This week I started my S.O.S at Starke Elementary for their summer VPK (voluntary pre-Kindergarten) program.  I am very excited about this site first because I get to work with Mrs. Lloyd who I have worked with on and off in her Kindergarten class at Starke. I am also excited because I get to get back to the “little” people, the past year I have been working in 4^th and 5^th grade classrooms and I have miss being with preschool-Kindergarten aged children dearly. Most of our 18 students are 5 years old and all of them will be starting Kindergarten in the fall. The purpose of summer VPK is to get these children ready for school academically and socially. Many of the children in the nearby area are considered underprivileged and don’t receive the support at home to help them become ready for school.  This is why VPK is so important and we are hoping to have more children next week.  My job is to assist the head teachers in helping the children become acclimated with the school environment, learn how to interact with other students and adults in an appropriate manner, and to help with whatever needs to be done whether its cutting out tons of shapes or tracing letters for the afternoon art project or stepping in and leading the children in a task or lesson.

The children make me so happy and the 10 hour days pass by fast. We have students who are ready to begin school in the fall academically but struggle socially or linguistically. There are a few children who do not know English, but most of them seem to be adjusting well. There are also other children who haven’t been away from their guardians and so they have been crying (as the week progressed these students have realized school is fun and are crying less, yay!).   There are also a few children who have behavior problems, it seems that they just don’t know what to do with their feelings so they disobey or lash out. As you can see we have a very diverse group and I know that this experience will make me a better and more prepared teacher.

I am amazed at how much the children have warmed up to us in such a short time and I am starting to see each of their personalities and how they are becoming friends with each other. My favorite event of the week was when one of the little boys decided that he wants to wear dresses and had the teacher convince his mother to let him bring one for dress up the next day because he had been so good that day. The time for housekeeping comes around and he goes and puts on his dress….which was a Snow White costume. I had to give him a diagnostic test during this time and he would only answer when I called him Snow White. Also, in the middle of the testing he looks at me, points to another little boy and tells me that is his prince charming. The other little boy took this job seriously and with a spatula as his sword defended Snow White for the rest of center time. The girls in our class of course joined in and were each a different princess. The little boy definitely played the part of princess well and it was very entertaining to watch them all play together so nicely. I am really looking forward to next week to see all the new things the children will learn, they just soak up knowledge!  

"Ms. Howard, I'm a princess, I live in a castle and you are making me late for my party"
(Oh these children make me laugh :) )