Growing up. We all do it and don’t really have a choice. My year with my preschoolers has brought me a ton of growth both physically and mentally. I’ve possibly gained a few pounds with the 25 birthdays the children have celebrated, and developed a couple gray hairs (which my highlights will always cover). Mentally I have developed myself to be a positive thinker, even when I think it’s the worst day ever, I know there was someone who had to have a more terrible day then I did. My growing doesn’t stop there though. I will continue to grow with my years of teaching and allowing myself to grow is the part I have to get past.
My students have just finished a study on dinosaurs. This was a 3 month study on EVERYTHING dinosaurs! We visited dinosaur world, and a local attraction at a zoo here called Dino Quest. My students know all there is to know about dinosaurs, and could have continued on their study, but it was time for us to move on and grow some more. I have chosen to do a study on the “Future”. To start this study I wrote the word Future on a anchor chart. I then read my students a book about growing up. They then were able to tell me what future meant to them. What they wanted to do in the future. My answers ranged from “go to kindergarten” to “start my own family, but one my mommy and daddy will still be a part of”, and “go on the big playground.”
We concluded our beginning unit on starting our future now and visiting the BIG playground. The “big kid” playground allowed my students to see that the future wishes can come true with a little hope. We still have some work to do before we know how to stay safe on the playground. But as I said before, we never stop growing.
To start this new study, I transformed our room to reflect our study.
Art- A Bakery where children can look at cookbooks and recreate masterpieces with Play Dough, once complete they will draw their work of art. Also available in art is drawing books that will teach my future artists how to sketch monsters, dinosaurs, and flowers.
Discovery- Scientists will be at work, using their five senses around our classroom.
Sensory- I will have gardeners in my classroom planting “flowers” in sand.
Dramatics- We transformed Dramatics into a Kindergarten Classroom!
Blocks- Construction Work Zone! I have placed books in here on how to build houses, streets, and skateboards!
I am excited to see my students continue to grow into what they aspire to be.
