Two Sticker Day

Classroom 102
Hamilton Learning Center
Miss Betty, AA-ECE; hired 1997    
Mr. Adam, BA-ECE; hired 2014 (pictured below)

 

These days I tend to do my puzzling on my iPad. I found out today that my electronic endeavors do not hold a candle to doing a jigsaw puzzle with three year olds. Every correct piece is a joyous celebration complete with group cheering. That includes the pieces that only fit because the puzzle was made of foam and children are not above whacking two pieces together with their fists. To a three year old, that still counts. We would all stop and take three seconds to admire the achievement. The same child cheered when the correct fit was found, too. In fact, we cheered a little louder because we knew the piece had a proper home.

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.