happy simple moment

Happy Spring!  Today as I was watching my children play in various parts of the room I saw Kitten doing something I hadn’t seen a child doing before – and it was sooo adorable!  Kitten was in the block area and she was holding a long 12″ rectangle unit block.  Nothing unusual – she put it down, picked it up – basically took it with her everywhere she went.  At first I couldn’t figure out why – but then I got it!

At one point she laid it down on the floor and walked about two feet away.  She was pretending to pick imaginary items up off the floor.  A boy came into the block area and accidentally kicked her block.  She shouted the boys name in annoyance and ran over and picked up the block.  Then she held it tenderly in her arms (much like one would hold a baby with the baby’s head on her shoulder) and said, “Shhhh, it’s okay now.” as she patted her “baby” on the back.  After doing this she started rocking her baby in her arms and singing softly as she walked around the carpet.

She continued playing this way for a good 20 mins.  She pretended to feed the baby and build block structures with it as well.  This is the first time I have seen one of my children turn a block into a baby – but it was adorable and I was very proud about how imaginative she was being.  It made me smile…and it made the stresses and exhaustion of the week melt away for a few mins…it was one of those simple moments in life that remind us of how little we truly need to be happy.  For some, all it takes is a block and an imagination.

Ms. Lezze-Faire strikes again!

Ms. Lezze-Faire sometimes astounds me.  Last week we were playing with play dough at one of our centers when she came into our room.  When she saw the play dough, she got this disgusted look on her face!  I asked her what was wrong and she replied, “I hate play dough!  It’s disgusting!”  I gave her a quizzical look and she said that it’s just a germ spreader because children wipe their noses and put their fingers in their mouth and then touch the play dough.

I didn’t know what to say – I was dumbfounded!  I told her that my children don’t wipe their noses with their hands – they use tissue – especially this late in the school year.  I also said that we watch them carefully so nothing goes in their mouths.  But she didn’t care – she said she still wouldn’t have it in her classroom!

Then she saw the unit blocks.  When I came into my class 3 years ago – the only blocks I had were Lego’s.  No wooden blocks at all!  So, over the past 3 years I have accumulated about 100 unit blocks for my class and about 70 tree blocks.  All out of my own pocket – and they’re not cheap!  Which is why I got almost all used on eBay.  When she saw them she asked where they came from.  I told her I bought them because I felt the children needed them as part of a good preschool classroom.  She just said, “Oh, I see.” and walked out.  I still have no idea why she even came into my class to begin with – it’s a mystery!

In case you were wondering why she didn’t buy me wooden blocks out of the school’s budget?  She told me, when I asked, that there were no wooden blocks in any of the classrooms because the children throw them and make them into weapons!  That was her excuse!  I couldn’t believe my ears!  Who is running the classroom anyway?!  Where are the teachers supposed to be?!  I told her that has never happened in any of my classrooms!  I set boundaries for my children and clear expectations and they follow along with no hassle.

It is very evident Ms. Lezze-Faire has no concept of developmentally appropriate practice…

*Picture found through Google Images*