I am so excited to link up with The Kindergarten Connection for this great idea!
Be sure to check out her blog next!
I hear it all the time when I tell people what I do...
"Oh, that sounds fun!"
"They are so sweet at that age!"
"Oh boy, you didn't want to teach a REAL grade?"
and that dreaded comment concerning "playing all day" that I refuse to discuss.
And I smile and say, "Oh, I LOVE it!"... umm, if you know me at all, you know that is exactly NOT what I say to people... I give them a piece of my mind of course! But, for this post, I'll just give it to ya like it is...
"Oh, that sounds fun!"
Well actually it is... for the most part. I absolutely love teaching the littles! They are fun, amazing little humans that absorb my every word like a sponge. They think I am smart, funny, beautiful, and the best teacher that ever lived! So, you can see why I love them so much right? I love teaching them to read, write, add, subtract, solve word problems, measure, count, what gravity does, animal facts, plant facts, all of the national holidays, all of the national symbols, how to complete research, how to use text evidence... WHAT??? You didn't know that I taught all that? Doesn't sound so "fun" anymore, does it? I like to explain it like this... Kindergarten today is what the END of First grade was when you were in school. Don't feel bad... you didn't know... I forgive you.
"They are so sweet at that age!"
Well, I'm just gonna say it... nope, not all of them. I wish I could say they are. Really, I do. But, it just isn't so. They all have those moments that make me go, "Gosh, I love this kid." and then they have those moments that me go, "Gosh, I really wish it was 2:30 and you could go home!" They are FIVE people... FIVE! That's only one hand of "this many"! They yell, they cry, they throw tantrums. Sometimes, they throw STUFF! Sometimes they hug me and tell me I am the bestest teacher ever and then throw a pencil across the room with the hand that is behind my back giving me a hug! So, yes, they are very sweet...sometimes! I cherish those sweet moments and I let those other moments go and we move on! I have the patience of a saint, all Kindergarten teachers do. That's not bragging, it's just a fact.
"Oh boy, you didn't want to teach a REAL grade?"
Well yes, yes I did, but they were all taken by those REAL teachers. Seriously? This probably makes me madder than that "play" question that I refuse to discuss. Remember #1... all that "stuff" I teach? Well, I teach all those things to those kids that aren't so sweet sometimes. I also teach them character, respect, how to write a note to a friend, how to tie their shoes, how to open their milk, how to blow their nose, to be responsible for themselves, compassion, empathy and many more things that I won't bore you with. I teach the littles that they can be anything in the world and that I love and believe in them completely. Sometimes that is more important than teaching a REAL grade.
And, to sum it all up: I don't teach subjects, I don't teach standards, I don't teach concepts. I teach children... sometimes (sigh)
