Go Colts!
Today was a significant day in the O'Neal household.
1) Our hometown football team, which has strung us along on oh so many playoff berths with its prize quarterback famous for his choking reflex, finally won a Superbowl. And after dedicatedly watching every regular season game possible for as many years as I can remember, we watched the game and had nary a jersey on our persons to show for it. What crappy fans we are. Though Isaac does own a Colts Touchdown Monkey, which perhaps counts for something. But we are so proud of our Colts, who among having the top offense in the NFL, are also the epitome of class, lacking any publicized drama or touchdown antics. It makes me proud that I can indoctrinate my sons to root for them.
2) The kitchen walls are, as of this afternoon, completely purple. Isaac helped.
3) Tonight I checked the weather forecast, and it dictates that I will require several layers of clothing, including long underwear, to trudge out in the 8-degree (not Celcius) sunshine early tomorrow morning to wait in line to register Isaac for preschool. The preschool I visited in November was fantastic, but I am not risking frostbite for them. The boys and I visited another, smaller preschool a month ago, one that is within (healthy) walking distance from our house and on the way to Dada's office. This is our preschool of choice, for several reasons.
This preschool has one class of 3-year-olds taught by two teachers in a two-room building, which pleases Dada because security is a non-issue. The same teachers teach the 3- and 4-year-olds. They stick a little godliness in every so often, having the kids memorize prayers to say before they eat their snacks. They take a few field trips. They have awesome toys in their playroom, which Isaac still talks about. He tells me most mornings that he needs to go to school, this particular school.
What really sold me on this preschool was the head teacher. She invited us to visit at 9:30, talked with me for 5 minutes, and then ditched me for circle time in the classroom, which I was invited to watch. I did as my fellers played in the room with all the toys. Her 3-year-olds all sat in a circle, occasionally fidgeting or talking out of turn as the teacher read a story, but never once got up in the fifteen to twenty minutes the teacher spent reading them a story and describing their responsibilities for the day. At first I was a little shocked, thinking this woman was a total Nazi as she gently called out and corrected kids who turned around or spoke out of turn. But as time wore on, my shock turned into amazement. "Your students are so well-behaved! And at three!" I gushed at her when she rejoined me after circle time, when the kids had all dispersed to play throughout the two rooms. To my relief, she said with complete understanding, "It's taken all year for us to get to this point. They don't come that way, trust me!" We talked for a long time, and I came to understand that at her preschool, free play is of serious importance, but the most important aspect is that, gradually over the course of two years, the kids learn how to behave properly in a school environment in preparation for kindergarten. Over the past month, the more I've thought about it, the more I've agreed with her.
Now, this lady is not a Nazi. She was totally caring and involved with the kids. But I think my first impression rang a little true -- she did cultivate a mildly stern sort of demeanor to help the kids understand that she is an authority figure. This is of course completely foreign to me, Mommy Doormat. Her attitude seemed to me to help the kids understand that there are expectations of them and that there is a proper way to behave at school (sitting in your spot in the circle, waiting your turn to be called on, etc). And really, what better place for your kid to learn these kinds of skills than at preschool?
1) Our hometown football team, which has strung us along on oh so many playoff berths with its prize quarterback famous for his choking reflex, finally won a Superbowl. And after dedicatedly watching every regular season game possible for as many years as I can remember, we watched the game and had nary a jersey on our persons to show for it. What crappy fans we are. Though Isaac does own a Colts Touchdown Monkey, which perhaps counts for something. But we are so proud of our Colts, who among having the top offense in the NFL, are also the epitome of class, lacking any publicized drama or touchdown antics. It makes me proud that I can indoctrinate my sons to root for them.
2) The kitchen walls are, as of this afternoon, completely purple. Isaac helped.
3) Tonight I checked the weather forecast, and it dictates that I will require several layers of clothing, including long underwear, to trudge out in the 8-degree (not Celcius) sunshine early tomorrow morning to wait in line to register Isaac for preschool. The preschool I visited in November was fantastic, but I am not risking frostbite for them. The boys and I visited another, smaller preschool a month ago, one that is within (healthy) walking distance from our house and on the way to Dada's office. This is our preschool of choice, for several reasons.
This preschool has one class of 3-year-olds taught by two teachers in a two-room building, which pleases Dada because security is a non-issue. The same teachers teach the 3- and 4-year-olds. They stick a little godliness in every so often, having the kids memorize prayers to say before they eat their snacks. They take a few field trips. They have awesome toys in their playroom, which Isaac still talks about. He tells me most mornings that he needs to go to school, this particular school.
What really sold me on this preschool was the head teacher. She invited us to visit at 9:30, talked with me for 5 minutes, and then ditched me for circle time in the classroom, which I was invited to watch. I did as my fellers played in the room with all the toys. Her 3-year-olds all sat in a circle, occasionally fidgeting or talking out of turn as the teacher read a story, but never once got up in the fifteen to twenty minutes the teacher spent reading them a story and describing their responsibilities for the day. At first I was a little shocked, thinking this woman was a total Nazi as she gently called out and corrected kids who turned around or spoke out of turn. But as time wore on, my shock turned into amazement. "Your students are so well-behaved! And at three!" I gushed at her when she rejoined me after circle time, when the kids had all dispersed to play throughout the two rooms. To my relief, she said with complete understanding, "It's taken all year for us to get to this point. They don't come that way, trust me!" We talked for a long time, and I came to understand that at her preschool, free play is of serious importance, but the most important aspect is that, gradually over the course of two years, the kids learn how to behave properly in a school environment in preparation for kindergarten. Over the past month, the more I've thought about it, the more I've agreed with her.
Now, this lady is not a Nazi. She was totally caring and involved with the kids. But I think my first impression rang a little true -- she did cultivate a mildly stern sort of demeanor to help the kids understand that she is an authority figure. This is of course completely foreign to me, Mommy Doormat. Her attitude seemed to me to help the kids understand that there are expectations of them and that there is a proper way to behave at school (sitting in your spot in the circle, waiting your turn to be called on, etc). And really, what better place for your kid to learn these kinds of skills than at preschool?
posted by Claire at 11:05 PM
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