It's Gettin' Crazy

This week is brought to you by the number 2, the color yellow, and the letter B.

2 Yellow Bananas.

While I actually only have a small amount of time with each class, finding things to do to fill that time are a little hard. I will have to try to find some new games or something. The kids have problems sitting still, and I know it's hard as a kid to sit still, but I really don't like kids putting their feet on my wall and trying to climb their feet up the wall as they eventually make a handstand. I mean - is that too much to ask?

So we're working on sitting still. For the three older classes, I start each session with calendar ("Today is Monday, October, 18th"), weather (cold and sunny, warm and cloudy), and the alphabet song. I repeatedly say that I am looking for people who are sitting well, and listening, and I choose those kids to put the date up, the weather up, and use our monster pointer to point to each letter as we sing along with the song. What's a monster pointer? I guess I'll have to take a picture to show you sometime! I think every classroom needs a special monster pointer. It's all the rage and every kid wants to touch it.

Amanda asked a couple questions, so here goes:
How many kids do you have in each class?
I have anywhere from 7-14. There are 14 toddlers. That's an insane amount of 2-3 year olds. There are about 11 or 12 preschoolers, and the Kinder classes tend to be smaller. The numbers change every day just because of who is absent. Also, the Kinders would do a lot of resting during this period of time, before they had English class, and sometimes I lose them to sheer sleepiness and they decide to rest instead.

Are they asking you questions constantly?
Not as much as you, Amanda. They actually don't ask a lot of questions. Generally they do a lot of telling me stories. We're in the middle of a song and they want to tell me about the lollipop they ate this weekend. Well, that's great, little buddy, but I'm singing about the wheels on the bus, so get with the program! Actually, I dont' know how to say that in Spanish. Instead, I usually nod, smile, and then get back into whatever we're doing, because lets face it: I usually have no idea what they're saying to me. Understanding Spanish from grown adults is hard enough. Understanding the Spanish mutterings of a child is ten times harder.

Or are you only letting them speak english?
No. I found out by working a bilingual school where they want the kids to ONLY speak English, that telling someone they can only speak one language when everyone around them speaks another, is quite difficult. Besides - these kids don't know anything yet except for some numbers, a couple colors, and monkeys jumping on a bed. I can't keep them from talking, and I can't force them to speak English. I do a lot of my speaking in Spanish, but I'm gradually working in more English as I go. Although, I have to keep reminding myself to speak English, because my initial reaction is to say it in Spanish so that they understand. I think, all in all, this is a learning process for me as much as it is for them.

Do you like how many questions I am asking? :)
Yes, actually, I do. Because it makes me feel loved and like someone cares :)

Did you know wolves are yellow? That's what a 3 year old just told me while we listed off things that are yellow. You just have to nod and smile.