A Two Week Cleanse

 Oban, Scotland.

Well here we are at the end of the first month of the new year.
In the past, I have made a "one word" resolution for the upcoming
year. However, this year I have decided to take the advice I often gave to teachers and follow it myself.

And that advice is: do a "two week cleanse".

What, you ask, does that mean?
Well, as usual, since you ask, I'll tell you.

When I was called upon to go out and help preschool teachers, one of the most frequent requests was for help with classroom management. You know, that's the term used for corralling a large herd of cats dressed as young children into some sort of organized chaos. That's just my definition, there are others.

In one classroom I visited, a fairly new teacher stated that she was having trouble getting the class of twelve three year olds to sit still at circle time for, oh let's say, thirty minutes.

My first unkind thought was, "When will they ever learn?"
But then, since my job was to help this person I began observing and making notes on ways to help.

As I watched, things went downhill quickly. First, the children didn't seem at all interested in what day it was or if the sun was shining, or what color the triangle was. They, instead, seemed to be planning a coup of some kind as they ran in circles around the teacher. I'm pretty sure if they had had access to a rope and matches they would have gladly tied her to a stake and set her feet on fire.

Since there were, in my mind,  several issues to be addressed, I decided to ask this very nice lady if she would consider a "two week cleanse."  She agreed.

This is what I asked her to do:
1. Stop what you are doing (having circle time with 3 year old children) immediately.
2. For the next two weeks during the time that was usually devoted to circle time, watch the children as they select materials for play.
3.  Join in their play, enhance their play, and scaffold their learning with the materials they are using. "Teaching" color names, shape names,  helping to sort materials, helping with counting objects, and organizing art materials for easy access can be accomplished during this time. You can even talk about the weather if you want.
4. Do this for two weeks. Every day. All day.

I also gave permission for them to go back to their old schedule if they wanted at the end of the two weeks. Because, after all, it was their classroom and I was not the "boss of them."

I had one teacher tell me she really, really, didn't like me for the first week but after that she had to admit things were much better. Imagine that!

So, with all that being said, I have decided that this year when I feel like my thoughts or actions are not beneficial or healthy for me I am going to engage in a "two week cleanse."

1. Stop what I am doing ( having negative thoughts, eating ginormous amounts of junk food) immediately.
2. Fill that time with positive thoughts and actions.
3. Do this for two weeks. Every day. All day.

 I would encourage you to do the same. (smiley face)

That's it for now.
Check back later.