The first day of observations was spent mostly getting to know the children and helping the teachers in the classroom. I arrived shortly before breakfast, so I started the morning chatting with the teacher while we passed out grapes and cereal bars as the children slowly filed in. They were very curious about me and asked me lots of questions about why I was there. After breakfast, we went to the gym and played a bit of kickball. I tried to spend some individual time with a few of the children who quickly became attached to me, but the other children were curious about the game we were playing, and individual time just wasn’t an option. We then went back to the classroom and did a few activities including my favorite which was a self-portrait. The children used crayons to draw pictures of themselves, their families, and the things they liked. It was an exceptionally diverse activity and a good beginning insight into their lives.
I debated writing about this, just because I’m not big on conflict, but here goes. The negative aspect of the day was watching one of the professionals who work at the school taunt and mock a young child obviously suffering from emotional and psychological trauma. According to the teacher, the child lost her mother in an accident and her father is incarcerated. Because of the trauma she has experienced she is prone to tantrums and fits of rage. Some of her days at school consist of being put in the back corner of the room away from the other children to protect them from her outbursts. At first glance, it appeared that the professional was trying to console the child. He was sitting in a seat in front of her, obstructing her view, attempting to encourage her to take deep breaths so she could calm down. He eventually became more and more irritated with her defiance until he was literally mocking her shrill screams each time she would let one out. He would then glance over at us and make some kind of remark, in essence blaming her for her behavior and his, in an attempt to excuse and make light of what he was doing. His methods and words were very crude and unprofessional. I was absolutely horrified and broken-hearted for the little girl. It’s blatantly obvious that he has absolutely no training or experience in dealing with children suffering from the effects of trauma or doesn't care to apply any training he's received. I left that room with a pit in my stomach and a dull soreness in my heart.
My goal for next week is to continue building relationships with the teachers and students. I’m looking forward to attempting to spend more individual time with each child.
Environmental Analysis of Diversity:
Describe the class (size, gender balance, diversity, disabilities, physical environment). What examples of diversity do you observe in the class?
The classroom, which consists of 7 boys and 8 girls, is big yet cozy with comfortably furnished centers and brightly decorated artwork all throughout the room. The diversity amongst the students is considerable. We have two children from China, both ELL, another child who is non-verbal and requires a tablet device to communicate, and two other children with IEP’s. The children from China spend time with an instructor every day learning how to read, write, and speak English. I was only able to observe the non-verbal child for a few moments, I had to hold in a laugh as he was being scolded by his therapist for watching YouTube videos on his device instead of working on his assignments at home. He didn’t need any words, the look of satisfaction on his face said it all.
My goal for next week is to continue building relationships with the teachers and students. I’m looking forward to attempting to spend more individual time with each child.
Environmental Analysis of Diversity:
Describe the class (size, gender balance, diversity, disabilities, physical environment). What examples of diversity do you observe in the class?
The classroom, which consists of 7 boys and 8 girls, is big yet cozy with comfortably furnished centers and brightly decorated artwork all throughout the room. The diversity amongst the students is considerable. We have two children from China, both ELL, another child who is non-verbal and requires a tablet device to communicate, and two other children with IEP’s. The children from China spend time with an instructor every day learning how to read, write, and speak English. I was only able to observe the non-verbal child for a few moments, I had to hold in a laugh as he was being scolded by his therapist for watching YouTube videos on his device instead of working on his assignments at home. He didn’t need any words, the look of satisfaction on his face said it all.
Britnee -
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you jumped right in to get to know the children on their terms by playing with them. Preschoolers are always so curious. I wonder if they asked you any interesting or funny questions. Unfortunately, the scene you observed is a demonstration that adults do not always respond to children in appropriate ways. I think it demonstrates that training is definitely needed.
I was surprised to hear about the amount of diversity in your classroom - how lucky you will be to work in a classroom with dual-language children and kiddos with a wide variety of abilities. I wonder if you observed any differences in the way the teacher(s) interact based on gender or ability. This would be an important aspect to document.
Teri