The Day of Flower Pictures

Hola!

So today was a pretty short day. I actually had to go to school today. I came into the 5 year old class like I did yesterday and I was waiting for the kids to come in when Dr. Matthews (the boss lady of the school) came in and asked me to keep an eye on one of the kids while her parents were doing a conference. They were finished as soon as I got there though, so I went to the other 4-5 year old class and watched the kids there until Dr. Matthews was done helping to get the kids into the building. Then I went to keep an eye on triplets. They were really cute. There was two boys and I girl and the girl wanted me to read her a story while the boys wanted to build. They didn't really want me to help them, so I read the books to the little girl while her mother did conferences, then I went back to the class I was at to begin with and they all seemed pretty happy to see me. It was pretty sweet. They attacked me. "Ms. Annie! Ms. Annie!" I felt loved. Anyways.

So the little girls wanted me to color with them and so I did. They were so funny. The boys played on the computer or played with the cars and blocks. They also were getting into trouble. Apparently, the boys have a tendency to take the lego guy's heads off and throw them. Ya it's not fun. When one of them hit a little girl, the teachers decided to take action. I hadn't noticed them doing it earlier, or else I would have said something, and I felt kind of bad for not noticing it sooner, but the little girl seemed to be okay so. Ya.

After they had played for a while and picked up, it was time for their circle time and to share their nursery rhymes. They did things like Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jack be Nimble, and Hey Diddle Diddle. I watched most of the little things that they did, but unfortunately, I couldn't stay long enough to watch them all. Ms. Annie had to go to school. Bleh. They wanted me to come play again on Monday, So I might just do that.

Pictures recieved: 10 (man that's a lot!)
Note: Seriously. SCAN SCAN SCAN SCAN!!!!!!

Until next time
Annie
~Friday February 29, 2008~
Not very long, but oh well. It was a short day.

Well Poop. I Can't Think of an Interesting Title.

Okay. So. Today was the second day in the new room, but this time I was in the morning class. They're a totally different bunch of kids. When I got their, I helped to gert stuff ready for future classes. For example. i put rubber bands on the ends of used paper towel rolls for a science project that the kids are doing on Monday and I added "Snow" and a sticker to their journal thingers that they keep. Anyways. After I finished that, I just kind of hung out and waited for the kids to start arriving. Not too long after, they did just that. I was all little nervous at first because it was a new group of kids and the last group that I helped out with didn't really seem to want to warm up to me. But I soon found that it was quite the opposite. These kids really seemed to like me. They wanted to play with me and asked me questions about who I was and what I was doing there and all that other good stuff. After a while of playing, it was time to go to the rumpus room.

When we got there, the kids seemed to just ignore the fact that I was there except a group of about 3 girls. They were watching me and every time they caught me watching them watching me, they would all giggle and look away. Finally, they walked up to me and asked if I would play hide-and-seek with them. And, of course, I did (how could I say no?). We played for a while and the kids really started to warm up to me. Before we left the rumpus room, one of the kids asked if I would come and play with them tomorrow, the other kids quickly agreeing. I told them I would.

When we got back to the room, the kids sat on the rug for circle time where they talked about the theme of the week (fairy tales and nursery rhymes) and what they would be doing today. They also talked about the helpers and the day and the month and what the weather was like outside. They also talked about the fact that there was a new teacher there and the kids said hola (which is of course, spanish for hello) and just to check to see if my name was Ms. Annie or Mrs. Annie, they asked if I was married. That of course sent me into a fit of giggles because it was pretty cute actually. A bunch of little 5 year olds asking if I was married. I'm not really sure why I found that so funny actually....>.>...anyways. Moving on. After all that was said and done, they started to talk about the differences between nursery rhymes and fairy tales (fairy tales don't rhyme) and they talked about the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty. They then talked about words that rhyme and about the daily project. They were going to make their very own Humpty Dumpty. They were to cut his yolk into three pieces, like a puzzle, then decorate their Humpty Dumpty and then they were to put it in their school bags and then they could go and play.

While the kids were playing, on of the little girls wanted me to come an color with her, so I did. She wanted me to help her make lots and lots of flowers. After a little while, more kids starting coming over to color with us and they wanted me to help them make things. I felt pretty happy about this because this meant that they actually liked playing with me. And some of the kids even made pictures for me. YAY!

After a bit, it was time to clean up and get ready for snack time. They got in their circle time thing and the teacher read them "Humpty Dumpty" by Rob Gilbert and Kim Eagle. Then, they talked about what they are going to do tomorrow. They will be saying nursery rhymes that they picked out to share with the rest of the class and they can bring a costume of a prop or something with them to help tell their rhyme. They talked about the rhymes the kids want to do, then it was time for snack. One of the kids had brought muffins and orange juice, so the helpers got the cups and napkins and muffins all out and the kids were called, one at a time to get their hands washed and to sit and eat their snack. Then they were to go and get ready for their families to come and pick them up.

When their parents came, I had to wait outside of the room that I'm in for the afternoon because there was still a conference going on inside. I just kind of hung out until the kids got there. when they did, they seemed pretty excited to see me. And I was excited to see them really. I missed not being able to hang out with them on Tuesday like I normally do. Anyways. One of the little girls wanted me to come and play princess with her and I did. We were flower princesses because we wore these flower hat on our heads (it was flower petal looking things connected to a hair band). When it was time for circle time, the kids all quickly did their thing of getting there and being good. They talked about the day and the month and yada yada yada. They talked about feelings and what makes them happy and sad and excited and mad, then they read to story feelings and talked about the daily project.

The daily project consisted of doing marble art (dipping a marble in pink paint and another in purple paint and rolling the marbles over a piece of paper that's shaped like a heart by shaking the box that has them in it side to side. They turned out pretty good actually. After the kids had done that and played for a while, it was time to go to the rumpus room where the kids played hide-and-seek and "tackle Ms. Annie". They seem to enjoy the last game the most. Anyways. After we came back, it was time to just relax and get ready for snack time. While they were getting ready, I was getting ready to leave. When I was ready, the kids all hugged me at once. I was almost knocked clean over (makes me feel loved! *sniffle*). Anyways. Another great day.

Total number of pictures: 7
Note: Seriously. I need to scan some of them.

Until next time
Annie
~Thursday February 28, 2008~
Yay another long one!

-Insert Interesting and Mind blowingly Fascinating Title Here-

So. It's conference week this week and I was in the normal class this morning, but not in the afternoon. I got there super early so I got the chairs down and put the play dough and the other stuff out (paints and marbles for some reason that was unknown to me at that moment). Then I just chilled, listening to music and doing some sudoku puzzles until one of the teachers came in. She seemed surprised that I was there so early and seemingly had been there for a while (which I was). She got some other stuff that the class would need for that morning and I helped to get the stuff. I was introduced to DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNN!!!! The Magical Storage Closet Area Thinger.....Okay so it's really like a basement, but whatever. Not the point. When we came back upstairs, I hung out in the room, enjoying my loverly coffee and an addictive sudoku puzzle. Not too long after, a women came in with her daughter and it turns out that she was a substitute while the other teacher that is normally there was doing conferences. After talking with her for a while, the kids started coming in. They did their normal free play with the play dough and painting (with orange and yellow paint) and what not and I played with some of them. Then it was circle time.


They did their normal thing of naming the day, color, month, and talking about the helpers and all that other good stuff. Then they got into today's lesson. Feelings . They talked about happy feelings and sad feelings and what makes the kids happy and what makes them sad and what makes them excited and all that other good stuff. Then they read a story called "Feelings" by Joanne Brisson Murphy. It was about how this kid feels things in the day (happy because of the sun waking him up and sad cause it's raining). After the story, they were allowed to go off and play, but they had to do the daily project.

The project of the day was they had a marble in pink and purple paint. There were to use a box type thing and roll the marbles over a piece of paper shaped like a heart by shaking the box around. It actually turned out to be pretty cool. The pictures where really awesome and pretty with cool designs and stuffs. After all the kids did that and after some playing, it was time to go to the rumpus room. While in the rumpus room, there was a little girl who fell and bit her lip really hard and she left, so it was just the substitute teacher and I there, watching all the little kids. It wasn't really all that hard actually. Just pay attention to what the kids are doing and make sure that they're playing nice and taking turns and yada yada yada. It was actually pretty cool to do that because I felt like I was an actual teacher and not just a visitor here to play with the kids, which is how I feel sometimes (speaking of feelings). The teachers really include me in the things that they do, and I help out with getting things ready for the kids. It's like I'm a teacher, but at the same time, it feels like I'm just there to play. I don't really think it's anything the teachers can help with, it's just something that crosses my mind sometimes. Anyways. After the rest of the kids played for a while and after they had come back to the room, they played some more, then it was time to clean up and do their second circle time.


This time, they read a book called "I Was So Mad!" by Mercer Mayer. It was about creature and how when he wanted to do something, it seemed like every time his mom or dad or grandma or grandpa would say no. Then it turned out that he was allowed to do something at the end. A cute story really. Then, they talked about what sad faces and happy faces and excited faces looked like and the kids were allowed to come up to the front of the circle thinger (if they quietly raised their hands) and make a face and the other kids had to guess what feeling was being portrayed (again, raising their hands quietly). After that, it was snack time which was pretzels and water (quite good really). The little girl who had hurt herself before couldn't eat the pretzels because they hurt her lip too much. She just sat in my lap until her mom came to get her.

There wouldn't be any afternoon class in the room I'm normally in because of the conferences, so I went into the room next door which was kids who's birthdays were just after school started or where for some reason unable to move on to kindergarten (so like, 4-5 year olds). I stayed there during the lunch bunch and met the teachers and talked to them about what I was doing there and why I was doing it and all that good stuff and I helped them get ready for the afternoon class. I was to put cloak faces on these pieces of construction paper that were the cloaks (like grandfather cloaks) and I helped cut some paper for a different project. After lunch bunch, the kids started coming in. I was nervous. I wasn't sure if they were going to like me or if they were and what if they don't and all this other stuff (did I leave the toaster on...).

The kids seemed a little unsure of me (being new and all, they were weary which is normal). There were a few kids that were okay with me right off the bat and talked to me, which was nice. Like in the room I'm normally in, the kids were allowed to play and interact with the other kids until it was circle time where they talked about the helpers and the date and month and what their theme was for the week. It was nursery rhymes. They talked about their favorite nursery rhymes and then they were allowed to go off and play. Then, to the rumpus room!

While in the rumpus room, I noticed something interesting about this group of kids that I didn't really see with the other group. They had picked best-friends and who would be in their little play groups. There were two boys who are both only children and they are the best of friends. They're always playing together, sitting together, all that good stuff. Also, there was a group of girls who were all playing together and there was an almost leader type person of the group. One of the little girls was very smart and she seemed to be the main leader of the pack of girls.

After they had to come back to the class room, they had another circle time and sang their morning song and I was introduced and they talked more about nursery rhymes and which ones they liked and what nursery rhymes sound like (they rhyme). They they talked about their daily project. The kids were to make a mouse that would go up the cloaks that I had put together during lunch bunch and they were to add ears, a tail, eyes and a face to the mouse, as well as make the cloak look like the cloak in the story. They were to write the number 1 ("the cloak struck 1"), and they were to add the hands of the cloak. Then they were to put the cloaks in their bags and then they could go and play again.

I was impressed by this because when I was their age, I'm not sure if I would have been able to stay focused long enough and remember what to do with the mouse thingers. These kids are pretty smart. Some of them don't really want to do things when they're told to and they don't really listen to the teachers to much, but all in all, they seem like a pretty sharp bunch of kids. After they did their projects and played, they sat on the rug carpet thing and listened to some nursery rhymes out of the book, "Mother Goose" (classic kids book). During their circle time, the teacher from the other class who wasn't there came in and asked about how I was doing and what I thought of working with kids this age. Then she asked me what she should say to some of the parents about what they should do with their child to help them more. Which I found odd and kind of random, but none the less, it was slightly entertaining. She had also come to give me a copy of the flyer she handed out to the parents about me being there. It says...

"Dear Parents,
We would like to inform you that we have a student from the Graham school helping in our classroom for the rest of the school year. She is a senior doing her "walk-about" this semester. She has an interest in early childhood education. Her name is Andrea Koester ("Annie"). You may have heard your child talking about her. She started with us last week. We are happy to have Annie in our classroom; she is a lot of fun and has been enjoying her time with the children, When you see her, introduce yourself, she already knows all the children's names!"

I thought that it was pretty cool how they sent that out and the fact that they spelled my name right (extra cool points!). I really enjoyed today, being able to work with the older kids and see what it would be like teaching that age group.

Picture total for the day : 4
Note to self: scan some.

Until next time
Annie
~Tuesday February 26, 2008~
Yay another long one!

4th Day!!!! (man I gotta start thinking of new titles)

PAJAMA PARTY!!!!

And Ms. Annie forgot to wear pajamas that actually look like pajamas. I helped get the room set up and talked to the teachers about letting me work there for 4th quarter (which would be totally awesome). I want to work there 4th quarter because I've grown quite attached to the little kids and they seem to like me and I can't even think about leaving them. When the kids came in, I read to them and played house and fun stuffs like that, then it was circle time and rumpus room time. The kids mostly wanted to play hide-and-seek. I was fine with that.

Then, when we came back we played some more, then cleaned up and ate snack which consisted of apple juice and Teddy Graham thingers. One of the little girls gave me 2 pictures and they were so cute. Then they left and the lunch bunch came and left and it was time for the afternoon class. They read "Goodnight Moon" and talked about the moon and made picture of a bunny looking outside at the moon. Then it was time for a snack (trail mix thing) and then Ms. Annie had to go. One of the little girls asked where I was going and I told her that I had to go to school and she said she didn't want me to go and she gave me a picture. So apparently, I'm doing something right. The kids like me and all.

That's all really. Kind of lame it seems.

Until next time
Annie

~Thursday February 21, 2008~
This one seems kinda short...o.o

3rd Day!!!

So today I actually had something to do while waiting for the kids to come in. I had DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN!!!!!! Homework! (oh snapple). So just as I was finishing that, the kids starting coming in. The first thing they wanted me to do was to come and color with them. Who am I to deny? I made a picture of my bunny Bun-Bun (don't laugh at his name. I was 5. What do you want from me! STOP STARING AT ME!!!!!). We talked about the kinds of foods that bunnies like to eat and what color they are and all that other stuff. Then, it was time for circle time. They talked about the day, color, who would be doing what, and they read a story called "Just Go to Bed" by Mercer Mayer. It was about Little Creature who didn't want to go to bed so he pretended to be all these things and finally he went to bed (I remember reading it when I was a little kid). Then, they talked about quilts, what they are, how people make them, then they were to make quilts out of construction paper and glue and stamps. They were all very cute and the kids seemed to love making them.

Then it was time for the rumpus room. I stayed behind at first to take down the projects from before so that the quilts could go up. Then I joined to kids in the rumpus room. We played basketball and tag and all kids of fun stuff. Then back to the room where the kids wanted to play with the play dough with me. Again, who am I to deny them? so we played until it was time to clean up and then circle time before snack. it was one of the little girl's birthday, so her mom brought in dough nuts and milk. After that it was time for the kids to go home and for lunch bunch.

Then the afternoon class came in. I was pounced by small children. They seemed to like playing with me the first day and were excited to play some more. We drew pictures and I talked about my bunny and what bunnies eat and all that other stuff. Then it was circle time, play time, then rumpus room time. More tag ensued, as well as more hide-and-seek (they're very good hiders). It was one of the little boy's birthday, so his grandma brought in rice crispie treats and juice, but unfortunately, I had to go, so I took one for the road. One of the little kids asked if I was going to come play with them everyday and I told her I was and she seemed very happy about this (I felt the tear coming).

Another great day!

Until next time
Annie

~Thursday February 19, 2008~

2nd Day! OMZ!

Okay so the second day. TOTALLY different room. TOTALLY different teachers. SLIGHTLY worried. There were a few things that worried me about this room.

1 ---> don't know what to expect because I'm working with younger kids who just turned 3
B ---> First impression of one of the teachers, scary
and 3 ---> Nerves are getting the best of me here

So after meeting the teachers and helping to set up the room and all that good stuff that I help with the last time I went to site, the kids started to come in. These kids were even smaller than the class last time and they were sooooooo cute! There wasn't any activity really to help break the ice, so I just walked around and tried to talk to some of the kids. They didn't really seem to want to talk to me, except for a few of them. They seemed to like to talk to pretty much anyone who would listen. I noticed after a while there were some similarities in the structure of the classes. they had circle time and they talked about their new friend and everything like that. After that, the seemed to warm up a little bit and they let me play with them. One of the smallest little girls really seemed to warm up to me because she had a tendency to follow me around and hold my hand and all that stuff. The teacher said that she had a tendency to do that ( get attached to someone) ....(I like the word tendency).

During their circle time, they read the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" book and talked about stars and talked about who would be helping and who would be the leader and follower and blah blah blah. Then, the kids got to go to the Rumpus room (again, the rumpus room and I are becoming very good friends). There, they weren't really allowed to play with the see saw thinger because some of the kids were too small and might get hurt (not fun really). But they liked to play hide-and-seek the best it seemed like, so we played hide-and-seek until they had to go back upstairs for snack time. They had a 1/2 banana and some guppies crackers (like gold fish only...guppies shaped). I helped pass out the napkins and cups and all the snack stuff.

After the snack, the kids were allowed to play some more. They wanted me to play picnic with them, so I did and I pretended to get so full I fell over and they thought that was pretty funny. Not too long after that, I had to go back to school for class (Friday is a short day at the preschool) and just before I left, a little girl who hadn't really said anything to me, walked up and gave me a picture and a hug and ran off, grinning really big and giggling. I was so touched.

I have the picture hanging on my wall where everyone can see it.

Until next time
Annie

~Friday February 15, 2008~

1st Day! So Exciting!

Okay so today was my first day at my walkabout site. I'm working at a preschool (working with the 3-4 year olds) and it's right by my house (A.K.A- really easy to get to). When I first got there, I was really slightly nervous. I got there before the teacher I would be working with got there and that was a little unnerving. What if the teacher didn't get there? What if I was all alone with a bunch of kids that I don't know! What if I left the iron on! The principle showed me around, introduced me to some of the other teachers (quite a calming thing really. Annie is not all freaked out!) and then when the teacher that I was supposed to be working with that particular day got there, everything was better. I helped to set up the tables, put everything out for the kids to play with and was getting ready to meet the other teacher I would be working with (I ended up working with 3). When she got there, we talked about the things that they liked to do with the kids and what time the kids would get there and all that other good stuff.

When the kids first got there, they seemed very...not liking of me (because I'm someone new and they didn't know what to think of me). That day was Valentine's Day celebration when the kids got to pass out their Valentines and make their Valentine's Day bags and all that other good stuff. After they were done making their bags, they were to give them to me or "Ms. Annie" as I was called. I was able to play with some of the kids and got to read some stories and play with some play dough (coolest stuff ever) and played house and all that other fun stuff until circle time.

Circle time was when they all met on a mat carpet thing and talked about the month, the day, the color of the day (the pattern is green, purple, pink), who was the helpers (who passed out napkins, who passed out cups, who brought the snack, who helped with recycling, stuff like that) and what they are going to be doing today. Today was very special because the kids got a new friend, Ms. Annie (me).

During circle time, they read a book called, "George and Martha" which is about these hippo friends and they like to do all kinds of things together. In this particular story (as Kid #1 told me) "Martha had a dance to do and George went to see it cause George is Martha's friend" (it was much cuter than you'd think). The other book they read was called "George and Martha and Pea Soup". In this one, Martha loved to make pea soup for her friend George, but George hated pea soup. But because Martha seemed to love making it for him, he ate it anyway. In the end, Martha finds out that George doesn't really like eating pea soup and Martha doesn't really like making it. I think it ended with them eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or something. I was distracted by all the stuff going on. Anyways. Back to the topic.

After the kids read and talked about the stories, they took turns washing their hands and helping to set up snacks. This day they had cookies and apple juice. The teachers even got a spot and some of the kids wanted me to sit with them, so I sat with them and ate the snack, then I helped with clean up. When that was all said and done, the kids got to go to the rumpus room. That's like an indoor play ground with bikes, balls, a jungle gym thing, and some other fun things. They were to stand in line behind the leader and walk in a single file down to the rumpus room while "holding a bubble" (poofing their cheeks out like they have a bubble in their mouths). There is a kid who is the "follower" who stands at the end of the line and follows everyone. They are to use the hand rail when going down the stairs and waiting until they get into the room and then they can run around and be slightly louder (but not screamingly loud).

The kids wanted to play games like tag, ring-around-the-rosie, hide-and-seek, and they wanted to play ball with me. I loved playing with them actually. During tag, the kids tackled me and piled up, which was more fun than you'd think (especially since 3 and 4 year olds don't weigh much). After that, the kids went back to the room and played a little more before having snack and waiting for their parents and guardians to come and pick them up.

Then started, the lunch bunch.

The lunch bunch is where the kids who stay long enough to eat lunch at the school and kids who come in just in time for lunch, meet in a room and they eat their lunches and play in the class room quietly until they go to the rumpus room (the rumpus room and I became very good friends). There they played until the afternoon classes started. Then it was time to start it all over again. The afternoon kids seemed to warm up to me and wanted me to play with them and asked me what my name was and stuff like that. The one little girl (lets call her...Sally) took my hand and wanted me to come with her and play with her and all this other stuff. It was quite fun really. The teacher introduced me to the afternoon class and we made the Valentine's Day bags and the passing out of the cards and the play dough and the merriment and the kids tackling Ms. Annie and piling on her.

All in all, it was quite the experience. I had a lot of fun playing with the kids and I got to see what it would be like if I persued this kind of thing in the future. I have decided that this would be something that I would want to do in the future because...

A ---> I love little kids (they're so cute!)
2 ---> Child care is almost second nature to me (being the motherly person I am)
and C ---> ....I don't think there is a C actually....>>

Anyways. I think that the first day went well and I hope that this will continue on in the future (with the kids liking me and the random hugging and all that fun stuff).

Until next time
Annie

~Thursday February 14, 2008~
(Man I wrote a lot...o.o)