Dr Jean Sure Knows What She's Doing

No cute story today, but I did have to share this little tip for all my teacher friends.  It might even work for you moms out there too.  Last night I was looking at Dr. Jean's website.  If you don't know who Dr. Jean is and you are a kindergarten teacher....well then shame on you! :) jk  But serioulsy, you should really get to know her.  I would have never survived kindergarten or teaching for that matter without her.  So back to last night....I was looking on her website and I found some AMAZING tips.  I thought I would try one today. 

While on the playground one of my littles ones comes up to me with little tears in her eyes.  I look behind her and notice that one of my other little ones is standing mighty close to us with some mighty guilty eyes.  I asked her what happened and she said that someone pushed her.  Well...it doesn't take a genious to figure out who it was (aka the little one standing mighty close to us).  One thing I've noticed about those littles ones.  When they do something wrong, they don't go and hide like us adults would do.  They get as close to the teacher as possible (thinking we don't notice) so they can hear what's going on.  So I call the other child over and ask him if he hit her.  Ofcourse he tells me that he didn't do it.  What child, while on the playground where they could sit in time out, would admit to hitting another.  So I did exactly what Dr. Jean suggested and said..."well.....did you hit her, just a little bit?"  I don't know if it was Dr. Jean or his memory suddenly came back to him, but he immediately remembered that he did hit her "just a little bit".  So thank you Dr. Jean for being so Brilliant and you'll be happy to know that he still had to sit in time out, but "just a little bit".

Dazed and Confused

While walking in line today, two of my precious little ones were what we teachers call "having a little trouble"...that's code for playing in line.  :)  So we get back to class and the others get to go play while I kept the two boys back to talk to them.  I simply asked "what's going on....why were you playing in line?"  One of them quickly tells me how sorry they are and that they will do better....the other one and I quote, "well............(long pause)...........my brain just got a little confused.......sometimes that happens ya know"....and this is why I LOVE MY JOB!!  This definately made my heart smile and I hope it does the same for you....more to come soon!