Updates

I'm back! I know I disappeared for a month. It was a busy, event-filled first month and I couldn't find time to update. It was a new and somewhat stressful situation for me but I made it through! I am excitedly starting my second month as a lead teacher to 14 two- to three-year-olds. Last month we studied insects and dinosaurs. It was definitely more of a learning experience for me and my associate than quite possibly any of our students.

We completely overhauled the schedule and routine. We tore paper off the walls, rearranged basically anything that we could move, and probably drove our maintenance man to tears numerous times with the requests that we made of him. We did however, find things that worked well for us. Now in the awkward gap of time between lunch and nap we go outside instead of forcing the children to pick a book, table toy, or puzzle, which was more hassle on the two of us than on any of them.

We added themed footprints on the floor so the students would know where to stand or sit while waiting or while at group. Last month they were all dinosaur feet, it worked out well until we realized that they would get confused between the feet at group and the feet by the door, so this month we diversified it (geese feet by the door and tuffets on the carpet, can you tell we are doing Mother Goose this month).

It is amazing what a little piece of paper taped to the floor can do!

We try to keep them as engaged as possible, whether it is singing, listening to a story, doing an art project, or watching us rearrange the room. I find that setting out new toys at different tables helps peek their interest and keeps them on task and out of trouble. I discovered that it is easier to have them help you clean and that they see it as a reward; it's a win-win! They love to sweep, water the plants, and feed the fish. We pick jobs every morning and I call them over to help me with whatever job they picked when it is time.


I struggle to find enough time during the day to complete all the things that need to be done throughout the day, lesson plans, newsletters, needed supply forms, accident reports, developmental milestones, and parent communication, not to mention housekeeping, updating the walls, setting up new activities for the next day and communicating with administration and other teachers. Trying to keep the clutter from piling up takes away from the time I have to spend interacting with my students and that is the hardest thing for me to balance at the moment. Even coming in early and staying later doesn't alleviate all of the problem. Inevitably I find myself working at home despite the administration's insistence that I only work while on the clock. I am still working out the kinks, maybe by August I will have the classroom in working order, just in time for me to move to California!