1. Protect the heart. Make sure there are kind words and easy smiles from adults. Low voices, please - no yelling if possible. Compliment often.
2. Support the body. Comfortable chairs, pillows, and rugs are a must. Sunlight and music help, too. Moving frequently suggested. Must have snacks!
3. Feed creativity. Lots of crayons and paints and paper help. Blocks and toys are good. Sand boxes, containers and running water are nice as well. Read stories that are funny and wise. Encourage singing.
4. Grow the mind. Place real things in little hands for counting up and down. Show real things growing and living for science lessons. Provide real pictures and maps and videos and flags for social science. Allow real demonstrations of literature, such as guest readers, plays, reader's theater for language. Play games; tic tac toe, word search, hang man, memory cards, scrabble, boggle, twister and board games all teach in the most subtle and wonderful ways.
5. Honor the child. Place of picture of you, yourself, up in the classroom. Remember your own little soul. Teach the students as you wish you had been taught; with kindness and love and appreciation. No matter how many years we put between our childhood and our grownup-ness, the little soul resides inside. Keep protecting, supporting, feeding, growing, and honoring your little soul and you will be a wonderful mentor to all your students. This is my theory, and this is how I strive to teach today. My goal is to keep my little person, along with all the children in my care, alive and thriving in the classroom on a daily basis.
No comments:
Post a Comment