Kindergarten Pep Talk

Anyone who knows me, knows that my least favorite group to teach at school has to be kindergarten. They are sticky, sometimes smelly, and get lost very easily. They like to sing and skip; two things that I am particularly not good at. On days I teach kindergarten classes I usually give my self a pep-talk.  It goes something like this...

"Come on, Traci. It is only 30 minutes. You can do anything for 30 minutes."

"They are small people. You have two small people at your house. You have never lost one of them."

"Just smile, breathe and read."

But every once in awhile the kinders surprise me. Take today for instance. 

Student: "Mrs. Chun, did you know that I am growing new skin?"

Me: "Excuse me?"

Student: "Yes! You heard me! I am growing new skin!"

Me: "Hmm... in a certain spot or just all over?" (Why did I ask this question??)

Student:  "Just here (pointing to elbow). Oh and my foot."

As he tried to pull up his sleeve to show me the "new skin," I politely told him I believed him one hundred percent and he didn't need to show me his elbow or foot or any other "new skin."  I was a little grossed out but it did make me giggle.

Then on the walk back to class, one girl told me I had on a pretty shirt.  When I said, "Thank you" the compliments started flowing.  That is the thing with kindergartners; once one does something, they usually all follow. One has to potty...they all have to potty. One strays from the line... they all stray from the line. You get the picture. Because of this I was told in no less than 2 minutes: I had pretty hair, my shirt was pretty, I was nice, I had pretty earrings, I was a good reader... you get the idea.  It was a fantastic walk back to kindergarten.

Maybe teaching kindergarten isn't so bad??  I have a new pep talk to go over in my head....

"Get one kid to give you a compliment and they all will say something nice about you!"

I did have to wash my hands upon dropping them off but I didn't lose a single student. I may just have to practice my skipping.