Our early childhood school is now in its thirteenth year serving the community. In our pre-k class, that means over one hundred and eighty students have come and gone from this classroom. Along with that, many other students have called our room home for enrichment classes, after school programs, and summer camp.
Families send their precious children to our class every day, for us to help them take those first steps towards accomplishing great feats.
Our families are working-class parents who often work long hours to provide for their children.
There is nothing more rewarding for a teacher than being able to connect with the students and the families they serve on an emotional level. I am very fortunate to be able to teach in the very same community I grew up in.
I see a lot of my younger self in my students and see the similarities between my own parents and their parents. The stories, experiences, culture, food, and beliefs our families share have a lot in common with my own family. While a lot of the similarities we share are beautiful, others need to change.
My Project
This is the year like no other. There are constant changes happening. Students who were in my class one day may not be the next day. New students are added to the remote roster and it has been very difficult to develop rapport with our students who are learning remotely.
It is so difficult for our youngest learner to get to know their remote teachers, especially since, for many, it is their first time in "school." The personal relationships developed in PreK and the socialization with other learners is what makes PreK so special.
That magic is lost for our remote students.
I am looking for another way to create that magic and develop rapport with our students and their families. It seems very impersonal as we teach our students with masks on and through a screen. I am requesting a custom made puppet of the PreK personnel of our class, one of myself and one of my paraprofessional. The puppets will be that special connection since our students will have a fun and unique experience communicating with their puppetfied PreK teachers. Times are tough and the situation we are all in is NOT ideal. However, we must find ways to bring positivity and joy anyway we can, especially for our kids.
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