Pre-K Here I Come!

Yesterday was my first day teaching four year old pre-k.  It was exhausting!  I have been back to work for about four weeks now but up until yesterday I  had no students.  People kept telling me how lucky I was not to have kids yet, and how lucky I am that I don't have to write my own lesson plans.  I can tell you one thing.  I am NOT as lucky as they think!  People don't seem to understand the prep work and paperwork that pre-k requires.  They also don't understand that we have to test children into the program and do home visits!  I can promise you I was not sitting around eating chocolates for the past few weeks!

Well, yesterday went just like you might imagine.  I had a few tears in the morning, but not nearly as many as I thought I'd have.  I had some concerned parents.  I had children who act as if they've never heard the words no, or stop before...and maybe they haven't.  I also learned the names of a few students very quickly.  Those of you who are teachers know that the kids whose names you learn first, are they ones that drive you nuts!  I had one boy MS who had very little self control and talked a lot.  I have already named a few of my gray hairs after him!  Here's an example of MS. "Mrs. Hainey is it time to play? I want to play with the dinosaurs. When are we going to play? Can I get some water? I gotta pee. Is it time to play now? Can I eat the cookies?  I want to eat the cookies.  Mrs. Hainey is it time to play now?"  Imagine all that coming out of a four year old in about the span of five minutes!  He drove me nuts!  But he is the cutest thing I've ever seen and I think that once I get him trained he will be just fine!  Today he knocked over some one's block tower.  I said "MS why did you knock down her tower?"  He replied "because it's fun to knock stuff down!"

I think pre-k will be a great adventure and I am looking forward to falling in love with a new group of kids.  I am going to try to stay positive and give my students opportunities that they would not otherwise have.  I guess in a way all those teachers were right.  I am really lucky.  I have students that smile at me every morning even when they've nothing to smile about.  They already love me and look up to me.  I think it's an honor to be allowed to work with and get to know these precious children.