Every Tuesday I begin my teaching day with my Kindergarten class. I love Tuesdays! I wish I had video of my class with them today! They are learning Spanish through TPRS. Today and every day with them is such a learning experience! I must preface this whole post by saying that I only get to teach my darling Kindergarten class one time a week for 30 minutes. Today we were recycling some words we had learned last week: the fish, the cat, big, and small. So I used a technique called directed draw. I told them some little mini-stories and then they drew what I said. Simple. We used small dry erase boards and markers. THEY WERE SO EXCITED to be able to use the dry erase boards and markers! They were even more PUMPED when I told them they were going to get to sit at the big kid tables. (We usually sit together on the floor in a big carpet because the tables in my room are more suited for middle school kids).
It was perfect because they are learning the words big and small so as they each walked to sit at their tables, they were all saying, “Ooooooooooooo, grande.” And then talking about how pequeño they were (because I asked them if it was okay and if they could handle sitting at the mesas grandes, even though they were muy pequeños.) Oh my gosh, they were all so happy to be sitting at the tables! Oh I wish I had video! Next time! They were beaming, feeling so proud of themselves at the tables. It was such a little thing that meant so much to them. They are a constant reminder to always find joy in the little things. Honestly, if I can try each day to take a moment to notice just the simple things in life that make me so happy (like sitting at the big kid tables) maybe I can achieve that sweet, innocent, innate happiness like my kindergarteners have. It is such a simple lesson, but such an important one. It gets so much more difficult for many of us as we age and experience certain changes in life, but being around kids (of all ages) each day truly reminds me how simple life can be. How happy I can choose to be… They teach me just as much, if not more, than I teach them! Here are two quick adorable videos of them singing to brighten you day!
Be the change... 