Well everyone pretty much knows that I am back to my old haunt of Kindergarten teaching by now.
That is teaching 4 and 5 year olds in the year before they start 13 years of schooling.
Quite often that means recognising special needs for the family for the first time, learning through fun and play, practicing social skills, creating a community for families and preparing children for the following year.
I warned Scott before I took this permanent position that it is full on.
A Kinder teacher NEVER does the hours they are paid for.
Ideas, purchases and general work is constant.
I am lucky because Amelia and Tom love hearing and helping me with these parts of my job description.
Today, Amelia and I volunteered to attend a community event to "sell" our Kindergarten.
Amelia had so much fun it was hysterical.
She was "selling" the showbags for us.
I made the children and parents give her the money when purchasing.
It was obvious that not only Amelia enjoyed that....but the customers did too.
The community involvement extends to my family too.
(Tom has returned from Nana and Poppy's very annoyed that he did not attend too).
My last blog shows the affect that teaching again has had on me.
I question and doubt myself.
I want these parents to get the best teacher they can.
This weekend, I am focusing on what kind of teacher I am now.
It is not greatly different than I was previously, except for one major factor.
It is not SO "pre planned".
I am so much more spontaneous......kind of like a parent.
My poor new assistant must feel like she is on a roller coaster !!!!
My creative urges combined with conversations with the children and noting their interests is creating a very exciting but full on program.
Lets cook !!
Lets make a book !!
Lets ask this parent to help us with this !!
Something I have ALWAYS done though is involve the children in every step of the way.
Let them ride the rollercoaster of excitement and add their ideas as well.
Let them see the mistakes I made with the planning and know we are all human.
So much fun.
I am enjoying the interaction with both the kids and their families.
It has also made me a better mum.
My activities and conversations with Amelia and Tom are so much more exciting because that part of my brain has been switched ON.
It is highly stressful and I am exhausted BUT the house is no longer 90% of my focus.
Kinder is.
Everyone keeps commenting on what a different person Scott is.
He IS smelling the roses and he IS happy.
(He has stolen all my school mum friends BUT ...... LOL)
Adjusting is so fucking hard.
Especially on the level we have forced ourselves to do.
But when you have a "normal" child and are told to "take them home and enjoy single minute you have with them"........ This is not as hard.
And sometimes........just sometimes...... Leaving your comfort zone opens a whole different world, and it is not a bad place.
Below is a photo of Scott and I when we were about 18 years of age.
A lifetime away from where we are now.
It was taken at the "Party House".
Not a care in the world........
xxx
