Week #14

This is my final posting and I as I write this I am torn with emotions. I have a sense of pride for my own self accomplishments but there is sadness that follows as the program is coming to an end. I know I have said it before in previous posts but the time we have shared with the children and their families is not nearly enough. I feel that we are just really getting to build meaningful rapport and the children are coming out of their shell and showing their honest personalities; they’re beautiful.

I loved the flow today there was something different in the atmosphere. Maybe it was the fact that we knew it was the last day but the educators, children, and their families seemed to all be in tunes. We had set up little to no expectations with the main goal in mind that we all wanted to have a fun and be energizing on the last day. The children were fun and silly, and the provocations keep an even flow that excited and engaged the children as they went from one to another. For the first time I believe the students really took the lead of the children and let them plan out the day. My favorite moment was when Bella and I interacted with the parachute and the children. This quickly gained the interest from many children and we found ourselves having to ask more educators to join. We lifted the parachute high as the children squealed in delight running under it. We added balls and watched how high we could fling them into the air again the giggles filled the room.  Many of us brought in our own children and for the day and that to me was a special moment. It was great to show my daughter what I am striving to accomplish and what I have this far.

As a student I have watched myself grow over these 14 weeks and the big fears I had going into the program seem so far away and small. I find myself better listening and following the children’s interests and this is becoming more natural all the time. I can accept failures in provocations and use them as teaching moments rather then defeat. I am becoming more creative and also learning that some of the best teaching moments are the ones that are unintentional rather then planned. The textbook knowledge I have acquired seems to easily make sense and fall into practice. I will admit I was hesitant listening to my professors and how they seemed to speak with ease when apply pedagogical knowledge; would I ever know this much?

This journey has been profound and so helpful in many ways. The families were patient and understanding encouraging us with their children. Our faculty has made us wonder and pushed us to critically reflect while encouraging us but also respectfully calling us out when we could do better. I believe this hands-on experience has prepared us a great deal of incite as we venture into the field. A sense of comfort that we know more then we have given ourselves credit for this far and a preparedness for our next placement opportunity. I am going to miss this program as I took pride in my peers and my accomplishments and planning to make this program as rich as we could for the children. But all good things need to come to an end and with this end means more good things to come. There is another journey I can not wait to embark on and I feel excited and eager to begin it.