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Tuesday Slice of Life.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day.
A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity
for teacher-writers to share and reflect.
This year, our hello/goodbye window is a particularly magical and happy place in my classroom. Do you know the book, by Norman Juster? In the story, grandparents have a special window in their home where children can watch everyone come and go. It is a very special love ritual.
This year, our hello/goodbye window is a particularly magical and happy place in my classroom. Do you know the book, by Norman Juster? In the story, grandparents have a special window in their home where children can watch everyone come and go. It is a very special love ritual.
How to explain this special place in our classroom? It is the perfect salve for the fragile preschooler who is sad to say goodbye to their family. They no longer have time to dwell on their misery, because one must get to the window and make merry!
One quirk about our window is that it isn't exactly on the way out the door for families...in fact, when they leave our classroom, they have to back up a few steps in the opposite direction to get to the window. It's proof that sometimes going backwards ends up being a step forward. When a preschooler's face begins to sadden at their family member leaving, a classmate or teacher nudges them - "quick! let's go see them at the window!" and off we race to the window. Oh, the scenes that transpire! We blow kisses, we make silly faces, we give hearty waves. The sad preschooler becomes an enthralled preschooler, because there is so much more to see than just their family. Yes, Mom or Dad may have just left, but look! Look at everyone else! It seems like the whole school parades by the window. Older students, who once depended on this window themselves, now stop and wave and make faces at the preschoolers. Teachers and administrators stop and wave, too. If you look very closely, across the way, you can see the preschoolers in the classroom next door. There's nothing more fun than waving to these friends, who we will see on the playground later in the day. Yes, our hello/goodbye window is a place of love and joy. The perfect way to begin a school day!
This is so wonderful! I wonder how I can use it as a metaphor for teaching literature. You have me thinking.
ReplyDeleteIn a somewhat related note: I had to leave my last period class ten minutes early. A colleague who has last period prep covered for me. On the way out I reminded the class, "No conflagrations!" Things are a bit different in high school! :-)
Great Idea! You made what can be a tough situation into something fun and exciting.....just great for taking their mind off separation! And, I love the older students parading by "who once depended on the window themselves" get in on the act, too!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I write The Apples in My Orchard Blog found on SOL Tuesday posts.
DeleteWhat a neat way to turn the situation around and to brighten the students' moods! That's really cool to see how you transformed a book into reality for the children to experience on their own besides reading it from the book.
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