Today was full of good things, with a few bad things sprinkled in. My class was really good today - we had a fun hands-on math lesson (measuring classroom objects with linking cubes), they got to go outside again, and we had a good time in centers and rotations. We played nice (mostly). Our handwriting was spectacular - Zs are fun. :)
The best part of today were my two little guys who never fail to amaze me when it comes to center time. During centers, the kids can choose literally ANYTHING in the classroom to play with. Blocks are always a hit, I turned the Smart Board on for them today, they can draw/color, we have so many manipulatives and things to build with... and then there are my boys. There are two of them (best friends) who choose the most incredible things to do during centers. Last month, they were on a kick where they would roll two of our large foam dice, add them together, and then graph the total to compare which numbers they rolled the most. No joke - they legitimately came up with this game on their own and played it for all of center time (twice a day, for a total of one hour). I was amazed. Aryn told me that I shouldn't expect all children to be so interested in things like this during their free time. :) Then today, these same two boys were just using plain drawing paper to write and solve addition problems. They were doing 2+2, 4+4...and then they wanted to do 100+100 so Jennie showed them how to write it vertically and add down each column. It's so advanced for them, but they are actually really excited about it! I gave them some more simple ones to do (e.g., ones without any carrying involved) and did those with them. I just am so astounded by what they love to do.
The bad parts of today stemmed from some of the children threatening violence against themselves and others. It makes me so sad that children at this young of an age are already being exposed to things like this. I should never hear a kindergartener say they are going to kill another child...and yet here I am, hearing it today. I honestly did not know what to do - I took it to Aryn, who took it to the principal, who called in the counselor. It's just hard. Children shouldn't think like that. It makes me worry for them...if they're having these thoughts now (and voicing them), is it something that is going to persist and expand? Or is it something they "grow out of?" I really can't imagine that it is. I fear that the children who are already using threats of violence in their interactions with peers may one day turn to actual violence. I don't know. It's not a definite -- I can't predict what any child will be like next year, in five years, or in twenty years. But I know what I have seen...and it scares me.
And now, to end on a lighter note -- a journal from yesterday! If you'll recall, I had them write about their "job" (being a student) and what they like about it. Here is what I was presented with from one of my little guys:
Translation: "My job at school is hugging Ms. Megan, Ms. Aryn, and Ms. Jennie."
I give to you, THE SWEETEST CHILD EVER!
No comments:
Post a Comment