I understand that worksheets and product art isn’t the best thing for students. However, I don’t see anything wrong with using either once in a while.
I see Early Childhood Educators putting each other down for using a worksheet in their classroom or doing product art. And if I hear that’s not developmentally appropriate one more time I going to scream. How do you know what’s developmentally appropriate without knowing the development of the child in question? The answer is, you don’t!
Being in the Early Childhood field is challenging, sometimes parents think they can say whatever they want to us and in any tone that they want, because we are just babysitters in their eyes and not really teachers.
Yet any opportunity that we as teachers get, we are constantly putting each other down. I’m so sick of it, how can we grow as an industry if we can’t even lift each other up, and provide mentoring opportunities rather than judgment.
We all started as new teachers, and we all have needed guidance in some form or another. So why do we feel the need to put others down when they are still learning themselves?
When I started in the Early Childhood Field, I had 6-months experience in a licensed daycare. This is what was needed for me to be a lead teacher. I got my first job as a pre-kindergarten teacher.
I put worksheets in the writing center for those students who wanted to do them. I even had the students do worksheets in class from time to time. I also did product art, the parents loved it and so did I. My students and I did a lot of language, I talked to them about whatever they were interested in. I tested them for kindergarten and we worked a lot on kindergarten readiness skills.
I didn’t really know what I was suppose to do in my classroom, so I talked to kindergarten teachers in the area and worked with my students based on their suggestions.
As I grew as a teacher, and began taking workshops, and college courses, my prospective of worksheets, and art changed, but that is something that I had to grow into.
When one of my students wrote me 20+ years later, she didn’t remember the worksheets or product art. She remember what I said and how I made her feel. She said, ” You have been a major influence in my life and always made me feel like I could do anything I set my mind on. Thank you for always believing in me.” Class of 1994
So before you start judging other teachers, think back about how you felt as a new teacher and have a little sensitivity. And remember what Maya Angelou said…
🎆Have a Happy New Year!🎆
Darla The Teacher
Well said Ms Darla! Instead of putting one another down we should be lifting each other up!!! Suggestions and ideas are wonderful but we are not living in the shoes of other teachers, we don’t know the minute details of the situations so if you can’t be helpful and kind at the very least we can be quiet! I am sorry if I am out of line but this field as rewarding as it is, is not easy!
You are totally not out of line, you are correct! I hold back a lot on my group, and in other groups, but I see it all the time. People won’t let up. It drives me crazy.