Let's do this again and again!

Well, I have two farmcrafts and one WBY under my belt so far. I really had a lot of fun today with the second graders at farmcraft. I felt more confident about pacing things even though we had to rush through due to time constraints. Having that five minute warning bell really helps. I was glad to have a couple in my group that were a little challenging because I don't think I have been tested too much so far. Everyone has been so good. Even though I like to think I employ good methods for preventing behavior issues, I don't always know how much is my teaching style and how much is just having good kids, or the influence of the teachers there. I found myself almost for a second being envious of a classroom teacher for getting to be around these kids on a daily basis and knowing them so well. We do not have the time to get to know them. Carol was great at helping us out with goat wrangling and cider pressing in our speedy stations.

I try to incorporate as much as I can into the program to get the kids thinking about life a century ago. My grandmother made lye soap and my Mom learned to cook on a wood burning stove. I like being able to share those things. I am not yet to the point Ken is in incorporating Math and all that other great stuff but maybe someday I will get there. I do like the structure of the stations so I am never winging it.

With the six year olds in WBY I felt a little more like I was winging it at times. We went through so many activities so quickly. Because they are six! I left feeling like I needed a lot more tricks up my sleeve to do on the fly when needed. There were some great moments. We found a bunch of ants under a rock and they started moving their eggs and the kids squatted in a circle around them purely mesmerized. I'm appreciating the things we've learned about inquiry Paul and Laura's classes because it really made me think about how I phrase things with kids. I realized that asking questions that have yes/no answers really leave you with nothing, but questions that invite inquiry can take you places.