Why and How Things are Better

In my last post, I talked about a lot of the things that are wrong.
A couple of weeks ago I was very, very close to going to Kyieda (the coordinator for Jumpstart) and telling her that I couldn't take this anymore.
But I knew I needed to at least try to discuss my concerns with my classroom teacher before going to Kyieda.

I find my teacher pretty intimidating (I don't like being yelled at from across the room "Uh uh! Don't do that!" on a regular basis). And she seems constantly stressed out.
But I did talk to her, which accomplished a couple good things:
-communication. is ALWAYS. good. I understand her vision a lot better.
-she suggested that I start coming in at 8am instead of 9am--which has been like a magic pill.

It is like this because now I have almost a whole hour (at least half an hour) where my teacher isn't there and where the kids are just playing in their centers. This is my time. In this time, I can work with the kids on writing their names (as she asked me to do), or work on social-interaction skills (sometimes using dinosaurs) or logical thinking (with puzzles or building towers). I don't feel like she's breathing down my neck and I don't feel like I'm intruding or trying to change the day's schedule. I can still help out with classroom management and the other routines of the day (which she desperately needs, since her assistant has been gone the majority of the time I've been here) but I have some of the day now that is mine and mine alone to control.

I was also able to take on some projects for her as far as re-doing some of the labels in the classroom (labeling things is a great way to encourage literacy and alphabet awareness in a preschool classroom) which also helps me feel like I own the space a little more.

I know these seem like small things, but I'm grateful that they had the effect in my psychology that I needed. I'm happy again. Overwhelmingly happy, again, like I usually am.