I have hair!

Today, the rain alarm rang again.

This time, during recess.

Also during recess? A child from another class slipped and cut his forehead.

Yeah.

That was interesting.

Anyways.

The kids also did not have computer because the computer teacher was not there.

I am tired.

Funniest moment of the day?

I am teaching the kids a song about basic needs.

You may know it.

It is called Basic Needs – by Dr. Jean. (she is a genius)

The song starts out with

Air, water, food, shelter too. Air, water, food, shelter too.

We sang the song and nearly finished it.

Suddenly, Caleb says

“Hey! Hey. I have hair though see!” He starts tugging on his hair. “See! I have hair.”

“Not hair sweetie, AIR”

I had to work so hard not to laugh.

He is so adorable.

The Rain Alarm

The sight of rain causes children in school to panic.

A drop of rain hits the ground and this alarm inside each and every child goes off.

NO RECESS! OH NO! IT’S RAINING!!!

One would assume that it is probably that dramatic,

If not more so.

Perhaps there is a loud noise accompanying this panic alarm.

A noise at a deficit that only children and animals can hear.

Perhaps it sounds like pouring rain.

That can be rather devastating to a child.

Adults can faintly recall the panic that used to set in when the rain alarm went off when they were children.

…

Today, the rain alarm went off.

Every child in class knew the moment the first rain drop hit the ground at almost 10 o clock this morning.

Almost every child looked up at that time.

Most just stared.

Disappointment falling across their faces.

A couple let out whispered “Oh, no’s!”

I was working with one girl. 

She looks up,

“Oh no! Look!” she cries out.

Such sadness in her voice.

“I know, but maybe it will pass!” I try to reassure her.

“Maybe” she is not convinced.

We continue on with what we are doing.

Every so often she glances towards the window with a hopeful look upon her face.

Each time, her head droops back down, the hopeful look vanished.

Many of the children do this.

The disappointment written all over their faces.

I feel that this is when the Rain Plan comes into effect.

Yes.

The Rain Plan.

They decide to get revenge on the rain.

Or something of that effect.

They decide they will act crazy.

They will be louder.

More aggressive.

More talkative.

More giggly.

Until the rain passes.

Whether they believe they are defying the rain.

Or hoping maybe if they act crazy enough we will let them outside despite the rain.

We may never know.

But when the Rain Panic Alarm goes off in children,

It goes off in adults too.

They know what is about to head their way.

We all look longingly at the sky.

We all hope for a break in the rain.

…

Thankfully, today we got that break.

Who?

Ms. P has the kids over on the rug.

She is talking to them about letters for a few minutes before lunch.

I finish up what I am doing and start to head over.

The door opens; a tall man enters the room.

Huh, I wonder who that is.

What is he doing here?

He introduces himself quietly to Ms. P and then he gets a chair and sits.

He must be observing Ms. P. What a random time though. 

Lunch is so soon.

Ms. P starts teaching the kids how to sign Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I grab a chair and join in on the learning.

I learn how to sign the song with the kids.

Then she goes through signing the alphabet with them.

That I know, but I join in anyways.

All the while, the man is sitting diagonally behind me in a chair.

“Ok, boys and girls, it is time to line up for lunch.  Get your lunch tags and lunch boxes and line up on your star. Ms. L? Would you take them down to the bathroom to wash and then down to the lunch room?”

“Of course!” I wait a minute while they get themselves together, then start singing. “If you’re ready and you know it stand up tall.”

The kids quiet down

“If you’re ready and you know it stand up tall”

They stand tall.

“If you’re ready and you know it, and you really want to show it, if you’re ready and you know it stand up tall.”

The students are facing the right way, looking at me, standing on tip toe.

Oh the wonders of a song.

I lead them down to the bathroom to wash their hands.  I get them in and out as quick as possible.

Then I lead them down to lunch.

I ask them to show me how a quiet line walks through the hall.

For the most part, they do.

I look down the line, almost everyone looking forward quietly.

At the end of the line are Ms. P, and the man.

Who is he?!

I drop the kids off at lunch and head to the teacher’s lounge.

I give up on trying to figure out who this person is.

People? This man that was observing is the dean of the education department at my university.

Seriously.  I had no clue who he was.

He is new.

Shush, it’s a valid excuse.

The day I felt mean

Today the kids had a sub.

We didn’t warn them about it, so they were slightly confused this morning.

They kept asking me where Ms. P was and when she would be back. 

It was cute.

Because there was a sub, and they are children, they decided to see what they could get away with.

They were sneaky in their own ways.

One girl in particular thought she was extremely sneaky.

She turned off the lights in the bathroom.

The first time it happened, I was told about it.

The second time?

I caught her.

I walk by the bathroom, the lights are on.

I check on the boys making sure they are not goofing around, then head back towards the girls.

The lights are off.

So I watch, nothing.

“Why are the lights off?” I call in.

Immediately the light goes on and I see one girl book it to a stall.

No way.

“Alexis, when we get back to the room, you are moving your pin to orange. We DO not play with the light switch, especially in the bathroom.”

After a moment she comes out.

She washes her hands, and goes to get a drink.

I remind her “When we get back, you are moving your pin.”

“I have to move my pin?”She says seeming upset.

“Yes, that was the second time today you played with the lights in the bathroom. I was told by a few girls about the first time.  I caught you this time. So, yes. You are moving a pin.”

She knows what she did was wrong.

I know she is mad.

Reluctantly, she does as she was asked.

Sigh, I don’t like having to be that way.

Dismissal

“Eyes forward! Big steps! Pay attention! Let’s go kindergartners!”

This is what you hear about 100 times when taking the car line around. 

This is what you say about 100 times as well. 

By the end of the day, they are tired, but excited. 

But still, tired.

So they need prodding.

The constant reminder that their feet may actually have to move.

They need to face forward so they don’t walk into people and cars.

So they don’t get mixed up in any of the other 78 lines. (slight exaggeration)

Occasionally, a child who does not belong on a bus winds up on a bus. 

Or a child who is a bus rider ends up in the car line. 

These things happen.

So, as you walk behind (or in front) of the kindergarteners, and you are repeating yourself like an extremely broken record, you are also making sure they don’t get run over by big kids. 

5^th graders sometimes forget they are bigger than kindergarteners.

In fact sometimes it seems that they forget kindergarteners exist.

I ran one over? Where?

So, you are a prodding, protecting, broken record, nudging and pulling small children out of the way.

Then, you are watching as these little kindergarteners jump into cars.

You hope they are jumping into the right car and that they have not suddenly become confused. 

You watch sometimes as they run up to a car, almost open the door, and then realize they have made a mistake. 

It is a process.

There are children who need shoe laces tied.  Ones that lose a shoe altogether. Ones that drop their backpack. Ones that just can’t keep up. 

It is a little chaotic.

One Lonely Frog

“Alright, everybody put your finger on the dragonflies.  Do you see the dragonflies?”

“Yesss”

“Ok, now, look at the frog.  Do you see the frog?”

“Yesss”

“Good.  Ok, the frog is hungry.  He needs a snack.  You need to feed him the right amount of dragonflies. How many dragonflies are there?

They take a moment to count “Four!”

“How do you know there are four?”

“We count them.”

Good, yes, you counted them to find out how many dragonflies there were. Ok.  Now, our frog is full, but he is lonely, he wants some friends.  So put your finger on the small frogs. Let’s look at them and find out how many there are.”

They count again. “Five!”

“Five, right. Ok, put five counters underneath the frogs. Why are we putting five counters there?”

“Because the frog is lonely.” One little boy says.

“Well yes, the frog is lonely.  Why else might we be putting five counters there?

“Because there are five frogs.”

Yes! There are five frogs, so we are putting five counters there.  Then the frog won’t be lonely. Ok, now we are going to look at the numbers on the side. What number is next to the dragonflies?”

“A four!”

“Yes, a four. How do we write a four?”

“Down, across, and down some more.”

“Yes! Good job, you guys are so smart! Ok, go ahead and trace the fours, I am going to make one up here so I remember how to do it.”

After they have finished the fours…

“What number is on the other side?”

“Five!”

Yes, a five. Now, I forget, how do we make a five?”

“Down, curve around, put on a hat.”

“Yes!” You guys are so good at reminding me. Ok, make your fives and I am going to make one up here.  You guys can watch in case I forget how to do it.”

We continue onto the back of the worksheet where they write more 4’s and 5’s. Then, I let them do the last two on their own.

“Ok, make sure you look carefully at the last two! They may be tricky.”

The answers to four and five were 4 and 5.  So what happens next is only to be expected.

I walk around to each table looking at each child’s work. Almost all of them that I look at make the last two answers 6 and 7 (The answers were again 4 and 5). Math can be confusing.  Especially when you are antsy, it is the end of the day, and you are five years old.

Love them.

Please keep in mind that many pauses were taken during this lesson. Also? The occasional behavior problem arose. Also? Children did not answer the questions in unison. 

Here they come!

Have you ever watched kids in line?
It is rather amusing sometimes.

You have the dawdlers.
You know, the ones with their eyes to the sky, swinging this way and that
Walking as slow as can be.
Tripping over their own feet.
Then bumping into the person in front of them.
Plenty of those in kindergarten.

Then there are the ones who purposely lag behind.
They just stop,
stand there.
Take teeny tiny steps.
They don’t even look like they are moving.
But they assure you they are.
They are pretty good at holding up the whole line.

Then there are the speed walkers.
This is usually the person at the front of the line.
They want to prove that they are a great leader.
They know exactly where they are going.
So they speed walk regardless of how many times you tell them to slow their feet down, because a purposeful lagger is behind them, and then a dawdler behind the lagger.
Almost impossible.

The most amusing are the lookers.
They want to see EVERYTHING.
They have to know what everyone is doing. 
They have to peer through every open door, look down every hallway, and examine every picture on the wall.
Sometimes, they are able to keep a decent speed though, while walking into things/people in the process.

Of course mixed in with the speedy walkers, the dawdler, the lagger and the lookers, you have talkers.
They want to talk to everyone, walk backwards so they can talk, trip over their own feet and end up on the floor.

Pretty much, they are a clumsy group of people attempting to walk in a line that zig zags this way and that.
It is very entertaining sometimes.

While all of this is going on, you are reminding them, pay attention to where you’re going, keep up, slow down, stop talking, keep moving, stop looking in that class… it’s endless.

And amusing.