My Miss Paige

My little artist at work

My writing group has just left my room and I rush to heat up my travel mug so I can make tea to get me through the afternoon. I’m wondering for the hundredth time why I thought it was a good idea to stop drinking coffee, but I grab a bag of tea and push the thought from my mind. As I get back to my room I have two or three minutes to update my classroom behavior system, add a few more items to my to do list, and if I am lucky I even have a chance to check my email. All the while I am thinking of where the day has gone and if I’ve actually gotten anything across to my different groups. I could sit there all day trying to get caught up, but from my classroom at the top of the steps, I can hear the front door of the school open. I pause and wait, listening to the clock as the seconds tick by. Then I hear it, the clumsy footsteps of a little one in snow boots, and all thoughts and worries leave my mind.

"I'll miss you buddy"

Each day, when one o’clock rolls around, I must step out of the role of elementary school teacher and into the shoes of a pre-school teacher. If you don’t believe there’s a difference, just ask the secondary students next door and they’ll tell you how my voice changes and how many times I clap my hands or say “good job!". Everyone knows that I love children, but I never thought I’d be teaching 3 year olds, especially not in the same day that I work with students in elementary and high school. Most days I feel that I’m just hanging on by the seat of my pants and there are many days in which my students teach me more than I can hope to teach them. My two 3 year olds (a boy and a girl) keep me on my toes, and I have to have a new activity ready every five minutes (sometimes every 3) to keep up with their tiny attention spans. However, they also teach me patience (so. much. patience.) and provide me with constant laughter. I’m often exhausted after our 30 and 60 minute sessions, but most days I am sad to see them go and wish that I was able to work with them longer. Today was one of those days.

It was five after one and I was worried that only one of my students would be joining me today. It had been a long day, I was frustrated with some of my students from earlier in the day, and my pre-school sessions go by much quicker when both students are there. The roads have been icy, so I was hoping that they were just running behind, but as the clock ticked by I thought my bundle of energy would surely be absent. But then I heard the front door open, followed by those clunky footsteps. Seconds later, she rushed through the door exclaiming “My Miss Paige!”, and my day turned around. Three little words paired with the look of excitement on my student’s face, and my day was instantly better. 

My adorable little nurse

As I watched my students play together, I reflected on how they have grown since August. While I can’t always see it in my older students, my little ones show me progress each day. Whether it be recognizing the first letter in their name, being able to match a number to a set of objects (today we counted/matched up to the number 3), or running around the table to push in my chair after I stand up, I can constantly see their brains at work. I celebrate every accomplishment as if my students have just won the lottery and they probably think I’m crazy, but at least they clap right along with me! As my little lady and I worked on how to cut paper with scissors, I could almost pinpoint the exact moment in which the gears in her brain shifted and her hands and eyes teamed up to showcase some awesome fine motor skills. Today was a great day in Miss Paige’s room. 

I wish I could describe it, but getting to work with these youngsters fills my days with happiness. Each day is an adventure and while I never know what I’m facing when they walk through the doors, I know our sessions will never be boring. My pre-schoolers continue to remind me of the innocence of children and I hope that I provide them with a learning environment in which they feel both safe and cared for. These two small children have had such a large impact on my life, and I hope that I am able to help do the same for them. Tonight my heart is full knowing that I am someone’s “My Miss Paige”, and for that I am thankful.