my first day

Thursday, May 3, 2007 - Posted by Amanda Bast
Today was my first day of kindergarten! When I get to spend time in a classroom, I realize that I do learn alot at university, I just don't think I do. During the seatwork, I kept picking up on things I've learned in class (for example, one guy has outstanding verbal abilities, but when asked to do seatwork he either makes some sort of rukus, can't focus, or doesn't complete the work up to par...helloooo learning disability). It's exciting to actually recognize and apply things that I'm learning.

I love kindergarten and children for the following reasons:

-I thrive amidst organized chaos

-kids will put up their hands, and go on tangents that are not relevant whatsoever to anything being discussed in class (today I had to turn my back to the group so the kids couldn't see that I was laughing at this one little girl...she put up her hand and told a story, and I had NO clue what the kid said - she mumbles - but she went on for a solid 3 minutes or so.)

-they're all just so darn cute!

-the songs we sing in circle time are GENIUS (pardon me if I burst out into song about the weather)

-the funny little sayings "criss cross applesauce", "show me how a kindergartener listens", "1,2,3, eyes on me", and my personal favourite, "let's give each other warm fuzzies, not cold pricklies"

-I really get a kick out of finding kids that remind me of my friends. I'll keep you updated.

-some of the kids names are funny: a little girl named Dickyi (pronounced Dicky...yes, I giggled), Raymond (this kid is on the verge of tears all the time and drives everyone nuts), Gary (he looks like William Hung...seriously, it's uncanny), Eli (this is totally an old man name) and Hugh. I haven't met Hugh, he's in the other class. But really, who names their kid Hugh?

-the kids come up with some pretty ridiculously creative things sometimes - today one little girl was drawing a picture of her dad and she said that he had "wormy hair" and then proceeded to draw what looked like dreadlocks :o)

It's so exciting to be in a place and for it to feel "right". It feels like this is where I need to be for the rest of my working life in order to maintain sanity. Even if the classroom is a little insane.



kindergarten conversation of the day:
teacher: Now friends, if we want to draw a garden, what kinds of things would you draw in your picture?
Emma: Well, you definitely would NOT draw a circus.