Three year old gems

I love my job for so many reasons, but one of my favorites is what I hear when I'm teaching.  I am constantly grabbing books to hide my laughter when a kid says something that cracks me up.  Thursday was an interesting day with my three year olds.  All kids say funny things, but these ones were making me laugh all day.  My favorite encounter was a little one who I am officially naming D.W.  Everyone knows D.W. is a little pesky, but super sweet.  And she is constantly asking questions. 

Little D.W. took off her shoe to show me a cut on Thursday.  She said, “Miss Rabedeaux, my toe hurts…I got a cut.”

Now, please don’t blame me for being the un-caring teacher—kids just have a tendency to show me old wounds and say they hurt.  So of course I replied with, “Uh-huh, ouch that looks like it hurt.”

Another friend asked how it happened, and she said, “It’s no one’s fault!”

And her friend said back, “It’ll be okay—you’re a fast healer.”  There is some great parenting going in my room if a three-year-old can remark, “You’re a fast healer.” 

I have another little one who I am naming Tinkerbell.  She can be super sweet and caring when she wants to be, but other times she can have an attitude!  

Tink was being VERY bossy on Thursday--to her “best friend”—I’m not sure I would have put up with it, but she was sure taking it well.  I told her not to boss her friend—and she said, “I’M NOOOOOOT”—in the typical three-year-old whine.  Then one of the boys who loves to copycat everything I say said, “Yeah, don’t boss your friend,” to which the friend being bossed replied, “She’s NOT!”  Ooooookay then! 

We have been learning lots about fall this week—we painted coffee filter leaves, and now they are covering the space outside my classroom.  So beautiful!

On Friday I was in the middle of a lesson when one of my kiddos (who is always touching my shoes or pant leg—some sensory issues there!) tapped me on the leg.  I thought he had something relevant to the conversation, so I said, “Yes?”  To which he rolled up his pant leg, pointed to his leg and said, “Miss Rabedeaux, look!  I’m getting some hair there, just like Daddy!”  Glad to know my lesson was so engaging that he remembered his leg hair!  

My crew of "characters"

I had a friend last year who gave each of her students “nicknames” based on characters from books, tv, and movies.  I LOVE that idea, so I’m kidnapping it and making my own.  That being said, here are a few introductions to my lovely crew:

Meet Junie B. Jones.  One of my favorite characters of all time—she’s spunky, curious, and outspoken, but oh-so-sweet.  Always into something (most likely something she shouldn’t be), but smiles her irresistible smile, gives me a hug, and she thinks she’s off the hook.  She isn’t always, but she is pretty stinkin’ cute. 

I'm still working on a name for this one, but I have to share the story.  I had a little one who had an ACCIDENT, all the way down to his shoes.  He had told me he had to go to the bathroom, then emerged thirty seconds later bawling, “It’s in my pants!!!”  I had to bite my lip to avoid laughing.  (No worries, we got the problem solved…he had extra clothes in his cubby.)

My final introduction today is Spongebob Squarepants.  As much as I hate this show, he really is a loveable character.  He ALWAYS has a smile on his face, brings others along with him, and never stops moving.  He is always talking, jumping, grabbing the cord to my screen, turned around backwards, or “hugging” someone around the neck.  In a word—BUSY.  But also just happy-go-lucky, loved by everyone, and never without a smile.

We’ve been awfully busy in our classroom this week—we practiced making letters in salt, tried a new skittles experiment (Pre-k Kinders), and completed our first set of assessments J I discovered many interesting facts…including some students that only know one letter of the alphabet.  I have my work cut out for me.

http://prekinders.com/2008/05/exploring-with-colors-experiment/

I'm working on how to share a song that we recorded in class last week--it's darling, but I can't figure it out yet.  Any suggestions would be welcomed :) Blessings to all of you!

One week in...

I am absolutely in love with pre-k :) My kiddos are the cutest, sweetest little ones!

Not only did I get 10+ hugs today, here's a snapshot of how adorable they are.  On Tuesday, we went to the library, and WITHOUT any prompting, one little said to me, "Mrs. Rabedeaux, thank you SO much for taking us to library so we could check out books!"  Yes, all of them refer to me as Mrs.  No, I do not waste my time correcting them.  In fact, my aide and I had to laugh when I accidentally said it myself in our name-game this morning.  All in a day...

This week has been one of the busiest in my entire life.  I moved (yes, again), started a new Bible study, and had my first full week in pre-k.  But I can honestly say, I LOVED it.  I am going to be exhausted tomorrow, but it is so worth it.  

Things I have learned this week:
1. Three's have an attention span that lasts about 3 minutes.  Plan accordingly.
2. Coloring is therapeutic to some of my criers.
3. Overplan.  For everything.  You never know when an activity might take WAY less time, or the kids can't focus. 
4. Animal Action=best ever preschool song, even if I can't stand it.
5.  Whenever possible, ask a kid to pray.  It is the most adorable, life-giving thing in the world.

It is amazing to me how fast the day can fly!  I sometimes wish there weren't so many specials just so I had more teaching time...I certainly never thought I would say that!  One of the best parts of my day is listening to them play.  They have some of the funniest conversations, such as:

"I smell a stinky.  Who was it!?!"

"No, you have to be this one.  It's the girl." (Referring to these community helpers dolls...side note: they are all men, as far as I can tell.)  

"Mrs. Rabedeaux, N isn't wearing any shoes!"
"N, why are your shoes off?"
"Because now I don't have to go back inside!"--on the playground.  I'm not quite sure how that rule works?

We also made some of the cutest crafts this week!  Thanks to pinterest, most of the time I don't have to look very hard for crafts to go with our theme.  This week was apples, and these are the "apples" we made:

We also made buses for the first week of school.  I was unaware that they had never been cut out in the past... guess I was just over-working their fine-motor skills?

My three's are working with glue--lots--but these alligator A's sure are cute:

Thank you to the sweet mom who left me this on my desk this week:

Hope you are all having a wonderful "smooth" start to your year as well!

First Day Jitters

I AM SO EXCITED!

Tomorrow is my first day in Pre-K, and I can't wait to start this amazing journey with my kiddos!

I'm also doing something I thought I'd never do...starting a blog.  I know not everyone wants to stay up to date on my preschool classroom, but I've gotta keep track of the funny things they say somehow!  Maybe I'll get extra points in my PLC for integrating technology.

This job is such a gift from God--I have an amazing staff and after meeting most of my students at open house, I know I have some FABULOUS kids too.

The last two weeks have been busy getting my classroom ready... here are some pictures of what it looks like right now, before the kids get there!

Overview of our classroom

 Our little reading corner...can't wait to see those sweet ones curled up with books!

Gotta have that word wall!

Everyone gravitates straight for this kitchen

Dr. Seuess...so wise

We'll fill this up fast!

 Amen :)

Who doesn't love ice cream?














Hopefully I'm still this excited after tomorrow!