For Better or Worse

            Teaching really has to be for better and for worse, and let's just say I have learned to take the better and the worse one day at a time.  Get ready because today’s story, while humorous, is a little unappetizing at the same time. 

Everyday my students nap from about one to a little after two in the afternoon, and before they get on their nap cots they are supposed to use the restroom (I mean they are five years old so there could be accidents).  Usually my class is pretty good at this, does a great job sleeping, and there are seldom problems.  Until today!  My assistant teacher kept saying that she thought she smelled something in a certain area of the room; however, I was a little stuffed up today and couldn’t smell anything.  I was apologizing to her though when I was helping the students wake up suddenly smelled it as well.  It is preschool so I have dealt with this before and calmly told him to go in the bathroom, and that I would get him some clothes.  Since Five year olds can dress themselves they are able to take care of this without a lot of help from me, and since kids can be cruel even at that age I try not to make a huge commotion. I got his spare clothes out of his cubby and  brought them to him with a large bag to put his dirty clothes in, but I don't think I explained the process very well...

Five Minutes Later

I looked back in the bathroom to make sure he wasn’t having any problems, and as I opened the door the first thing I noticed was that the bag I had given him was still empty.  He was wearing the clean clothes, but I suddenly realized the dirty clothes were now in the toilet (luckily not yet flushed).  This is the moment in my job where patience really is a virtue.  I, again calmly, held the bag right by the toilet while he pulled his clothes out and into the bag.  Just as we exited the bathroom his mom was walking in to pick him up, and let me just tell you that was a fun conversation.  I mean you would think that it would be common sense not to put your clothes in the toilet, but I don’t blame him because his reasoning was probably just that they needed cleaned and that was the only water around.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that they really don’t know any better until they learn, and I think that that little boy learned something very valuable today.

 

MORE WINTER CRAFTS:

I couldn’t resist because today was we had a lot of fun with our winter theme. 

Science: Birdfeeders

Literacy: Winter scenes with marshmallows

We made bird feeders with either pine cones or toilet rolls, soy nut butter (since our center is peanut free), and, of course, bird seed. 

Afterwards we hung them from the trees on our playground

                p.s. I know it is winter, but we did notice some birds roaming around on the ground, and we suspect they were searching for food.

Next, If you lick one side of a marshmallow and stick it to a piece of paper it will stick as if you glued it. We used the marshmallows as snow (go figure).  The class loved this, and I was surprised with the creation they came up with.          Here are a few:

Thanks for reading, and thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Lisa