The Wonder in Ordinary Items

We want the best for our kids, yet so often we miss the mark.
Look at our classrooms full of bright colored, plastic toys, with predetermined uses.  Bright, obnoxious lighting, that over stimulates children and staff.

Even our ideas of art, often craft in nature, does not equal the best for children. Children really want to explore and impact their world, they want to know WHY and WHAT IF.

Recently I had a parent offer to spend the day at school with us.  He arrived with long sections of PVC pipes and joins used to connect the pipes.  He even brought and gifted us with a PVC pipe cutter, safer than a haxsaw.

The morning was full of sharing pipes, helping the dad carry, cut and stack the pipes.  Then he posed a question and the room exploded, “Do you have marbles?”

Spontaneous combustion, as the room became an anthill full of

movement.  Workers building tubing structures, others holding the structures, some dropping marbles in and others chasing after errant marbles on the loose.

One child caught a marble in a metal bowl from house keeping.
The marble exploded into the bowl with a tinkling of sound and then took off in a swirl of noise as centrifical force was discovered, move over Isaac Newton.
So while we plan hours and dollars on the best gifts for holidays and birthdays and items we think our classroom needs don’t forget, so much more takes place from the simple.
Fill your room with:

• PVC pipes
• blow joints
• Rocks (all sizes)
• Wood Cookies
• Beads
• Pine cones
• Napkin rings
• Scarves
• Fabric
• Yarn
• Boxes
• What ever your heart can dream up

Want more ideas check out other posts From Fingerprints To Masterpieces.

See my Facebook Page From Fingerprints To Masterpieces 

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You Know You are Doing Something Right When...

I have seen lots of posts lately about how hard our job is as Early Childhood Educators.
How low our pay is.
How meager our benefits are, compared to other jobs.
It is a frustrating, but social media rants and listing pay is unprofessional. I fear some do not realize it is also grounds for firing in many centers.
It makes our whole profession look ungrateful, and takes the focus off the important job we do.

As professionals we have the duty to educate others, that we are not “baby-sitters”, we are Early Childhood Professionals.  We need to share the education it takes to become a good teacher, learn what we know about children, child developemnt and how we prepare the children to be successful later in life.
We don’t do this by whining and ranting, it does not work for the students in my class. So why would it should it work for an adult who is supposed to be a professional?

We can make a difference by loving our students, doing our job the best we can, being partners with parents, lobbing politicians to educate them and to share our knowledge.

I knew that the pay and benefits would never be what I was worth, when I made Early Childhood my career.
But the joy in my job, the trust families give me, and the excitement my students greet me with can NEVER be taken from me by taxes, politicians or others.
So I know I must be doing something right.

Yesterday was perfect proof of this:

I was greeted by every student in my class with loud cheers of, “Ms.Helen is here!!!!!” Followed by many hugs, lots of conversation about things that happened the night before and hand holding.

A new student and his family gave me and my coteacher plants for making his transition easy and helping him feel welcome.

I received a note in my mailbox that said: “Ms. Helen, Thank you for being “SO NICE”(M’s words).
He really enjoys school! The M.. Clan”

Another mom came to me, she gave me a big hug and said, “Tomorrow is L’s last day.  I wanted to be sure I got to say goodbye and tell you, Thank you for loving my son.  You made it possible for me to go to work everyday knowing he was safe and cared for.  You care deeply for him and I am grateful for the peace that gives me.”

So no I do not make what a school teacher makes.
No I will never make what a doctor or a lawyer makes, but I create the path for many children to become great doctors, lawyers, plumbers, janitors, astronauts, teachers, etc....
You can choose to look at what you don’t have, and don’t make OR you can be very proud of the difference you make and carry yourself like the most important, and influential, individual in your circle of influence.  This creates respect.
When you are respected you can make a WORLD of DIFFERENCE all around you.

Do You Like Kids?

Recently I was gone for a few days on vacation.
I returned to cheers of: “Miss. Helen! You’re back!”
I had been gone 4 days over 2 weeks.  I was greated with cheers, multiple hugs, snuggles and lots of hand holding. My lap was full every minute of the day. It was nice to know I was missed, but more importantly they were showing me I was loved.

“I like it better when you are here,” one little guy said as he snuggled up.
“You do? I like it when you’re here too,” I told him.
“Yes, Miss.Helen, I do,  I know you like kids. You love us too.”
We shared a hug, “You know, I miss you guys when I am on

vacation.”
“Yes, that is what I like about this school.  All the teachers like kids, and come back to see us again.”

Wow, powerful words.
So, I ask you do you like kids?
In spite of the frustration, bureaucracy and day to day issues, do you like kids?
How do you show kids, you like them?
Do you let them know they are loved, all of them, not just the easy ones?

Another child joined us.
“I am glad you are back too.”
“Me to, do you know I miss you guys when I am not here?’
“Yes, we are special, little kids.  Everyone misses us when we are gone.”

Are you imparting to your students, these feelings?
Do they feel like special, little kids?

As the summer, begins to wrap up and the new school year looms closer ask yourself these questions?
Why do I do this job?
Do I like kids?
Do my kids, know I like them?
Be honest and real with yourself. If you can’t be honest with yourself, your children already know the answers, and probably you are both not very happy with where you are at in life, school, work, etc...

Do you like kids?  If your answer is NO or I DON’T KNOW what are you going to do about it?