School years are coming to an end and a sign of that is this Special Day. Please, teach the children the importance of this day and what it means. It’s important that this day be remembered for what it’s supposed to mean, not for the hot dogs and hamburgers we will be enjoying
God Bless America! And, most of all, God Bless those who gave their lives to protect us!
This picture was taken of me October 31, 2000 (forget what the date in the corner says) and it began a long-standing tradition of mine that I look forward to every year:
Yep, on that day I didn’t want to deal with children in costumes and, being in a for-profit company, I had to do something, so I did a pajama day. I had toddlers. There’s no way I was going to have them in costumes all day!
This idea came from another teacher at that center and I have never NOT had pajama day since then.
Every place I have gone to, I have begun the tradition of a pajama day. Even now, at our agency, we have an agency wide pajama day.
There are two things that I really love about this day:
1st, I get to buy new Eeyore pajamas every year. This is the one treat I make sure to do every year. I don’t wear them often, but I buy a brand new set every year.
2nd, it is way more appropriate. Children get messy and it’s okay. They aren’t worried about their costumes. Plus, it’s kind of nice.
That morning parents can roll out of bed in the morning, take their children to school, and not have to worry about anything until they pick them up. Then, when they pick them up it’s real easy to change them into their costumes!
Plus, they sleep like angels at naptime…all warm and snug.
They bring in their favorite bedtime stories and their lovies and it’s just a great fun relaxing day.
I like to leave the hype of the holiday to the parents. That’s their job.
Anyway, even without working in preschools, I still love a day of pajamas for Halloween day.
What traditions have you started?
(Side note: do you see how skinny I am in that picture? Yeah, I will be that one day again!)
Well, at least on my part. My opinion does weigh a lot in this and it’s NOT a fun position to be in. I suggested today that we find another program for a child.
Was it because his behaviors are so outrageous that we can’t handle them? No.
Was it because the teachers were beyond their abilities? Absolutely not! As a matter of fact, the child’s behaviors have greatly improved since he has been with these teachers…just not enough.
Was it because he was too much for anyone to handle? Nope, as a matter of fact, I haven’t run into one person at that center who wants to see him go.
So, why, then, do I feel like he should benefit someplace else?
For two reasons:
First, he needs more attention than we can give him. He takes more than 50% of the teaching staff’s time every day. If there were only a 1:2 ratio, this wouldn’t be a bad thing. However, our ratio is 1:8. Anything more than 20% is excessive.
Does it really come down to the math? No…and yes. That leads to the second reason. It’s not fair to all the other children in the program. It’s not that he was getting 50% of the time of ONE teacher…he was getting 50% of the time with ALL the teachers in that particular room AND, while outside, a good chunk of time from all the other staff out there.
The other children are missing out on so much interaction, education, and experiences.
This is NOT a decision I came to lightly. I’ve been struggling with it for quite a while now. I sat down with the Director of that site today and explained my thoughts to her. I think she knew/knows the right thing to do…but no one wants to “give up” on a child.
It’s not giving up. It’s giving him another opportunity, and opportunity that he just isn’t getting with us. It’s also giving every other child in the center an opportunity that has been missing for him.
So, what was my deciding point? I don’t have any one particular point; however I came to an understanding the other day as I was thinking about this situation: the center was becoming defined by what we do for this child…not what we do for children. The center was/is revolving around him and him only…that’s just not right.
