Remember when I talked about starting a patriotism class for preschoolers? I asked for names and Nanc was the winner with WEE AMERICANS? You remember that...? Well, the class has been going great since September. I had to drop the curriculum for my 3 year olds...it was a little tough for the tiny ones. Instead of patriotism, I have gone back to teaching singing and reading them stories, something I've done at the school for about five years now. They have learned the pledge, however! That, they did learn! And they start every day with it.
But, the 4 year olds are a different story...they are really interested in my patriotism curriculum! They know the Pledge, too...very well! They can't wait to say it and the teachers do it every single morning with them. I'm there only once a week.
We've learned about Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Robinson, the Statue of Liberty, the flag, George Washington, Betsy Ross, and a lot of other great people and things. You should have seen when our Director came in during my class one morning.... "So, what are we learning today, Ms Z?" she asked. One of the children yelled "Jackie Robinson! He could play baseball because Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves! And Abraham Lincoln had a book when he was little and it got wet and he had to tell his teacher he got his book wet and he told the teacher he would pay for it and he did..and.......and........" Well, Ms. Z was moved, to say the least. We hadn't discussed Lincoln since two weeks before! THEY DO HEAR ME! They DO REMEMBER!!! I love this class. I'm sowing seeds, they've learned the pledge, they know new names from their history. But, I'm writing this to tell you something I think is very special.
This last week, with the 4 year olds, I asked the teacher if they were indeed saying the pledge every morning. She said they were and now they know it so well she asks a few to say it alone every day and the children enjoy showing off! She asked Troy if he'd please stand up and put his hand over his heart and say the pledge for me. He said the pledge perfectly, with the cutest little boy way of talking....you know the one! She said to me "Isn't it amazing how well Troy, of all kids, says it?" After the children had filed out with the assistant teacher to have lunch in the yard, I asked her why she thought it so amazing that Troy, in particular, did so well.
Troy is a very cute and polite dark haired boy whom I've known since he started at our school in2007. What I didn't know until that moment, since he's so quiet, was that he knew no English when he started at the school. I had thought he was just shy! He hugs me a lot and hugs have no language, right? She told me that Troy's parents are Mexican immigrants and she's quite sure Troy was born in America ....and she told me something that touched my heart.
"Troy is the FIRST one every morning with his hand in the air to volunteer to say the pledge! He's just getting a good grasp of English, but he knows the PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE and HE LOVES SAYING IT! He waves his hand in the air and is thrilled when I call on him!" Oh, BLISS! Ms. Z..........this is your payoff all those mornings you don't really feel like going to teach.
America, I'm trying to help these little ones appreciate and honor you!! And, America?..... Troy loves saying the pledge.
z
33 comments:
Great job Z, those kids are fortunate.
Way to go Z.
Training up a child to understand God and Country. You go Girl.
Blessings.
Wonderful story to start the morning off with! Thanks, Z
You realize that four year olds don't have sufficient cognitive ability to understand what they are reciting.
Thanks, Everybody! When they remember something weeks after I've taught it to them, you know there's something sinking in....it's very rewarding and good for this country! They MUST stand and they must put their right hand over their heart and they must look at the flag when they're saying it, too....if they don't fully grasp all of that, they know now that the flag is a very important symbol!!
Ducky....thanks. But, they do when it's not just given to them as 'recitation'. I don't expect essays back on why the fourth line is meaningful.
You are doing good work with those kids. Keep it up!
Last night I watched the office and Michael was saying he learned the pledge by singing it to the song "old mcdonald." I found that hilarious especially when he started singing "ee i ee i o."
Keep training them.
It is true that small children don't understand what they are repeating but they absolutely love repeating things, and that's why you can stuff tons of lore and literature into their little skulls that they will remember YEARS later when they WILL understand it. Besides the pledge, read the Constitution to them, read the Declaration of Independence to them, read the Westminster Confession of Faith to them, read the Bible to them!! Of course that's probably too much.
And they like rhymes too.
I only fully appreciated this bit of wisdom about education when I read Dorothy Sayers' wonderful essay, Restoring the Lost Tools of Learning or something like that. It's online. Many Christian schools have been founded in the last couple decades based on that essay. She calls this phase the Parrot phase. It's fundamental to everything else.
So keep up the good work, Z.
Thanks, everybody.
CJ...they have words in their head, that's what matters to me.
And no, the declaration and constitution are WAY over their heads, but what I think they're getting is the reverence for those things...I'll mention them sometimes and use a different tone of voice and tell them how important those things are.
They get Bible stories galore..it's a Christian preschool. The parents expect it, even secular parents know their children are gettting something very good there..THAT is the message here, isn't it.
Secular parents want their children getting that goodness..memorizing those things which will mean something to their CHARACTER. absolutely.
And, we have the children sing in church about 3 times a year and the parents are required to come if they possibly can...it's nice.
Sayers' essay is so wonderful everybody should read it. I hope a few will have the time and interest:
Sorry Z, Ducky's wet blanket response provoked me to excessive appreciation of the rote learning of childhood. I'm sure they can't absorb huge tracts of information.
great Z!! keep it up! good luck on your show today. and your class may be great topic to talk about!!
Would somebody please drag ducky outta here...
FJ...that is SO PERFECT!
And I LOVE C&H! Thanks!!
That was just the ticket...LOL!
FJ, you know Ducky reminds me of Paul.
You Paul prayed to the Lord Three times to have a thorn removed from his flesh, but the Lord didn't remove it. The Lord instead told Paul that, 'His Grace was sufficient..."
God will give us the Grace to deal with Ducky.
Blessings.
I have a feeling we'll be needing it, IHS... ;-)
z - That is a very generous way to use your time. I'm sure the children will benefit from it.
I am planning a new blog as soon as I can get it set up. I'll let you know.
Wonderful, Z!!!
Those children will grow to appreciate what you've instilled in them.
Oh, Z..that is just wonderful!
I love the whole, sweet, touching story!
Ducky..I learned "Twas the Night Before Christmas," by Clement Moore, when I was only four, and I absolutely understood every word of it! :)
Thanks, ladies!! I appreciate those nice words. Very nice, Jan, that you DID understand the words....hurrah!!
When I was four years old, I knew and sang every song attached to every branch of the the armed services, the pledge of allegiance, and other patriotic songs.
I was in kindergarten and bought war stamps for my war bond stamp book in school. I may not have understood every innuendo or detail, but I knew it was for America, and the songs were about brave American soldiers. I knew they were fighting for us.
How did I know? Because my parents and teacher told me so. I also knew these were good things, for the same reason.
These things do plant a seed. Now, there were many other events and happenings in my four year old life, but these are a strong memory for me still today. They made a lasting impression and are part of what makes me who I am today, and why I love my country.
Why is it today, that educators are determined to teach children younger and younger about adult issues that don't concern their young lives? Because they don't believe that education will influence them? I don't think so.
So, Z, you're doing a great job and those children are the better for it. Anyone who cares about America should applaud giving children a positive and good feeling about their country.
It lays a good foundation for good citizens who believe in freedom and what America stands for.
Pris
Pris "I may not have understood every innuendo or detail, but I knew it was for America"
That is the WHOLE POINT. thanks
Good for you , Z.
As for a four year old not knowing what he or she might be saying..
Maybe , maybe not.
I sure remember things my schools and parents put into my head at that age, and poems and songs learned in church.
And seeing the memorial for Pearl Harbor, at age 4 , watching it and Dad salute the flag makes me cry and raises goosebumps on me to this day.
Understanding that someone sacrficed for me, I got that.
I might not have understood every single nuance but I got the gist of it.
And know what? It planted reverence and awe in me, and respect.
Our children are crying out for culture and learning and goodness.
Just ignore the trash talk, Z.
You are doing the right thing.
SSSSHhhhhh...we're growing patriots here.
Stand tall and just believe in what you are doing.
WVDOTTR
I TOTALLY do, Dottr..thanks for the nice words.
If the children only keep that awe and bewilderment about why Ms Z thinks the flag's such a big deal, I did my job! They'll never forget the pledge...it's IN there, they've got it!! And, they're learning why the flag's so big, too.......
I always remind them, after each lesson.."this is something that happened in AMERICA, SEE what a great country it is?"
Good going Z!
Morgan
I love it, Z!!
I adored my preschool teacher.
Red hair, fair skin, thin, Mrs Stanley.
I remember her teaching us that glass was made of sand one day on the playground. Hmmm, kids are SO smart that way.
Keep it up, Z. ;-)
Thanks, Morgan! It's fun (usually)!!
Pinky, you remember that from so long ago? See? That's a sign that the children DO remember so much. Things DO stick in their minds ..forever.
You'll laugh, but I got my love of tuna salad sandwiches and tomato soup at preschool! Imagine? Silly, but true. I still remember how good it tasted, seems like it's never tasted THAT good since!!?
I actually worked at a preschool after junior college classes, in the afternoons, for about 2 years.
I can't tell you how ill suited I really am for working with children...I have little patience, but they do relate to my enthusiasm. If nothing else, I'm enthusiastic!
What always stuns me is how when I discipline one or two, THEy are ALWAYS the ones who are first to give me a hug before they leave the classroom for lunch or the first to rush to their art project from earlier that morning and give it to ME. ONLY then do those do that.
This is SUCH a sign that children WANT to have boundaries, WANT someone to care enough to demand they be quiet in a loving way...still, it never ceases to amaze me.
"This is SUCH a sign that children WANT to have boundaries, WANT someone to care enough to demand they be quiet in a loving way...still, it never ceases to amaze me."
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Z, I have always said, "children want structure and discipline". They always show respect to those that show them there are boundries and you will be disciplined if you cross them.
Keep doing exactly what you are doing.
Blessings.
I learned a lot of things when I was a kid through recitation. I didn't understand a lot them at the time, but as I got older they made sense.
Multiplication tables, addition and subtraction drove me crazy. I learned them because I had to. Now I get it when I pay my taxes, unlike the fine Demos appointed to BO's cabinet. Maybe now they get it.
When I enlisted in the military I understood the Pledge of Allegiance and I wanted to make sure it would make sense to future generations.
I learned my catechism as a child and I have a sense of well being from my relationship with God.
Yes, Z, you are doing good work that these students will thank you for years from now.
Thank you, L&O, coming from an honorable teacher such as yourself, that means a lot to me. I hope so.
IHS said, "Z, I have always said, "children want structure and discipline". They always show respect to those that show them there are boundries and you will be disciplined if you cross them." So true! My very favorite teacher ever was my 7th grade Math & Science teacher. He was tough. He absolutely kept discipline so learning was fun. He made it fun, but we knew not to cross him! I respect him to this very good day! Z, so will these children, & especially Troy! What a blessing you are & have in this work that you have been given! May your tribe increase (as well as Troy's)!!
Yep, I remember, Z. I worked at a preschool during college, too. It nearly convinced me to never have kids. ;-)
I'm NOT a "kid" person.
But I couldn't agree more, they do crave boundaries and discipline...guidance.
Mine always draw near to me when I give them that gift.
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