Week One Down!

One week down.  I have learned more in the past week than possibly my entire (cough) 6 years of college.  I have started doing things that I have sworn I will never do and reality has taken a giant turn as I have had my 1st week in the workforce/classroom.  Here are my thoughts in list form since paragraph form takes more energy and my energy is spread too thinly as it is between 40 kids.

- College should offer a class called "Benefits".  Insurance forms look chinese to me and my husband is not much better.  There are so many options and I don't even know what option A means, let alone Option B, C, and D.  Do I need this kind of insurance? Do I need insurance on top of insurance?

-Suddenly, I find myself giving about a million "double thumbs up" a day.  Since when do I give people thumbs up? I think it's when I am out of words, but I am pretty sure I gave Will a thumbs up and "awesome job" for unloading the dishwasher.

-If you are looking for the first year teacher, it's the girl who got sick on the 3rd day of school.

-My expectations for 1 four year old are right on target.  For 20 four year olds in 3 hours? Not so much.

-Songs are the key to a happy class.

-EVERYTHING needs explaining and modeling.  The order in which you pick up your snack and push in your chair needs demonstrating.   Then demonstrate it again.....and again...and again... and...

-New shoes are the way into your child's heart.   Noticing them are the teacher's way into a student's heart.

-I really hope the school tech guy doesn't monitor how much Hulu I watch on my computer when I get home.

-An oath: I promise to empty my future children's take- home folder every night.

-I have formed this belief that the class line is a reflection of the teacher.  Our line continues to look better and better.

-2 classes are never the same.

-Consistency is going to be my best friend and thank me in a few weeks.  However, I can't make a child "try again" and go back and walk down the hall when they run to me at the start of the day and give me giant hugs.

-The way of opening a milk carton is a dirty trick on teachers.  Someday I will invent an easy open milk carton so teachers don't have to help open 18 while 2 are exploding across the room from desperate 4 year olds.

-My class will have manners if it is the death of me.  Someday they will learn that manners and friendliness are the beginning of connections.  Connections get jobs.

-Yes, I gave about every child here a nonspecific, ego boosting, "Awesome job!" about a million times today.  They smiled and the teacher police didn't come after me.  I will probably say it again tomorrow because I don't have time to go further with that sentence during the day.

-My name is Mrs. Cousin, not "teacher".  

-With 20 other kids demanding attention, "waiting and being patient" seems to be the #1 lesson of Pre-K.  I hate this aspect of the classroom  because I want the kids to get the very  most out of the short time, but know it's important to learn (I think my husband missed this lesson :)).