Kindergarten Day 3

ABC time today we were studying the difference between long vowels and short vowels, specifically how adding an e on the end of a word causes it to be a long vowel. The kindergarteners called it a "sneaky e". Their homework was a worksheet with a bunch of pictures on it. They were supposed to write the name of the picture (tag, name, vase, cat, bat, map, cape, etc.) and decide if there should be an e at the end of the word. 

Most of the class finished lickety-split, but one boy completely shut down after doing just one. He said it was too tricky and he didn't know how to do it. I tried everything I could think of to help him/get him started. Nothing worked, just tears and whining and shoving the paper away. 

I realized that I don't have much experience with kids refusing to do work. If 5-6th graders don't want to do something, they will sit there and pretend to do it. It's pretty rare for them to obstinately defy you. 

So, what did I do? 

First, I gave him the choice: you can do it now and then play at recess time, or you can sit here now and work on it at recess. He didn't know how to handle that, but he was NOT happy he would have to work on it during recess. Again, constant tears for the rest of class time until recess. Wailing as I grabbed a clipboard and a pencil for him and led the rest of the class outside. I gave him two choices of where to sit. He didn't choose any, so I picked the picnic table. 

For a while we both sat there, him crying, me trying to get him to work. Then I remembered a piece of advice from my Daily 5 curriculum. If kids are reluctant to do a task, 90% will do what they're supposed to after about 20 minutes of wasting time (could be less, but 20min is typically the max). Recess was thirty minutes long. So, I told him I was going to check on the other kids. Maybe 8-10 minutes later he turned around and got to work. He was finished with the worksheet with 12 minutes of recess to play! Woo! 

The rest of the day was simple. We finished our reading lesson after recess, watched a short video telling the story of Alice in Wonderland, ate lunch, and then got on the bus to go to the MLC play in New Ulm. 

They did a version of Alice in Wonderland. The costumes and the set were really neat, as always. The kids really enjoyed the play even though we were in the tip top seats in the auditorium. We made it back to school just a little past 2:30, just ahead of the New Ulm bus. 

Now all the kids have been picked up, the classroom is tidy, and I'm ready to head for home! The weather is gorgeous, so I think I'll do some outside work before supper. I have firewood to move in preparation for our new goat shed...