  

Well when it was his turn, Juanito was asked to fill in the missing number.  

The problem looked like this: "11  12  __  14  15."

Juanito looked at me and said,

"I can't do this!"

I looked in his eyes and said, "Yes you can!!  You know your numbers! :) Let's count them!" I pointed to each number as he slowly said,  "....eleven....twelve......thirteen??" 

"Yes!" I exclaimed, "Now write it in the blank."

Again, Juanito replied,

"I can't do this!"

"Yes you can Juanito!  You are so smart!  Remember when we worked on patterns?  What pattern do you see?  Look," I said pointing to each number, "one and one....one and two....??"

"ONE AND THREE!!!" he shouted!

"Very good!!! :) Write that down!"  

...

When he finished, he put his pencil down, and with a big smile on his face he said,

"This is FUN!  I LOVE school!!!!"

:)

It nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Every student is important.  Every student has the potential to be someone great.  Every student needs to be reminded of their own self-worth and that they CAN succeed.  He found all the right answers.  He felt empowered and smart.  I felt so touched to witness such a tender moment in this child's life.

I heard a quote that said, "Teaching, its not about the income, but about the outcome."

Its moments like these that mean more to me than gold.