Can I tell you the truth? I was a preschool teacher here for 14 years before I moved into this studio job. Now that I am a resource teacher, I sometimes feel a longing to be back in the classroom. Most of all, I miss the connection a teacher enjoys in being responsible to a group of children and having collaboration with co-teachers. As I listen to the lower school teachers talk about their classrooms, and the preschool teachers getting ready for conferences on Monday, I've been making a mental list of things I wish were still part of my job.
One thing I miss is getting to know families. As a classroom teacher, I had a lot of contact with parents, brothers and sisters at pick up time, classroom meetings and conferences. But as a resource teacher there are very few occasions for me to talk with adults. If I didn't do preschool carpool I wouldn't recognize the children's families at all, I bet. I am sad that there is a whole generation of preschool parents coming up that I will never really get to know.
Another thing I really miss is portfolios. We make pretty cool portfolios here. I really miss thinking with each child and with parents and my co-teacher, carefully debating what things could tell the story of that child's year at school. I loved making documentation for portfolios, I loved choosing what should go in them, I loved the feeling of accomplishment when they were done!
And singing! I used to have such fun singing every day at circle. I loved bringing a new song to the children, or learning one from them. We sang all the time, while we were cleaning, playing, or walking along. Someone would suddenly burst into song and the group would join in. Sometimes I can still make that happen in the studio, but not often. One year, we worked out a wonderfully bombastic version of 'Born in the U.S.A.' which I will never forget. Pete Seegar's passing has reminded me of singing all of my childhood folk songs at circle. And no one sang 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' like the Forest room. I miss that.
One thing I miss is getting to know families. As a classroom teacher, I had a lot of contact with parents, brothers and sisters at pick up time, classroom meetings and conferences. But as a resource teacher there are very few occasions for me to talk with adults. If I didn't do preschool carpool I wouldn't recognize the children's families at all, I bet. I am sad that there is a whole generation of preschool parents coming up that I will never really get to know.
Another thing I really miss is portfolios. We make pretty cool portfolios here. I really miss thinking with each child and with parents and my co-teacher, carefully debating what things could tell the story of that child's year at school. I loved making documentation for portfolios, I loved choosing what should go in them, I loved the feeling of accomplishment when they were done!
And singing! I used to have such fun singing every day at circle. I loved bringing a new song to the children, or learning one from them. We sang all the time, while we were cleaning, playing, or walking along. Someone would suddenly burst into song and the group would join in. Sometimes I can still make that happen in the studio, but not often. One year, we worked out a wonderfully bombastic version of 'Born in the U.S.A.' which I will never forget. Pete Seegar's passing has reminded me of singing all of my childhood folk songs at circle. And no one sang 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' like the Forest room. I miss that.
Kate and I have fond memories of your classroom. We were talking about them the other day. Singing Puff the Magic Dragon and Queen's We will Rock You.
ReplyDeleteYou put how I felt last year as a subject teacher perfectly. I missed exactly those things and now I'm not in teaching anymore, I still miss it so much. Thanks for the entry. I love your blog.
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