August 26, 2014

Classroom Zoo #15 - Box of Chocolates

The kindergarten classroom is the ultimate box of chocolates. You really never know what you're going to get. In the later grades, there is a seemingly endless amount of information available on the qualities of each student: their strengths, their weaknesses, their families, their quirks, and of course, their assessment scores. This information is used by teaching professionals to make the mix that will make each child successful. This doesn't necessarily happen at the kindergarten level. They come into the school with a clean slate. Little is known. All is experienced. For kindergarten teachers, these personality, academic, and social discoveries can make the first weeks very interesting to say the least. Imagine cooking up a stew with a ton of unknown ingredients. Will it taste horrible? Will it make me or others sick? Only time will tell. 

Wait. . .what am I saying???  They aren't like a box of chocolates at all. You do know what you're going to get. You're going to get tired. You're going to get confused. You're going to get frustrated. But most of all, you're going to get blessed with an amazing group of new friends that you are honored to work with every day.

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