All in a Days Work

Monday through Thursday,from 11:00 to 11:30, I help in one of the kindergarten classes with the reading/writing center. On Monday I have above average students, Tuesday is average, Wednesday they have a little tougher time, and Thursdays students struggle. This week we have been writing a newspaper article for the end of the year yearbook. They are to write about themselves, beginning with telling their name. So today (Thursday) I have my five little pupils gathered round the table trying to show and explain what we will be doing. "Teacher, look at my crooked finger." "Teacher, George (all names have been changed to protect the innocent) hit me." "Well, that is because you poked him," I tell Sam. "I have a dog Teacher." And on and on it goes while I am reminding them to focus. "One, two, three, eyes on me," I tell them. Yeah, right. I take a paper and I write on it: "My name is Claudia." Then I tell them they need to write on their blank paper: My name is George, My name is Beth, etc. When they are finished (I left my paper in the middle of the table to help them out) I have: "I Sam." "My Steve." "My George is name." And, of course..."My name is Claudia!" "Sweetie is your name Claudia, no it is Beth so you need to write Beth," I tell her. "Steve read your sentence to me." "My Steve," he reads. "Where is the sentence 'My name is Steve.' You left out the words name and is," I remind him as I hand him a new blank paper. All the while Sam is poking George, George is hitting Sam and Sam is whining that George hit him. Finally, in frustration I turn to Sam, who is sitting right next to me, and I say: "If you poke George one more time you will be kicked off this island and you will have to go sit at that island all by yourself!" He chuckles and says: "This is an island." "Yes, this table is our island and if you can not keep your hands to your self you will go sit at that island (pointing to an empty table) all by yourself!" That worked. No more poking, hitting, or whining! I went to lunch and on the way stopped and grabbed a Pepsi out of the fridge! No, I have not kicked the Pepsi habit yet and probably won't as long as I have this job.