Some cars have been lined up out front for ten minutes or so outside preschool when the first of us opens the door to a blast of frigid air and begins the bustle to unbelt children from vehicles and bring them into the building. K is the first to arrive eyes mostly closed, runny nosed and silent. I greet him with a big hug and say "good morning K how are you buddy?" I talk him up till I get a hint of a smile then L and H arrive. L is smiling today, no tears. H is in his head today, like most days, and I wonder what he thinks about in there. C sneaks in behind me and gives me a poke and a big smile. His silly side has been shining for a few weeks now and I enjoy it more than his super shy side. H slides in to line in smirky silence eyes watchful.
Then M toddles in, tears streaming, and screaming "Noooo! Noooo!", "Mommy! Cat Hat! Noooo!" I get down to his level and say hello, which is promptly met with more screaming. Best that we move, I take his hand and we walk to a less crowded spot. Soothing doesn't really work. I tell him he sounds angry in a matter of fact tone, "I see you didn't want to leave your books in the car today. You will see them later." More crying and yelling, when he really doesn't like what I am saying he directs his gaze and scream at me, so I tell him, "No yelling at Ms Amy, that's not nice." at first he replies with another scream, he is more upset than usual today. So I calmly repeat, "You are angry, but no more yelling." "ok" he says then asks for a tissue, and we continue down the hall. "Ms Rosie has cereal or cinnamon pretzels today, what would you like?" M replies "CE-real!! Yah!" and I know the day is improving already.
2 comments:
There's the challenge of the day just in the first few minutes of your teaching day.
How kind to "get" the screamer and give him limits.
I liked your "read" of each child. Like the morning papers, only live.
thank s for reading Laura. It is true that is the challenge, to know 'where' everyone is- not just in the physical sense.
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