George Hughes 1907 - 1990
Oh yes, I remember this scenario, both as a Student Teacher and as a Mom.
The second stint of Student Teaching I did was in a First Grade classroom. I was fortunate that the teacher, Natalie, allowed me to begin on the very first day of school in September. Most of the young students seemed eager to enter the room that morning, and there were many smiles and hugs as they separated from their families to join us inside. Except for a tall girl with dark brown hair, who clung desperately, not to her mother, but to the door frame of the classroom. She was literally too terrified to come inside and leave her mother and younger sister. Natalie calmly approached the situation and was able to quickly ascertain from the mother that this was the first time Jan Marie would be in school and leave her mother's side. She had not attended either pre-school or kindergarten. Total fear was written over her face at the prospect of leaving the comfort and security of her Mom.
Our hearts broke for this young child. But the fact remained that the bell was about to ring, and like it or not, Jan Marie was going to have to come inside. Together Natalie and I pried her fingers from the door frame and sat her at one of the tables in the classroom. Poor child collapsed her face onto her arms and sobbed. There she remained for the next hour as her cries finally subsided and she fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of her ordeal.
Jan-Marie was to repeat this routine every single morning for a couple of weeks. We would pull her in the door and she would immediately head for the table to commence her sobbing. And then, two weeks to the day, it was over. She bounced into the classroom with the others, a huge smile on her face, eager to start the day.
Natalie had wisely allowed Jan-Marie the time and space she needed to adjust to separating from her mother. She didn't insist that the girl participate in any of the activities until she was ready. Jan-Marie gradually began to trust that "Teacher" and I cared about her, and that all would be well. She was to become one of the top students in the class and made many friends.
I too learned some very important lessons from the whole experience, which
would later serve me both as a Teacher and a Mother.
Entering Kindergarten, one of my daughters had her own difficulty in leaving the security of home to spend an entire day in a classroom environment. My experience told my head that she would be able to overcome her fear and come out stronger for it, as Jan-Marie had. My heart, however, initially had a little trouble trusting that all would be well.
My daughter was fortunate to have a sensitive, young teacher, who
negotiated with me a plan to help ease the transition. We decided I should pick my daughter up at lunchtime two days a week and bring her home. The plan worked beautifully. Well, except for the one day when the phone rang and her teacher inquired, "Mrs. G, did you forget something today?" "Whoops, leaving right now", I responded as I headed for the car. I will always be grateful for that teacher's kind understanding, as well as the Principal who supported the idea. My daughter was able to stick it out and had a wonderful year.
New beginnings are tough, whether you are heading off to school for the first time, off to college, or starting a new job. But as Jan-Marie, my daughter and I have learned, overcoming your fear can be the start of an exciting adventure.
Fingers crossed Little Miss feels that way on Monday morning, her very first day of pre-school.
Oh yes, I remember this scenario, both as a Student Teacher and as a Mom.
The second stint of Student Teaching I did was in a First Grade classroom. I was fortunate that the teacher, Natalie, allowed me to begin on the very first day of school in September. Most of the young students seemed eager to enter the room that morning, and there were many smiles and hugs as they separated from their families to join us inside. Except for a tall girl with dark brown hair, who clung desperately, not to her mother, but to the door frame of the classroom. She was literally too terrified to come inside and leave her mother and younger sister. Natalie calmly approached the situation and was able to quickly ascertain from the mother that this was the first time Jan Marie would be in school and leave her mother's side. She had not attended either pre-school or kindergarten. Total fear was written over her face at the prospect of leaving the comfort and security of her Mom.
Our hearts broke for this young child. But the fact remained that the bell was about to ring, and like it or not, Jan Marie was going to have to come inside. Together Natalie and I pried her fingers from the door frame and sat her at one of the tables in the classroom. Poor child collapsed her face onto her arms and sobbed. There she remained for the next hour as her cries finally subsided and she fell asleep from the sheer exhaustion of her ordeal.
Jan-Marie was to repeat this routine every single morning for a couple of weeks. We would pull her in the door and she would immediately head for the table to commence her sobbing. And then, two weeks to the day, it was over. She bounced into the classroom with the others, a huge smile on her face, eager to start the day.
Natalie had wisely allowed Jan-Marie the time and space she needed to adjust to separating from her mother. She didn't insist that the girl participate in any of the activities until she was ready. Jan-Marie gradually began to trust that "Teacher" and I cared about her, and that all would be well. She was to become one of the top students in the class and made many friends.
I too learned some very important lessons from the whole experience, which
would later serve me both as a Teacher and a Mother.
Entering Kindergarten, one of my daughters had her own difficulty in leaving the security of home to spend an entire day in a classroom environment. My experience told my head that she would be able to overcome her fear and come out stronger for it, as Jan-Marie had. My heart, however, initially had a little trouble trusting that all would be well.
My daughter was fortunate to have a sensitive, young teacher, who
negotiated with me a plan to help ease the transition. We decided I should pick my daughter up at lunchtime two days a week and bring her home. The plan worked beautifully. Well, except for the one day when the phone rang and her teacher inquired, "Mrs. G, did you forget something today?" "Whoops, leaving right now", I responded as I headed for the car. I will always be grateful for that teacher's kind understanding, as well as the Principal who supported the idea. My daughter was able to stick it out and had a wonderful year.
New beginnings are tough, whether you are heading off to school for the first time, off to college, or starting a new job. But as Jan-Marie, my daughter and I have learned, overcoming your fear can be the start of an exciting adventure.
Fingers crossed Little Miss feels that way on Monday morning, her very first day of pre-school.
No comments:
Post a Comment