Pop Tart Bandits

I don't know what it is about these toaster pastries but boys seem to be drawn to playing with them while they are eating.  I just gave my 2 1/2-year-old a PopTart and in the short period of time that it takes to consume the treat it has been several things.  First, it was an airplane and it was zooming through the air and into his mouth.  Then it was a car.  I also watched as it became a sock.

Why is this a post worth writing?
Well, I can recall a news story about a little boy who was eating a PopTart and made the treat into the shape of a gun.  His school has a zero tolerance policy and so because it was a gun he was suspended from school.  I believe that it is important that we actually understand the development of children before we take policies and make them one size fits all.  I am arguing that we consider the development of our students especially our young males of minority populations.  We have to really get inside of their hands and ask ourselves why?  Why are they doing this?  It could be that it is something in the nature of the children.  It could be environmental.  It could be anything but we will not know until we start to question ourselves.

Reason Why I Won't Teach Kindergarten or 1st Grade

I love working with the younger children but I do not want to teach kindergarten or first grade.  I was talking with my sister-in-law who is currently a kindergarten teacher.  She loves it.  I would too but I cannot see myself in that grade or in first.

Well Why Is That???

1. We're doing too many things way too soon for these children.  They should be engaged in play.  Here's an article from the Washington Post that goes into a little more detail about doing too much too soon.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/11/why-forcing-kids-to-do-things-sooner-and-faster-doesnt-get-them-further-in-school/
2. We're not giving children a chance to be children.  To play, to explore, to create.  Here are articles that goes more into how we are not helping the development of our early learners.
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2015/11/24/how-twisted-early-childhood-education-has-become-from-a-child-development-expert/?postshare=5061453573673514&tid=ss_tw
• http://deyproject.org/
• http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/08/462279629/why-kindergarten-is-the-new-first-grade
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/19/kindergarten-the-new-first-grade-its-actually-worse-than-that/
3. I currently love prekindergarten.  I'm not tired of it and I keep wanting to try new things.  Every day there is something new.  Each child is so unique.  These children are keeping me on my toes.
4. I feel like if I stay in prekindergarten longer, I will better be able to understand children and then will know how to help kindergarteners or first graders.

I'm not saying that I will never switch grade levels.  Who knows, you may catch me in 2nd grade.  But as for right now.  I'm not going to change anything.  First let me advocate on behalf of prekindergarten and get people to understand the importance of play and then maybe I can move.  But right now I'm needed the most with the "babies".