Now that I have my daughters though, I feel tremendous mommy guilt bringing them into school (especially on an afternoon when it was 86 degrees and beautiful outside) when we have so few days left together before we are back into the swing of our school-year routine. I have to give mad props to my girls though. They absolutely LOVE going to room 356. At ages 5 and 4, it is a place where "big kids" go. The desks seem huge to them, and it is more of a playground than a classroom. (Not to mention Mrs. Bouteiller has a candy box she is always generous with!) Their favorite part, which I find is also true of my students, is all of my furniture. They especially love my desk chair, which is an ergonomic chair that (drum roll...) has wheels. They race around my room sometimes timing one another, sometimes giving each other rides. The best part by far, for me at least, is their laughter. You would think they were on the tea cup ride at Disney! (Which they have never been...yet.) As I dust, put books on shelves, display my teacher knick-knacks, they fill my room with joy and excitement. My girls actually made us stay for an additional hour because they weren't done playing. True story.
I want to hold on to the memory of that noise as my new 7th graders enter the room. First, it is a beautiful moment with my girls that I can think on as I miss them each day while at school. Second, it is a reminder that my classroom, our classroom, should be a placed designed just for that...joy and excitement. We are there to learn of course, but if I can create an environment where my students are laughing and ecstatic to be there...then the learning will come.
Thanks Janie Bea and Sammy for teaching Mommy one of the most important lessons there is for an educator. XOXO
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| A picture of my ergonomic desk chair. Do you know what ergonomic means? |
1 comment:
Thanks so much for the post. It actually made me want to stop what I was doing and do the next installment of my classroom set-up. My boys (also 5 and 4) were so busy playing that the time flew by. They are helpful critics too when it comes to where supplies should go and what colors to use on bulletin boards. I also felt a similar realization that the season of balancing being a mom and teacher is upon me. Two things I love so much but there is such a challenge in finding enough time to be the mom I want to be and the teacher I want to be. I am inspired by how much I learn from both sets of "kids"!
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