Can I just say, I love my major!! I'm going into elementary education and I don't regret that decision one bit. Recently, I got a job through America Reads Tutoring. What I do is for so many hours a week, go to a classroom and help kids with literacy. However, it's gotten to the point where I'm more of an aid then a tutor. I do my tutor stuff, but help out so much in the classroom doing other things. Anyway, so I got assigned to kindergarten. I was unsure at first because I've always wanted to teach 4th grade....but I am so glad I got put in a kindergarten class. I honestly think I want to do kindergarten now. So, M-F I'm with the morning class. T-TH I'm with the afternoon class and I love it. I really wish I could work more hours. Those kids are so darling. They've taken to calling me "Mrs. C" or "Miss Courtney". I've been doing this job for about a month now and I've never been more happier in a job then I am now. Granted I still work Burger King, but just going to my kindergarten classes makes everything so much better. I love my students.
For example, we do a thing called power half hour. What we do is in small groups we go over a few letters. How to write them and say them. Then we play some game that helps with phonics. Anyway, it was during my pm class, everyone was doing great, but this one girl was just struggling especially with her letter "S". (I later talked to the teacher about her and apparently she has a really hard time with writing.) So, after we got through everything I sent the rest of the kids to the rug and had her stay so I could work with her better. Poor girl was getting so frustrated, she was on the verge of tears. So, I let her go not wanting to push her into it. Well school ends (early because its SEOP week) and this girl comes in a few minutes later with her mom and little brother. Her mom needed to talk to the teacher so this little girl came over to me, and I was taping books that had been used so much the binding was torn, and she began talking to me. She showed me her cute planner thing she got from book fair and was just telling me the most random stuff. This went on for about 10 minutes and we just had a cute little conversation. During this conversation we talked about her writing and I challenged her to work on her "S"s. Well she was showing me how she has a special spot in her planner for numbers and she asked for mine. I knew she'd probably never call me, it was more for show purposes plus it's a good way to have her work on her numbers. So, I have it to her, had to teach her how to write 4's and what not, but she eventually got it. By then her mom was done talking so she runs up to her mom and is all like "look mom!! I got Mrs. C's number!!" and she was just so excited. 2 days later, I walk into class and we get in our groups and the first thing she says is, "I can do my letter "S" now!!" and I was like, "ya? Show me". So she did and she had greatly improved. Then she's all like, "I practiced just like you said!" and gave me this huge hug. I was so proud of her. I told her that too and she just had the biggest smile on her face. That was a really proud moment for me. It's funny how I spent 10 minutes with her one on one and just that small amount of attention changed our relationship from me just being an aid to being her best friend. I had never came home so happy as I did today.
She's not the only one who has made me proud. We also do sight words and fluency folders with the students. Some students don't get practice at home so naturally they're behind those that do. But even just working with them, doing sight word flash cards has helped greatly. After about 2 weeks I got about half my students from list 1 to list 2. Even doing fluency folders (page of letters and they are timed for 1 minute to see how far they can get), when they beat they're previous mark, I just get so ecstatic. With every student I make sure I praise them and/or encourage them to do better and I really think it helps that they have that support and someone who believes in them.
A lot of their improvement goes to the teacher as well. She is AMAZING! I've learned so much from her. Not only that but, you can tell she genuinely cares about each of her students. Everything we learn in school about classroom management, teaching skills, being a role model...she has got down perfect. I can honestly say I look up to her. I love talking to her and getting new insight and ideas. I've gotten to be a tutor in several different classes in the past couple of years and so far she has been by far the best.
Overall, I have learned so much in the past month and to think, I get to dot his for a whole school year! It's not about the pay so much as the hands on experience I'm getting. Every time I step foot in that class, there is always one reason or another that makes me love my choice in major. It makes me so excited to get to be at the point in a few years. These kids are so special and so sweet I love knowing that I can make an impact in their lives.
