Proud Mama

Today my kids did me proud...they were fantastic on stage with their nativity play and their Hawaiian dancing.  The parents oohed and ahhed and laughed at all the intentionally funny moments.  The coconut people had army helmets with green paper leaves and brown tissue paper coconuts and the three wise men came out in hawaiian shirts and touristy cameras.  It was a fantastic feeling standing in front of them leading them through the dance as their parents took their pictures.  They were glowing with pride at the end of their performance and I was too frankly even though initially I was mortified that I would have to do the dance with the kids in front of the parents too. 

Primary has really grown on me over the last few weeks...I wasn't really sure if it was for me but today I wore Christmas bell earrings and lead a Christmas dance in front of parents with a smile plastered on my face and I truly felt in my element.  I will miss my kids, they all have their own little personalities and it makes me happy to think that I've made their day a little brighter.  I wasn't even sure if I was making progress with them or if it was just that they were so easy to please but I realized today that I have been doing something worthwhile.  I had so many parents of quiet children tell me that their kid talk about me non stop at home and we've had a lot of "Aha!" moments during our lessons. 

We did doubles for math this week (as best we could considering it's Christmas concert week).  I even taught them a rap about it with dance moves earlier in the week to help them remember the patterns.  This morning I let them play with building blocks and practise doubles and then later doubles plus 1.  It was just...nice.  To sit around in a big circle, everyone with their heads down sorting and feeling and moving the pieces to explain that you can use 8+8+1 or 7+7-1 to answer 8+7.  They were calm, I was calm and it was just a relaxing but productive morning. 

I think I will miss that the most from my grade twos.  I hope that when I go into my next practicum block in a split grade 5/6 class, I remember that sometimes playing and fiddling around with stuff is just as effective learning as lecturing even in the junior division.  I'll also miss their spontaneity and joyfulness...I don't think you can find another division where applause and "yay"s happen so often and for the simplest things.   

Tomorrow will be my last day with the grade twos.  At least we'll be happy together during our class Christmas Party.  I think the kids have a surprise in store for me but I have yet to figure out what.  When I had asked them what they had done yesterday afternoon while I was in a meeting they just said "Nothing!" with huge smiles on their faces.  Giggling shortly ensued so I just played along and wondered out loud why everyone was so happy.

I have one more batch of Christmas goody bags to wrap and a few assignments to finish up marking so I best get back to work but happy teaching!