Here is another old journal entry from my last few days at the Carlson School:
Today, for my last Friday at the Carlson School, I had the opportunity to work in a different classroom. I would be working with kids ages 5 and 6 in room 7. Catherine and Susan had both wanted me to try out some different rooms, since the teaching, means of learning, and classroom dynamic are very different in each classroom. So after morning tea, I headed over to room 7 to spend the rest of the day with these students. Since it was a Friday, the classroom was a bit more “chill” than usual. After giving the students morning tea, we had some cuddle time. This was something that was different from room 5. Tracy, the teacher for room 7, told me that cuddle time and showing the young students how much they are valued was very important, so we spent time playing with toys with the children and read books with them. Even lunch time and pre-rec time was different. In room 5, if lunch ended early, we would do letters of the week, or the students would read a book, Vince would go on YouTube, etc. But in room 7, we all watched Mickey Mouse clubhouse during this time. Of course, this classroom also does literacy activities, etc. but this Friday was a bit more of a chill day.
Another difference was toileting. In room 5, we general took everyone to the toilet around 11:30 or during lunch time, unless someone had to go before then. But in room 7, it was more spontaneous, as the little kids needed to be changed more often and at varying times. With the little kids, minus one taller girl, we were able to lift them to take them to the toilet bed instead of using the sling and hoist method we used with all of the kids in room 5.
At the end of the day, there was a school-wide disco outside, where Vince was djing. I took Riley, one of the girls from room 7 to the event. I still spent time dancing with her and Vince, and I spent time with students in room 5, but it was great to also have a new group of students that I spent time with at the event as well. It was great to have a new group of students to say hi to during the next few days of school, and a great experience to see just how different each classroom and each student was. And it was great to see that, despite these differences in learning, etc. everyone could come together at the end of the day for a nice disco.