For the most part I really enjoy the kindergarten curriculum. Even those tiny plastic math manipulatives that seem to multiply like rabbits have found their purpose (by the way, I've finally sorted all of those manipulatives into boxes for die, rubber counters, plastic counters, clear spinners, clocks, snap cubes, and plastic money... oh plastic money. Snap cubes and plastic money will probably invade my dreams tonight. I digress). However, there are two units I dislike greatly-- transportation and community helpers.
These were always the most boring for me to learn, therefore, I find them very boring to teach. Yay Thomas the Tank Engine, yay Bob the Builder. Last year in pre-K, I remember having to spoon feed them the answers to "how can you get from one place to another place?" It was painful. The shoot-me-now looks on the kids' faces just added to the enjoyment. As I introduced transportation today, I was fully braced for the same reaction.
Those twenty little ones surprised me again.
The kids were asked the same question, and asked to discuss with a friend. As I put up my lovely laminated piece of green paper and readied my red Post-It notes for typical answers of cars, planes, trains, I noticed some unusual energy floating through the air. "This could be interesting... and entertaining," I thought to myself with a genuine curiosity in what the twelve kids with their hands up quietly could possibly have to say.
Kevvy, little Kevvy, who never says a word or sentence except "I like (whatever we're currently doing)," was waving his hand wildly in the air. Kevvy, who scored a 5 on the EL proficiency test, was actually doing something besides looking like someone was stabbing him in the back with small needles. Of course I called on him immediately. He enthusiastically said "car!" I could have cried.
The discussion continued with the typical answers. Kevvy kept raising his hand, mostly to just repeat what someone had already said. At one point he stated "fly in sky." Ok, I'll take it. We had just listed airplane... a few answers ago.
Then CryBaby pipes up. CryBaby has a tendency to grunt his words-- a very annoying quirk that occasionally forces me to tune him out. "Yes, CryBaby," I said rather impatiently. He grunted a few sounds then said "ummm cat." It took every ounce of self-control I had not to burst out laughing. Fortunately CryBaby corrected himself and grunted "oh, no, not cat." He laughed, the other kids laughed, all was good.
Then... F raises his hand. F tends to say whatever is on his mind, so I was expecting some sort of comment about how he likes to play Star Wars on his X-Box. "F, how else can we get from place to place?" F raised his little finger up to his mouth, his "thinking" pose, and announced confidently "A unicorn."
Again, my talent of stifling (honed in college in reaction to ridiculous sorority girl outfit choices) laughter came in handy. All the kids seemed to agree that the mythical beast was in fact a valid form of transportation. Might as well added in Floo Powder and a broomstick.
Finally, Kevvy raises his hand again. You could have heard a pin drop, every child was dead silent. Considering for a second, he finally said "a rainbow."
Granted, he had a point. You do follow the rainbow to get to a pot of gold. We'll just say that's exactly what Kevvy was thinking.
And there you have it. The forms of transportation listed by my Kindergarten 2011-12 class. A cat, a unicorn, and a rainbow. We'd all benefit from thinking creatively like this instead of immediately belittling political decisions and economic woes. Wouldn't it be nice?
And for F's benefit, there is in fact a picture of a unicorn waiting to be sorted into land, water, or air transportation.
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