What Kindergartners Taught Me
April 7, 2014 Shenanigans 10 comments eblack14
It may seem unimaginable to obtain life changing knowledge from a handful of children all under the age of six, but I can say with certainty that I have. After spending countless hours after my own school days in the local elementary school, I not only connected with each and every kindergarten student, I learned life lessons I was unaware of, grew a larger perspective on life, and ignited a passion for pursuing a career in psychology.
The first day I walked into my Mother’s classroom, I was more than just the center of attention; I was the big kid. Observing the classroom of seventeen I realized how innocent and oblivious they were to the world outside, not knowing that the next twelve years of their lives were going to fly by just like mine had. Looking at each and everyone of them, I saw the natural inclination they had to learn and the eagerness they had pulsing inside them to move on to new things. As a volunteer teacher’s aide, I got to sit down with children who needed a little more help with the tasks at hand. I perched myself in a mini blue chair and sat beside students one by one, helping them with math, saying their abc’s, and showing them how to properly hold scissors. The students reminded me of what I was like as a student, struggling constantly in one subject but finding it hard to ask for help. After showing them new strategies such as how to count the numbers of dots on a die, or how to color in the lines, I was no longer an authority figure to them but more of a friend and mentor they could look up to.
Once I knew I had relationships established with the students, they cooperated with me a lot better. After about two weeks in the classroom I began to notice that each child was very different. Some students could complete a task with no instruction while others needed all the guidance they could get. At first it was hard for me to comprehend why some students couldn’t identify everyday objects, know when they needed to go to the bathroom, or why they would act out with improper behavior. Assuming that they just disliked school, I gradually found out that was not the case. When I had to pull misbehaved students aside from the classroom to talk things out, I acted upon instincts which I enhanced with more experience. I often reminded myself that their young minds had yet to develop; some couldn’t tell the difference between wrong and right, or distinguish a triangle from a square. Some sat still while others fidgeted and put up fights with others. Authority figures referred to these children as having learning disabilities, but I called this my chance to learn, which I am so eager to act upon.
I mark these moments in the classroom as life changing because those students taught me the meaning of friendship, strength and perseverance. They reminded me that any dream was worth going after no matter what it was. They showed me what it was that I have a hidden love for and they gave me the motivation I needed to kick start the next chapter of my life. Within the entire elementary school, I found my desire to pursue a career in psychology. Each time I walked into the school I knew that career path was right for me. Helping others, discovering the mind is a journey I’ve yearned for but never really paid much attention to until I stepped inside my mother’s kindergarten classroom.
10 Comments
This is an amazing piece. I love how you talk about you doing different activities with them and how it made you think back to when you were a student. I feel like we don’t really realize that someone so young can make an impact on our life and teach us something we already thought we knew.
I love this piece. I work at a daycare so I can really relate to this. It really is amazing on how much you can learn from younger kids, and how much you realize you have forgotten over the years. As we get older, I feel that we forget that inspiration and the excitement to learn. I think you should make a piece that goes on from here about how throughout the years we lose a lot that we have a kid knowledge wise! That would be one I would read
I really like this piece of writing. I like how you include some of the tasks that you help the children with. This piece really shows why you chose to take the path of studying psychology. It really makes me think of how complex our brain really is and what our mind comprehends. This piece shows inspiration.
This is a very inspiring and exciting essay to read. The reader is able to relate to your story being explained through your creative words. You really show your true passion by writing about your thoughts so well. I would not change anything about this piece of writing. Overall it is well-written, well-developed, and audience friendly.
It really is amazing how much we can learn from younger generations. They definitely offer a different perspective on life! This piece was an interesting read, and it is evident that you care about the children and your future career.
As someone with two younger siblings I am always seeming to learn something new. You really show passion in this piece. How you teach and learn, its clear that you care about the future generations. Its nice to hear and see that people still understand that you can’t just worry about your own time. Things are always changing. This article really made me smile.
You did such a great job capturing the things that you can learn from little kids. I did a 6 week practicum last year with 4th graders and they taught me so much as well. I know for me it felt so good knowing that I was teaching them things and helping them accomplish tasks, but after my practicum was done I looked back and realized how much they taught me!
I think this piece is incredable, i experienced the same and as the older we get we dont realize the little things anymore, we dont realize what used to challange us compared to now. It nice to be able to hear and see that other people understand as much as you do, looking at those kids and realizing all the work these teachers are having to do not only allows us to take a step back and realize its not easy when all the children aren’t on the same page accomidating everyone is hard. Looking at younger generations only makes us wonder what the next couple of years will look like. Awesome job erin!
This piece was great ! Younger kids really can change your life. My younger sister comes home and tells me everything that she has done in school, all the problems that she went through during the day, and all I can tell her is to cherish the times that she has in school because it really flies by fast. She really gives me a better perspective of what I was like as a young kid and what I went through when I was younger.
This is a really great piece, as we get older we forget what it was like to be a little kid and how we use to view the world. Your piece really got me thinking back on those days and I can really relate to everything you were saying.