You know it's a not-so-good sign when you wake up thinking you had a dream where you broke your alarm clock as it was going off. Not that I would say this from experience or anything.... Yeah, so this was my morning today.
I normally plan about 2 hours to get ready in the morning, and this morning I had 10-15 minutes. I woke up, Praise God that I woke up when I did, shortly before I needed to leave. And it wasn't like I could just skip class, I had an observation/teaching I had set up with Prairie Christian School (PCS) this morning, and I couldn't miss that. Sad to say, I skipped all the spinning rims and ate a banana and an orange on the way. (Side note: when I finished the banana, I through it out my window into a field. However it didn't make it into the field. If you have ever tried to throw a banana peel out the passenger window while driving before, you'll know what I mean (apples are a lot easier). The banana would have made it had my car been stationary, however it was indeed moving. Thus the banana peel smacked my mirror, leaving a smudge and plopped down on the side of the road.)
Anyways I made it to PCS in good time, and found that I had plenty of time there before classes started. I prepped and reviewed while I waited. I was blessed to be able to get not one, but two observation/teaching projects done. One was a singable book, which I did The Seals on the Bus (suggested by Bethany) and (also suggested by Bethany) The Blue Balloon. The latter was used not as a singable book, but as another Dialogic Reading project - involving lots of questions and engagement from the kids. Having done The Seals on the Bus first really helped, in my opinion, draw the kids into engagement for The Blue Balloon. To further engage them, I decided to bring in a blue balloon for them to play with (the class was a group of three kindergartners). The book was about a BIG balloon, so I brought in my BIG 4-foot blue balloon (that you can buy for $1.50 CAD in Canada at Dollaroma). I didn't quite blow it up to it's full 4 foot diameter, but it was well over 2 feet wide. I started with the blue balloon, but come to find out it had a hole in it. I was very thankful that I had brought my last and final big balloon as a back up - it was pink. Needless to say, the kids loved it. Well, that is, they loved it for about three minutes - then it hit the corner of the light fixture and went from 2+ feet wide to 2+ millimeters thick. Then Becky, the teacher, asked how my clown skills were. Not overly sure what she meant, she brought out some long balloons and a pump, and I spent the next 40+ minutes playing with them making balloon animals and shapes. They stretched the ability I thought I had with making balloon animals. (Becky had a meeting (on the other side of the classroom, that took longer than she expected, so she was very thankful that I was able to stay and play with them with the balloons for this time). It was fun and enjoyable, and it makes want to come back again.
I made it to class a few minutes late, but it didn't make much difference.
Come to find out, later in the day today, that the second book I had read this morning for an upcoming observation, is no longer needed. The professor of this class, Dr. Hartle, who has helped me so much and has been very helpful and flexible, decided today to drop that last assignment, so we have more time to study for the final exam.
There were also 3 students gone today from that class and so the two of us remaining got out fifteen minutes early. (My second class today, the other child development one, didn't have class today, as it was an out of class observation day). In class with Dr. Hartle, our next, and now final, assignment is called a Physical Activity. As a group/class, we have to come up with a 40-45 minute lesson and activities to teach some of the preschoolers here at the Child Development Lab. This activity is still 2-3 weeks away, at least. However, as we were talking about it today, it looks like Dr. Hartle is going to try to see if we can teach the preschool classroom that I work in, since I already know the kids. That has it's ups and downs. It will be easier since the kids know me and respect me, and I know them, but on the flip side, Dr. Hartle may make me the lead in our group because of it - which will be good but stretching. More to come on that.
I normally plan about 2 hours to get ready in the morning, and this morning I had 10-15 minutes. I woke up, Praise God that I woke up when I did, shortly before I needed to leave. And it wasn't like I could just skip class, I had an observation/teaching I had set up with Prairie Christian School (PCS) this morning, and I couldn't miss that. Sad to say, I skipped all the spinning rims and ate a banana and an orange on the way. (Side note: when I finished the banana, I through it out my window into a field. However it didn't make it into the field. If you have ever tried to throw a banana peel out the passenger window while driving before, you'll know what I mean (apples are a lot easier). The banana would have made it had my car been stationary, however it was indeed moving. Thus the banana peel smacked my mirror, leaving a smudge and plopped down on the side of the road.)
Anyways I made it to PCS in good time, and found that I had plenty of time there before classes started. I prepped and reviewed while I waited. I was blessed to be able to get not one, but two observation/teaching projects done. One was a singable book, which I did The Seals on the Bus (suggested by Bethany) and (also suggested by Bethany) The Blue Balloon. The latter was used not as a singable book, but as another Dialogic Reading project - involving lots of questions and engagement from the kids. Having done The Seals on the Bus first really helped, in my opinion, draw the kids into engagement for The Blue Balloon. To further engage them, I decided to bring in a blue balloon for them to play with (the class was a group of three kindergartners). The book was about a BIG balloon, so I brought in my BIG 4-foot blue balloon (that you can buy for $1.50 CAD in Canada at Dollaroma). I didn't quite blow it up to it's full 4 foot diameter, but it was well over 2 feet wide. I started with the blue balloon, but come to find out it had a hole in it. I was very thankful that I had brought my last and final big balloon as a back up - it was pink. Needless to say, the kids loved it. Well, that is, they loved it for about three minutes - then it hit the corner of the light fixture and went from 2+ feet wide to 2+ millimeters thick. Then Becky, the teacher, asked how my clown skills were. Not overly sure what she meant, she brought out some long balloons and a pump, and I spent the next 40+ minutes playing with them making balloon animals and shapes. They stretched the ability I thought I had with making balloon animals. (Becky had a meeting (on the other side of the classroom, that took longer than she expected, so she was very thankful that I was able to stay and play with them with the balloons for this time). It was fun and enjoyable, and it makes want to come back again.
I made it to class a few minutes late, but it didn't make much difference.
Come to find out, later in the day today, that the second book I had read this morning for an upcoming observation, is no longer needed. The professor of this class, Dr. Hartle, who has helped me so much and has been very helpful and flexible, decided today to drop that last assignment, so we have more time to study for the final exam.
There were also 3 students gone today from that class and so the two of us remaining got out fifteen minutes early. (My second class today, the other child development one, didn't have class today, as it was an out of class observation day). In class with Dr. Hartle, our next, and now final, assignment is called a Physical Activity. As a group/class, we have to come up with a 40-45 minute lesson and activities to teach some of the preschoolers here at the Child Development Lab. This activity is still 2-3 weeks away, at least. However, as we were talking about it today, it looks like Dr. Hartle is going to try to see if we can teach the preschool classroom that I work in, since I already know the kids. That has it's ups and downs. It will be easier since the kids know me and respect me, and I know them, but on the flip side, Dr. Hartle may make me the lead in our group because of it - which will be good but stretching. More to come on that.
Very interesting blog, Joshua. I feel you are really good with these kiddos - and so glad you enjoy it. Maybe I won't try to throw a banana peel out the passenger window. LOL
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