Use Your Words

For about a month now, we've had our packing up procedure pretty down to a T. When I call your name, you 1. come get your homework folder, 2. walk to the closet, 3. put it in your backpack, 4. get your green bag (my library system which let's the kids bring home a new book each night), and 5. come back to the carpet to switch books.

So let me set the scene: R is absolutely exhausted. He clearly didn't sleep last night, and during our 40 minute nap time he went to the bathroom 4 times (and I mean actually went- like I listened outside the door).

I call R's name, and like a good boy he comes to get to get his homework folder and walks into the closet. When he comes out of the closet, still holding his homework folder, I'm confused. He says, "I don't got my homework folder". I encourage him, "R, try again. Think about your words". He responds, with his eyes half closed and mumbling due to an obvious lack of sleep, "Miss Glass Ion't got mah homework folder". So then I gave up. "R, look down at your hand. Now go back into the closet and be a problem solver".

R comes back to the carpet empty handed and once more says, "Miss Glass, sorry but I don't got my homework folder". Clearly he's trying to tell me that he forgot his green bag, but I'm trying to get my kids to solve their own problems, so I just sit and wait for a minute. This is the best part.

L stands up, says "R, come here". She puts her arm around him. "Let's go back to the closet and try again". She walks him to his cubby as I listen to her say, "R, what should you bring to the carpet?" He says, "My green bag, but I don't got it." She looks at him and says in her most motherly voice (as motherly as a 4-year-old gets) "Well that's okay, you have to go tell Miss Glass". As they're walking out of the closet she says, "Come on, R. Use your words. What do you need to tell Miss Glass?" R stands up and says "Miss Glass I forgot my green bag".

"Oh that's okay R, you can switch books tomorrow. Come have a seat on the carpet". Just proves that kids learn better from their peers.


2 friends passed their lowercase letters today and 1 passed her uppercase letters so the count is this:

13 - Learning their uppercase letters
2 - Passed uppercase letters, learning lowercase
5 - Passed uppercase and lowercase letters, learning first 10 sight words

M wet herself today. Rough, and wet. The nurse was out and the only change of clothes that I had was a pair of shorts and a sweater. How silly.

I ended my day running to the fridge and pounding some drinks. I'm a preschool teacher so they were apple juice, but let me tell you the sugar rush I got was totally worth it.