So I made it through my first full week of teaching these kiddos, AND planning everything myself. Well, that's not to say that the first grade team hasn't giving me tons of stuff, but still - I decided what to do.
This week was a little tougher behavior-wise than the previous week. Lots of chatting, and a few kids seem to be showing their true personalities - some of which are a bit smart-alecy. Instead of earning 11 minutes of choice time like they did last week in only 3 days - this week they only earned 6! I was sure to point this out to them too.
Let's see, oh and we did this math activity today that struck fear into my heart but I did it anyway. It involved buttons...more specifically, giving groups of kids a cup full of buttons and expecting them to work together and share. Now, if you know first graders you can imagine the results this could have. Those bright shiny gold buttons and the sparkly "diamond" ones are just to beautiful to share! Half of my time was spent supervising the activity and guiding them in the sorting of the buttons, and the other half was spent making the more covetous little ones share. After about 5 minutes one girl was sitting at her table with her hands over her face. Someone reported to me that she was crying. I went over and asked her what was going on, but she wouldn't say a word, so I left her alone and we continued. She sat like that the whole rest of the time, which was nearly 20 minutes. When it was time to clean up and line up for recess she was still sitting there. The "mother hens" were gathering around her at this point and trying to console her over whatever was wrong. I shooed them away and asked her why she was still sitting there, and said that it was time for recess. She finally lifted her head and tearfully proclaimed that she wanted to stay inside. I told her that she couldn't because I had to go outside and watch the class. I asked her again why she was upset and she wailed, "Because I didn't get a gold button! When you said to find all the shiny buttons, they got the gold ones and I didn't get any!!" To this I had to gently remind her that we kept putting the buttons back in the middle to sort again, and if she'd been watching, she could have had one next time. I also sadly told her that since she waited til now to tell me, it was too late for me to help. "We've already put the buttons away. If you'd told me while we were still playing I could have made sure the boys shared with you." Eventually she lined up for recess, sniffling all the way, and eventually forgot about her woes when we were outside.
Gold buttons. They are just that awesome.
2 comments:
Who would have thought that a shiny button could be so important? Luckily she recovered and probably has forgotten all about the buttons - until the next activity when you use them. Hope your weekend was relaxing, fun and you are energized for the new week. Love you!!! MOM
Drama Queen! Woe be to her parents when hormones kick in. You did an excellent job reasoning with her. I would have been hard pressed not to roll my eyes.
Hugs, Rhonda
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