When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2, he got scared and went back in his burrow. This indicates there will be 6 more weeks of winter...But in my class, spring has come early this year; every teacher has experienced the phenomenon that is known as Spring Fever.
spring fe·ver
spriNG ˈfēvər/
noun
- a feeling of restlessness and excitement felt at the beginning of spring.
After a particularly rough two days of spring fever behavior, I had the weekend to figure out what and how I was going to get my kindergarten students back on track so we all survive the next four months of school. One blogger I follow mentions often about how he eats lunch with his kindergarten students... every. single. day. I thought he was crazy! My lunch is my time to socialize, vent or discuss the morning events with my friends/colleagues/ADULTS. It's when I can do something for myself without 5 kids needing me for something. I always remembered this tidbit about that teacher I admire and how he recommended it for all teachers because of the relationships that are built during this sacred time...
And I was desperate; desperate for something to change. So one of the things I decided to do is to eat lunch with two of my students every day. One student would be the helper of the day and the other would be a student of the helper's choice. I wanted to make this time special, so I went to the teacher/mom/housewife mecca that is Target and I bought some cute trays, cups, placemats, and utensils with a camping theme. I bought myself a thermos so I wouldn't need a microwave to heat my food. I was getting mentally and physically prepared to
"Great teachers focus on connections and relationships." -Eric Jensen
I've always felt that I make good connections with my students, but after the first week of spending one-on-two time with my students, I realized I could've been doing more to foster a deeper connection. My lunch buddies are so excited that they get to eat lunch with their teacher that they don't even want to go to recess after we eat; they'd rather continue to sit and chat with their friend and me. We talk about food, our families, whatever they want. I let them lead the discussions. The quiet girl who barely speaks in class? She was a chatterbox for the entire 45 minutes. The rambunctious student in class was nervous and shy to be with just the teacher and one friend. I've learned more about my students during these times than I thought I would. I have learned to just enjoy their company without hustling to get to the next lesson or being worried about what I still need to prepare for class. In the end, what I thought would be a sacrifice on my part is really a pleasure. I actually look forward to this special time each day! Like Mr. Greg from thekindergartensmorgasboard.com, I recommend eating lunch with a few students for an extended period of time without an agenda, but just for enjoyment. Of course, my hope for the outcome is that our deeper connections will help settle the restlessness within my classroom. Time will tell on that, but I feel very optimistic!
Happy and Positive Teaching!
Erin Grebel
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