What Did She Just Say?!?!

While in the checkout lane at a teacher store, the teacher ahead of me casually mentioned that she was counting down the weeks until summer break. I smiled, and told her I'd love summers off, but my Head Start agency is a full year program. She then says to me that it was too bad for us, but that they (elementary school teachers) deserve the summers off after all the hard work they do during the school year.

Well excuuuuuuuuuuuse me! 

 Oh I wanted to say something, I wanted to talk her ear off. But I didn't. Unfortunately, for those of us in the early childhood field, specifically preschool, we're used to this. Too often are we made to feel less than the "real" teachers of our school systems. Quite honestly, I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being looked down on by other educators. I'm tired of my job being compared to, and labeled as the equivalent of a babysitter, or day care provider.

To those I ask, Have you ever stepped foot inside a Head Start classroom? Have you seen the work that goes into each and every single day? 

Lets see....

- We too create and implement detailed (multiple paged) lesson plans. Just like you, we are planning for groups of children, and planning for individual needs.

- While we don't hand out report cards, we are collecting detailed documentation on our students' development and learning. 

- Just like you, we have random assessments and observations done. Our supervisors (Education and Health) can, and will walk into our classrooms without notice, clipboards and observation sheets in hand. 

- We have various others who come into the classroom each year to assess our classroom set up (ECERS) and interactions (CLASS).
 
- We have parent-teacher conferences, AND home visits each school year. (Twice a year). Oh, and we don't get a student-free day to get these done. It's usually done during nap time, which also means most of us are giving up our lunch breaks for several days so we can get it all done.

- Speaking of nap time, do you really think it's a break? Nope. Not every child sleeps, and they definitely don't fall asleep instantly either, nor do they sleep the entire nap period. While we're working on documentations, files, conferences, and planning, we're also reminding a four-year-old to lower their voice so they don't wake their friends. We're keeping an eye on the child who gets up multiple times to use the bathroom, reminding them to flush and wash. We're kicking ourselves for forgetting to wake the three-year-old who sleeps hard and wets the bed. After getting them cleaned up, we're wishing the clock would go just a little slower because there's too much to still do and catch up on. Oh, and now we have about 8 minutes to eat lunch. 

- There's a good chance that because of us, some of your students can sit still for large and small group instruction, can stay on task, and work cooperatively and independently. (You're welcome!) 

- Our students don't have "specials" they go to, giving us a chance to get to the copier, or plan for an afternoon activity. The music, art, and gross motor exercise (gym) portions of their day are all done under OUR supervision, not someone else. 

- Lunch time? Many of you walk your class to a large cafeteria where they eat. Not us. That eating frenzy happens right in our classrooms. Our students eat meals that are served family style. Do you have any idea how messy it is when you are mandated to allow a child to serve their own spaghetti, rice, tuna salad or soup from a serving dish?!?! We're talking 17-20 children serving just about every component of the meal on their own. Sure, some days runs smooth, like a well oiled machine. Some days, it's a scene right out of Hook, where the lost boys and peter pan are having a food fight. By the time our meal is done there's enough food on the floor to feed a few grown men.

- Do you have any idea how many children come to preschool not knowing how to properly use eating utensils, or sit during a meal? You probably don't because by time they get to you, we've already worked that out. (You're welcome, again!)

- Guess who cleans the mess up? Yup, us. During the 30 minute circus that follows lunch, we're cleaning tables and floors, supervising the bathroom usage, supervising tooth brushing (twice daily, might i add) and making sure beds are down, and bodies are safely resting on them (even though jumping on them is so much more fun). 

-  You know those weeks leading up to a new school year, where you have time to set up your classrooms? It's an exciting time. New materials, new bulletin boards. Color coordinating baskets to tables. I LOVE seeing it, and imagine the things I could do, if given the chance. For us, there might be a few (two) in-service days prior to Labor Day. Those days are usually consumed with professional development training. After a 3-day weekend, the new school year starts, just like that. It's hard to get excited about a new school year when the old one technically just ended a few days ago. 

- You see there is no summer break for us. We're still collecting data for assessments, we're still implementing lesson plans and individualization, and now we have a classroom full of preschoolers (and teachers) who are just DONE! We're burned out, they're burned out. They have siblings home from school for the summer, they want to be home too.

- Speaking of summer, guess what we get to do? Recruit. You see, in your schools the children just come to you. Not for us. We are going out into the community, promoting our program, trying to bring families in, and showing them what we do and how it will benefit their children. While recruiting I've seen some scary things go down. I've witnessed multiple drug deals, and I've run down a street with several of my co-workers, trying to get away after seeing guns get pulled out during an argument among a group of men across the street from where we were. 

I LOVE what I do. I LOVE being a preschool teacher, but please don't knock us down. You may be teaching them to add, and read, but because of what we do in preschool, it makes it possible for them to do what you need them to do in your classrooms. 
 
Soooooo, tell me again how I don't work just as hard? A mile in my shoes my friend. A mile in my tired, preschool teaching shoes!

Week of the Young Child

Last week our school celebrated Week of the Young Child. Each day had a different  topic/activity. It was a fun, but exhausting week for sure! 

Monday

Today was conservation day. During large group we discussed ways that we can conserve energy and water at school and at home. We also started practicing our Mother's Day celebration song. I made the song up, with a little inspiration from a couple of drunk guys. Let me explain. Last Sunday I was at the Blackhawks game. Our goalie, Scott Darling, was amazing! As we left the game, a group of guys were just ahead of us and a few were drunk as can be and were singing for the goalie, "oh my Darling, oh my Darling, you protected the net!" It was hilarious, and I couldn't get the song out of my head for the rest of the night. Thus, our Mother's Day song was born, and yes, it's also to the tune of "oh my darling" 

Tuesday

Today was our spring parade. The theme was nature and culture. Families were encouraged to make their children's costumes. Every year parents sigh and stress about this, but the costumes come out amazing! 

Our school parades around the block and down the street to the senior living center. I am so thankful for parent volunteers on this day. 18 children and 15 parent/grandparent volunteers showed up, thank you!! We walk through the center to say hello to those who have gathered to see the children. It's so nice to see how happy they are to see the children. 

Wednesday

Today was creating with recyclables day. 

The children were encouraged to bring recyclable items to class. We talked about why recycling is important and made a list of ways we can use the items they brought in. Once work time started, they got busy! Robots, homes, and a rocket were created. I didn't get a a picture of the rocket. How did I miss it?!?!

Thursday

Today our parent committee and parent volunteers had a special treat for us. They recreated the story, Are You My Mother? Two of the volunteers were extra special to us. One was a mom of one of my students, and another was an older (adult) sister of one of my students. We all loved it, and got to take a picture with all of the characters after the show. 

Friday

Today was cultural music and books day. We encouraged families to bring music or books from their culture. Unfortunately no one did, so it was a regular day for us. It was kind of nice to have a relaxed day after being so busy all week. 

Next week we are getting back on track with our zoo study. Our zoo trip is coming up very soon! We're also getting ready for Mother's day too. Lots to do!  I'm going to try to post tonight about our plans this week. 

The Beginning of Probably In Preschool

Welcome to my blog, Probably In Preschool Too! I created my original blog (Probably In Preschool) several weeks ago with every intention to get it up and going, but I slacked, and apparently had a case of amnesia to boot. I couldn't for the life of me remember what email I had set up for it, nor could I remember my password. Needless to say I was NOT a happy person. I couldn't figure out how to get my account back, and every attempt lead me back to the google account I had created for college school work. Thanks Blogger, really, thank you, ugh! 

UPDATE! I was able to recover my original blog!!! I am BEYOND excited about this! Yipee! Welcome to the ORIGINAL Probably In Preschool!

Obviously, this is the absolute most BASIC blog you've probably seen. I know. I'm cringing. I have a LOT to learn and a LOT of designing to do. It'll get there, probably! See how I worked that in there? Eh? Okay, that was a bad attempt at blog humor. Yikes! 

So, a little about me. My name is Angie, and I am a full day preschool teacher at a Head Start program in Chicago. My classroom is a mix of 3-5 year old's.  I've worked with children for over 10 years now, and I've been with Head Start for 7 1/2 of those years. I love to have fun in my classroom and I'm known to be a bit of a rebel and teach outside the box at times, but it's all for the benefit of my preschoolers. I want them ready for the world of kindergarten. Have you seen what's expected of these littles in the world of kinder?!?! I want them prepared! 

Currently, I have a classroom of 19. Ten of those littles will be leaving me for kindergarten in the fall. <Insert big crocodile tears here> Right now I have nine children who are three years old, two that are four years old (not for much longer though, they'll be five soon!) and eight five-year-olds. 

My goal with this blog is to post weekly updates about what we've been up to in the classroom. 

Let's see where this adventure takes us! Ready? Lets go!