I Love Kindergarten Installment 2

Our story finds our two intrepid heroes,  myself and Mauricio, walking down the hallway (surprisingly) hand in hand.  We have acquired 2 matching gloves, one hat and one orphan glove.  We are in search of Lost and Found.  We find a milk crate with an assortment of clean, new looking knit hats and gloves outside the door of a room just past the office, not yet to Mrs. D's classroom. Inside the room is "Not Susie Q."  I ask her what her name is.  "Rochelle she replies."  She still has a nice smile.  "We're looking for the Lost and Found." I say, as Mauricio proferrs the knit accoutrements.  I ask Mauricio if it's okay if we tell Rochelle what he said about her.  He looks a little hesitant, "You laughed." he says to Rochelle.  When nothing else is forthcoming, I prompted, "Tell her why you said she laughed."  He hems and haws, looking at his feet.  "He said that it was because you thought he was stupid."  I offer apologetically.  "Jokes!!" Mauricio says to the doorframe with a mischievous smile.  "That might make Rochelle feel bad that you thought she would call you stupid." I offer to Mauricio, while Rochelle nods and murmurs in agreement.  After prompting from me, Mauricio says, "Sorry." sotto voce.  I'm not sure I buy it.  I look at Mauricio.  He has beautiful brown eyes, a Fro, and a swagger (even at 5) that any badass from the hood would be proud of.  I can tell he wants to continue stalling with me in the hallway, anything to keep from going back to the classroom.  Sometime during our "circle" of the building, we talked about the adventure under the table.  "You should have said,'Come out from under the table please.' Mauricio offers.  "Didn't I ask you with a please?" I respond.  He nods yes, with no further explanation. We are about to open the door to the classroom.  "Will you read me a book?" Mauricio asks.  "I'll need to ask Mrs. D."  I reply, "but I promise if I can, and I can't read it to you today, that I will come back next week to read it to you."  making a mental note and crossing my fingers that my brain doesn't do it's usual thing of ejecting new information within moments of its arrival. 

The classroom is quieter when we return from our own adventures.  Some kids are at tables, others are in a line in front of Mrs. D.  I'm looking around trying to figure out what's going on and how I can help.  Mauricio swaggers toward his desk.  Mrs. D says, "Help Bobby."  Bobby is arguing with the girl next to him, while he gets a pair of scissors out of his box.  "What are you supposed to be doing?"  I ask Bobby.  "Getting out our scissors." he replies.  The girl says no.   I ask another little boy at a different table, because Mrs. D looks like she's drowning in children and I don't want to disturb her.  The boy  confirms that they are supposed to have their scissors out or they don't get the little pieces of paper that Mrs. D is handing out to the line.  It is unclear if the kids are supposed to be sitting or standing in line to get the papers, so I grab a couple and hand them out.  Kids that are finished with their Weekly Readers are playing with puzzles.  

Mrs. D is standing by a little boy with a killer smile who has his head down on his arms on the table.  Mrs. D directs Miss Laurie to read the kids "Green Eggs and Ham" while we talk (it's Dr. Suess' Birthday!)  "I have a question."  starts Mrs. D.  I nod to her encourage her to continue.  "This is Jason."  she says, "he's supposed to keep his head down and stay in his chair for 5 minutes as punishment."  Jason nods his head in agreement.  "Punishment for what?"  I ask  "Not staying in my chair."  Jason pipes up.  Mrs. D nods, then gets a funny look on her face.  I think I may have the same look on MY face.  I try not to sigh.  "Is it hard to stay in your chair?"  I ask Jason.  He nods yes.  "Okay, how about this?"  I offer.  "Do you have a timer?"  I ask Mrs. D.  "Only 3 minute timers." she says.  "Can it go for just one minute?" I ask.  "It's an hour glass, she replies.  "But I can do 1 minute on my phone." says Mrs. D.  Her face looks better.  "Do you think you can keep your head down for 1 minute?"  I ask Jason.  He nods yes happily, shooting me that killer smile.  When Mrs. D and I come up for air, Miss Lorie has interrupted her reading to redirect two kids to get back in their seats.  By this time, Jason's minute is up.  Mrs. D directs him to the Story rug.  He refuses.  He wants to take his chair onto the rug, where other kids are already sitting.  I envisage small fingers crushed under the steel circles on the bottom of the chair legs.  "You can stay in this chair here or sit on the rug."  I say, giving him an ultimatum.  Poor Miss Laurie has lost control of the story and the room.  I ask Mrs. D if I can take over.  I settle myself in the chair and notice Jason and Adriana (the little girl who wanted to sit in my teacher chair) out of the corner of my eye, hiding behind a learning chart, whispering.  They both look delighted to have snuck out of wherever they were supposed to be sitting.  I sternly tell them to pick the rug or their chairs and stay there.  They both give me a startled deer in the headlights look.  I almost finish the book when Mrs. D interrupts apologetically saying, "It's time for recess."  A herd of wild children mobs the door.  Mrs. D says, "See.  What do I do about everyone running for the door?"  We get everyone back sitting on the rug.  I call out different colors of clothing for the kids to line up.  It's still a little busy, but not quite as frantic.  Several children need prompting for their colors.  Jason, whose color was called first is encouraged to return to the line.  When the line has settled,  it leaves for recess.

I look up.  There's one kid left in the room...Mauricio.  Mrs. D says, "Ummm, we're starting a new thing.  He has to wait for the big kid's recess."  Mauricio is instructed to get a puzzle.  Mrs. D starts explaining the new behavior plan that the counselors and she had set up for 5 of her kids.  These kids apparently have problems staying seated, talk out, don't do or finish work.  She says, "They have to earn their recess now."  I am dismayed but not surprised.  I take a deep breath.  I explain that a lot of kids, with ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, etc.  need movement in order to think, focus and stay on task.  That they need recess to blow off steam and to regroup themselves for the next seated task.  I tell her that you need to treat the recesses as a bank balance of organization that you never go below.  You never take away recess, in fact you might want to add more movement, because these kids need more input to stay organized.  I look up and swear I see Mrs. D's head spinning.  Whispering, I ask her if she's going to cry.  She shakes her head no, but says,"This is just all against what I've learned and ever done."  "But does it make sense,"  I ask.  She nods her head yes.  "But it seems they should get a consequence for not getting their work done."  "Do you think children should be punished for not being able to stay in their seats, or for not learning the way everybody else does?"  "Of course not!"  She replies.  "I know."  I say.  "It's hard, it's new, but it will be okay, I promise.  I will help you."  I say.  "Do you need a hug?"  She nods and I hug her.

Turning around, Mauricio is standing on a chair with Superman hands high in the air.  We can all hear the sound of the children at recess while Mauricio is inside...on the chair.  I find out that Mauricio has been getting in fights with all the other kindergarteners, and they hope that it will stop the fights if he's with the big kid recess.  After discussion, and negotiation with Mrs. D and Mauricio, Mrs. D agrees to let Mauricio out for recess if I promise to watch him (both to prevent fights, but also to see how they originate.)  Mrs. D cautions that the bell is about to ring, but Mauricio PROMISES to come in, no matter how short he is out.  We run out to the playground, I hear the aides commenting and muttering about Mauricio behind my back.  I hear the word fight, but not much else.  Sure enough, the bell rings, and as one, the kids leave the equipment to run towards me and the building.  Mauricio is running up and down a ramp.  "Three more times, Mauricio."  I say, " And then we'll go in."  I count three times, Mauricio does 5 and sneaks a peek at me before we turn to find the line.  Jason runs up  to me "Tickle me" he says.  I tickle his middle.  I look up and see a new line has formed in front of me for tickles.  I tell everybody if they get in the 'real' line, I'll tickle them.  Done with tickles, we walk into the school, where I'm accosted by children asking for hugs. After making sure hugs are allowed, I hug my way out of the classroom to have my own break.

I return to find Mauricio all up in Bobby's face shouting incoherently, saying, "Don't call me stupid!"  "Ah!..".I think to myself.  He shoots past me out into the hall  to throw himself against the wall, head on his arm.  He might be crying but there is no noise. Bobby explains that Mauricio was making too much noise and stomping around and he just told him to "be quiet so we can listen to the beautiful music."  while they were seated at their desks eating snacks.  Apparently, the one minute of recess wasn't adequate for Mauricio.  I gravitate to the hall to watch Mauricio, but I'm going to allow him time to get himself together.  I hear someone calling Mauricio's name softly.  I look up.  It's a BIG beautiful black man in sweats.  Mauricio finally responds.  Taking his hand, Mauricio and the black man disappear into the room marked "Counselors" .    I breathe a heavy sigh.

Please return for more "I Love Kindergarten" stories.  There will be teaching points as we progress through this experiment.  I thank Mrs. D for opening her classroom and her mind to a new way, and new ideas about discipline and learning.  I hope we all learn.