I can't imagine being a kindergarten teacher. It is the hardest job I can think of. Especially after teaching preschool 1 day a week last year I have a new respect for teachers of young children!! What would you say a good size kindergarten class is? There are 20 children in my son's class. 10 boys and 10 girls.
I am SO sorry I missed yesterday. To answer the statement above. I am a kindergarten teacher and you could not pay me enough to take another job anywhere, for any amount of money. I have a shirt that says it perfectly: TEACHER the HARDEST job you will ever LOVE!
Every year is a new adventure some are magical carpet rides through the best fairy tales ever. Some years are like the deepest darkest forest and you think you will never see day light- last year ( I had a student in the classroom for 6 months who was undiagnosed until March with a severe mental health problem that resulted in various violent behaviors that included physically attacking me daily.)
We have been back 4 week so far and I have been blessed with a wonderfully sweet, kind, compassionate, and "normal" group of students. Even though I am in the room with them everyday all day (by myself) I am always amazed at how much they grow and how quickly. By December they have gone from little people who needed constant attention to pretty self sufficent little ones, who know there way around our building on their own and do SO many things independently. Not to mention that some students came to me and had no idea what a letter was and are READING by Christmas or some who had never held a pencil before they met me and they are writing sentences by Thanksgiving. I have taught other grades but the selfish side of me loves Kindergarten because of all this. They make so many gains. It amazes me.
My statement to all mommies is always, "I love them as if they are mine. I disipline them as if they are mine. I treat them as if they are mine. In the end I see them as my children. You may cry the first day because you are letting me have them for the day. I cry the last day because I am giving them back for a lifetime."
Any good teacher will feel the same. As a teacher I know there are occasionally some who do not see it this way. I say that when you no longer love every minute the good and the bad, GET OUT OF TEACHING.
My students are my mission, my drive, my goal: To help them be the BEST THEY can be.
As for class size I say 16 is the perfect size. BUT it never happens. Last year I had 23, as well as my student with VERY special needs. That was HARD. But 20 is a very workable and fun a number to have. However, more students than that often turns into managing little bodies. Our schools do not have assistants in the regular education classrooms, but if your little one has a assistant in the classroom 20 will be a breeze.
Enjoy this year you will see him turn into such a little man. Then you get him back for the SUMMER!
I hope this perspective makes it easier for you to say, "See you in a few hours."
Sorry this post was SO long, there was SO much to say.
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