Tuesday, May 25, 2010

My New Job

I have been working at Discovery Clubhouse for about 4 and a half weeks now. I have learned so much. I think that it will be very beneficial to work with these young kids, before becoming an elementary teacher. It takes a lot of patience, that's for sure. But working with kids, is all I ever want to do. I don't get paid much, in fact, barely over minimum wage, but I love it. I think that having a job that you enjoy is more important than making a lot of money, in a job that you hate.

My day at work starts out at 6 AM. When I get there, there are already about 5 kids. Some sleep and some watch a movie. The teacher that gets there before me, takes the kids under age 2 into another room. From around 6 until 7:30, I have all kids, ages 2-12. By 7:30 I watch up to 30 kids. This part of the day, is my least favorite, it feels so out of control. At 7:30, the school age kids and the preschoolers go to their own classrooms. I am then left with 2 and 3 year olds. I only have about 6 of them at this point. We clean up the room, and then go to another classroom, where we play until 9:30 when they eat breakfast. I feed about 16 kids breakfast, and then another teacher comes in to give me a break. By this point I'm so ready for a break. After my break, I go into which ever room they need me in, which lately, has been the 2 year olds. I love them!

These are 2 year olds, they were playing nice for once.
Let me give you a few highlights-
*Yesterday, the 2 and 3 year olds were sitting down for breakfast. I was serving cereal. The kids were all telling me where their Mommy's were. Most kids said, "My mommy is at work." One little girl said, "My mom is in jail." Another said, "My mommy is sick." And then a little boy said, "My mommy is an angel." So I said, "So is mine." The boy looked back at me and said, "Really? You're mommy is in heaven too?" It was so sweet! I can't imagine losing my mom at age 3. The little boy and I have always been buddies, but even more now. Today he asked me, "So, your mom's in heaven?" I think he likes the connection. :)

Playing with Play dough. Love these girls!
*There is a little boy that teachers have been telling me was a problem child from the first day I worked there. For the first days that I worked with me, I treated him as a problem child. And he would throw tantrums. He would hit and bite other kids, and throw toys. I didn't know what to do. So about a week ago, I decided I was just going to treat him like the other kids, and it has worked so well. He still has tantrums. But now instead of getting mad, or trying to put him in time out, I pick him up, and ask him to play with me. He has become so much better. But starting today, he wants me to hold him all the time. I told him that he is too big, but he just cries. He will hold my legs, and won't let go. When I left for my break today, he started crying and was banging on the gate. I think the poor little guy just needs attention.

*I have changed soo many diapers.

*There is a little black girl who HATES me. I don't think she has seen anyone so white before. Ugh, and I don't think her dad likes me either, he never wants to leave her with me.

Anyway, the job is going good. :) I have so much fun, and time goes by so fast. It's a good experience, and I really love to be with all those kiddos.

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1 comment:

  1. You mean there aren't any other people who work there that are white? How strange. Anyway, I so could not do that job. Just reading about it stresses me out. Lol. I'm glad there are plenty of people out there who can deal with kids, because I couldn't do it.

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