the week in review

It was a good week. Tuesday was crazy and I’m not sure of the reason for that. Usually I find Mondays and Fridays to be rough but then there doesn’t have to be rhyme or reason for behavior now does there? Wednesday was really good. Centers went well—very little reporting (tattling) or fighting. The swing sets were going up (the poles anyway) and they were intrigued to watch the men putting them in the ground—trying to get underfoot but wanting to stay out of the way so they would be done faster. After break we had rest time, music time, played with our knitted balls alone and with partners (passing back and forth and naming colors), then we did a “challenge course.” I put the balance beam down and then made a bridge using the blocks to see if they could walk along and then crawl through without knocking the blocks over. They love it and are getting much better at it. the first time we did it I think they all knocked it over. This time it was only 4 of them. Stickers came out because they were so good (this makes them even more attentive). Today (thurs) also went really well. We practiced writing our letters (the whole alphabet), recognizing the “o” sound in words, picking up bottle tops with clothes pins, legos, blocks, puzzles and more…after break we had rest time, music time, more centers and then clean up. I thought we would have time for some more balance activities but they cleaned up so well (and took so long) that they had run out of time after our story. Not bad—I think the group activities after break are really good for them and it keeps their attention well. I am still a little leery about Friday as they are usually more rambunctious than “normal”.

Friday went well. During break they climbed all over the swingset poles as we don’t yet have the swings. Helping each other to climb up to stand on the crossbar—I was impressed with the cooperation. They also built two swings of their own just out of rope around the crossbars and took turns very well. I don’t think I once heard “teacher jess, it’s my turn…so-n-so won’t let me go”. Peaceful.