Spirituality and Literature

This past weekend I attended the Cincinnati AEYC conference. I attended two workshops; one was about Algebra and Geometry, while the other was about Enhancing Spirituality Through Literature with Leslie Roth. I found the latter to be particularly powerful, as I seldom considered spirituality to be a part of my classroom.

Sure, we all have a spirit. It's who we really are and drives our passions,  but is it appropriate to talk about or use spirituality in a secular classroom? It turns out that I already have been.

Every time I read certain books in my classroom, I get a gentle, relaxed reaction from my students. Certain books, such as "The Runaway Bunny" or "Good Night Moon" (both by Margaret Wise Brown)  are almost guaranteed this response. I thought that these were just pleasant pieces of literature, but there is more to this. These books, and others, help my students connect to something special inside themselves that allows them to understand themselves and others. As an adult who utilizes literature for this very reason, I should have realized the remarkable effect that it would also have on young children. It is definitely something to consider when choosing reading materials for my preschoolers. These books aren't merely delightful, they are broadening understanding and hope.

Spontaneous field trip day

Today was gorgeous, and one of the first days in a while that I had both aides in my classroom, sooo we decided to walk the children to Findlay Market. Now, I don't have the most well-behaved class in the world, so I was a little concerned at first, but they were awesome. Practically perfect.

We walked several blocks to get there, and the children loved it. They waved at everyone, were given candy, and learned a little bit about fruits, vegetables, and they way people exchange goods for currency. I have been to Findlay Market several times before, but it's amazing how places and events change before your eyes when you're with children. They were seeing and experiencing so much that I would generally not think twice about. Things like plums, tents, and strange dogs were suddenly interesting and worth talking about. This is just another reason to love preschoolers.

Another thing I mentioned earlier was their excellent behavior, but it's starting to make sense to me. Stimulate and interest children, and it will make your job (as a teacher or parent) so much easier. It seems like a lot of work to visit more local places or create fun and different activities, but it's worth it for both you and the children.

Today was fabulous, except for the cleaning up vomit part.

Hi! I'm a preschool teacher at a urban non-profit center, located in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati. I have fifteen children in my classroom, all of which are technically from poverty, including one who is currently living in a homeless shelter. Most of my children live with their hard-working single moms. I am a first year teacher, and I have worked here for about two and a half months. My job has become so interesting that I have decided to start blogging ideas, experiences, etc. Some days are really tough, but some are wonderful.

Today, I actually had a great day. My children have played really well together all morning, and even participated in circle time. We spent almost an hour in the park by our center, and played with shaving cream and food coloring inside (they love this). The only problem I faced today was a student of mine threw up during lunch time. Everywhere. And very casually. I was worried about him, checked his temperature and helped clean him up. He did not have a fever, and said that he felt okay. I think he threw up, because this particular student of mine tends to eat A LOT and quickly. He will often eat two-three bowls of cereal for breakfast or several servings during lunch. He usually shovels them down quickly and asks for more.

I started to make the connection today that this four-year-old boy lives in a homeless shelter with his mom and siblings. I don't know how much he gets to eat, and I don't know how often. At first, I was sad that he was sick, but now I feel saddened that he lives such an unpredictable life where little is certain. He may not know how much he will get to eat for dinner or even where he's going to sleep that night necessarily, but I do want him to know that whenever he is at school, he is more than welcome to have snacks and eat regularly and plentifully.  Sure, I want to prevent projectile vomiting, but I mostly want him to know that I am 100% here to meet his needs and that I care about him.