The Train Wreck

Today.

I failed.

We are doing the story “Brown Bear , Brown Bear”. I have some cool new toys that are made from the story. I have story cubes that you match the front of the animal to the back. I have a soft toy that makes the animal sounds. I downloaded from ITUNES a ” Brown Bear ” song. I used the story telling apron and story pieces to tell the story. We have been rocking out to ” Goin on a Bear Hunt” by Steve. FUN FUN FUN!

Then… like a train wreck it happened.

I printed off black lines of all the animals. I thought it would be awesome for the kids to color and make their own book. I am not sure how it went with Beth yesterday but here are the reactions I got today.

” I dont like school.”

” I don’t like to color.”

” Am I scribbling?”

I didn’t see one smile or hear one happy child.

Then, like a typical teacher ( that should be shot and put away in a closet ) I whined…

” You guys.. I dont ask you to do many ( or ANY) coloring sheet type stuff. This will be cool, lets make a book. ( They just stare at me. ) Seriously guys ( here it comes, get ready!) when you go to kindergarten you will have to do these. We might as well get ready.”

That was the train wreck.

I couldn’t even believed it came out of my mouth. I offer TONS of fine motor activities for the kids to do daily so that when they ARE ready to write they have to muscles and coordination to do that. WHY am I MAKING them sit and make a book? Did they learn anything from it that I could not have taught another more appropriate way?

I did more harm than good.

I was in a meeting yesterday and a statement was made that ” Children don’t fail school. Schools fail children.” Point well taken.

Tomorrow is another day.