Hamilton Learning Center
Miss Betty, AA-ECE; hired 1997
Mr. Adam, BA-ECE; hired 2014 (pictured below)
That is a theme in Room 102. They
cheer. They sing and celebrate. They even dance. Oh, and the children (and
CEOs) earn stickers. Through it all there is embedded learning. If you are not
watching for it, you might miss it. For instance, the big rug in the room has
alphabet letters around the border. There are loose carpet squares with
letters. The children get to pick their sitting squares. When they match their
choice with the correct spot on the rug they get a sticker. These are three
year olds; yet, they are truly mastering letter recognition. Mr. Adam also
asked them to name something that started with their letter or he did so
himself. It all happens so seamlessly, the children just drink it in. Oh, and
celebrate with a smile when they earn a sticker.
I got my first sticker for helping with clean up. My second one was for cleaning up, too. Technically, I could have had a three sticker day. I sat at the letter K spot on the rug and properly matched my carpet square. Miss Betty did have to show me how it all worked. Next time when I do it all by myself, I am a shoe-in for the extra sticker.
What I learned from Miss Betty
Miss Betty transitioned between
leading and supporting without pause. I admire that. A challenge to team
teaching is that you have to work with someone else as equals. As the situation
demands, you have to either take control or defer to the other teacher based on
what is best from moment to moment. It looks easy when done well by teachers
like Miss Betty. It is what I want for very classroom, but the truth is each
teaching team has to want it enough for themselves for it to become their daily
routine.
What I learned from Mr. Adam
I do not know if Mr. Adam has
trained himself well or if he simply is not predisposed to speaking sharply to
children. I do know that he is unfailing poised and positive with the children.
The child that yanks a toy away from another child is encouraged to remember
classroom rules about grabbing and is given an opportunity to show that other
child respect. The child that fails to use walking feet is asked to remember
the rule for next time. Mr. Adam tells them over and over what is appreciated.
Through his skill, the room is filled with praise, especially in the areas
where a child struggles but is making effort.
Memorable Moment
Here’s the scene: Elmer’s glue in
squeeze bottles, construction paper for ripping into small pieces and seven
young preschoolers. We were making candy corn pictures. It was a hoot. Mr. Adam
showed the children how to squeeze lightly to get dots of glue. In more than
one case, dots quickly gave way to blobs. Fazed not in the slightest, the
teachers encouraged more construction paper pieces to cover the oozing areas.
There were a couple of pictures where blobs became puddles. Those pictures may
still be drying next week.
Linking It Together
I truly enjoyed my morning in Room
102. Not only was I welcomed, I was welcomed to come back. It is a room that is
a pleasure to be in. You would think that would translate into excellent
student attendance; yet, even in this room we have attendance challenges.
I mentioned seven preschoolers.
Morning enrollment for that classroom is actually twelve. Both teachers
expressed their concerns about how children’s absences stymie learning. One
child that returned after being out ill for just over a week had regressed and
was clearly reorienting to being back in class. Both teachers were thrilled to
have him return and were back-tracking with him as necessary to regain lost
ground.
A few children were out pending
required physicals. State of Ohio child care licensing dictates that within 30
days of admission every child have documentation on file of a physical exam
within the previous 12 months and that an updated exam be filed every 13
thereafter until the child is attending Kindergarten. This is a health and
safety requirement with an emphasis on preventing the spread of communicable
diseases. For various reasons not all parents make the deadline. Most of the
children will be back within a couple of weeks. In the meantime, teachers wait
to welcome each child back.
For me, being in Room 102 made for
an excellent Halloween treat. We did celebrate with a special video on the
Smart Board and every child (and one CEO) left with a small sack of candy. Many
of the children were up past bedtime having trick or treated the night before.
So the children were happily tired. Top that off with dancing, learning and
singing and I suspect there were some seriously good afternoon naps.