Thursday, October 27, 2005

Four Year Old Affirmations

My life as a teacher is rarely mentioned in this blog for the simple reason that it has always been a difficult job where a person can keep personal and professional separate. This blog is my personal life. But...there can be exceptions.

There have been definite differences between teaching elementary school and teaching preschool. By fourth grade, students do not hug their teachers, sit in their laps...nor should they! They don't love singing songs in the classroom. They are just a different crowd. I love the fourth grade crowd though. I miss them.

However, there are parts of the preschool crowd that I dig. I like messy paint. I like puzzle making and block building. I love it when a male student loves wearing the bridal dress during playtime. I like the songs that we sing.

Today, I received some long awaited affirmation that I was doing this preschool thing well. A young girl stood in the middle of the room and said in a quiet voice, "Help."

I replied, "I will help you."

It was quiet as I zipped her zipper so she could leave for the day and she said, "Sara?"

I looked up from the zipper and she continued, "Sara, I like you."

I think that is all any of us want to hear on a daily basis.

3 comments:

Dree said...

THAT is why I *heart* teaching first grade. I just love the little ones. :)

shelly said...

i am a jaded and cold bitch and this post made me cry a little. tiny humans carry such hope for the rest of us. too bad most of them inevitably grow up to be larger human manipulative assholes! oops, that was the jaded bitch in me!

MandyGirl said...

I don't know how anyone can NOT love the little ones. I think the part I love most about teaching music is that I get to see all grades. The little ones, by far, crack me up or say something sweet at least once a day. :)

And I love it when a kindergarten child will notice that I went from having curly hair to having straight hair. Cute!