NEW JOB!

I haven't posted since Friday? Good gravy! And, it IS Tuesday, if you've forgotten.

BUT.

Look, hey, I got a job, guys! And one I'm not kind of half embarrassed to tell people about. Yeah, so I'm kind of a pre-school teacher now. Just the mornings, Monday-Friday at a Montessori-based school.

I'm a little vague on the details and I don't really care. (Little things like where the adult bathroom is and if I'm getting paid and if so, how much. Details.) I've only been there for two days and I am really quite impressed. It's really cool: the kids are responsible to do certain things, math and reading, but they do it when and where they want to. Look around and for the most part you see kids talking but disruptively. Some will sit at a table, some will sit on the floor, some by the window, some by the music. Then there are dozens and dozens of other things they can do, puzzles, sorting activities, life skills (sweeping, dusting, shoe tying etc), drawing, cutting, coloring, pasting, hole punching.

One thing, I got "in trouble" for reading a story to a small group of kids. One boy brought me the book and asked me to read it. A few minutes late, one of the other teachers said, "It's not story time, so we don't read to them right now. Either they can read the book themselves or if the words are too hard, they need to do some word building."

I'm not quite familiar with all the rules and tools and jargon, so I'll be looking that up. I was a little miffed. Now I'll never know what happens with Curious George and the puppies. Seems like even though Montessori seems to be child driven learning ... grrr ... everyone EVERYONE likes to sit back hear a nice story and if they can do what they want when they want ...

Two stressful things:

1. I don't know what I'm SUPPOSED to do ... I'm faking it ... I like it, but I feel like I should be DOING something ... MORE.

2. I have Sagan and Canon in with me. Now this is kind of fun, I get to watch my wild and crazy kiddo get his work, carry it to a table, do it, and put things away almost instinctively. I think he will really do well in this environment. But, having me there allows him to be a little clingy. He doesn't like circle/group time ... he'll get used to it.

Sagan ... she is thrilled to have everything low for her. She;s constantly playing with the sinks and puzzles ... however, she is no good at cleaning up and putting away (yet). And she like to take things from the older kids. And she usually naps at 11 and I'm pushing her nap to 1 ... so she gets cranky toward the end.

There really isn't a toddler area set up. That's in-progress and when it is ready, I think that is where they will have me working. I hope that is soon ... I have a hard time keeping track of my monkeys while helping the other children.

And HOLY MONKEY CRAP my thighs are killing me from squatting down. I like to get down to their level when I talk ... and wow ... I'm gonna have some impressive quads.

Ok. Now to research Montessori techniques and stretch the old (but still cute) legs.