Preschool is quite an experience. Thirty little bodies sit at three rows of desks clothed in blue shorts and skirts with white tops bordered in red. They are tiny, ages 3-5, and although they are still young children, they behave and seem to comprehend so much better than kids in America. These kids want to learn.
My first experience in the preschool was rough. The students with me came into the classroom unprepared. They were not organized with their lesson plans and had too much lag time in between activities. By the end of the morning class, the kids were completely disengaged and bored. The student teachers were feeling slightly discouraged but they had two hours to go over lesson plans and prepare for the afternoon classes. While our students were working, the preschool kids were also still busy. On their mid day break, the kids are fed a healthy lunch, given baths and napped to rejuvenate. This is so much more than a classroom, this is a place where they are cared for and taught healthy lifestyle habits.
When we returned, it was clear the student teacher's hard work had paid off. They found individual white boards for each student and had them writing their ABC's and 123's. The focus and excitement of the preschoolers was unbelievable. One little boy literally squealed every time he wrote a letter correctly. The majority of the students would fill their entire whiteboards with rows of the number or letter they were practicing. The afternoon class went by so smoothly and quickly. The teachers were impressed by the focus of their students and excited by their improvements. The preschoolers were thrilled by their small achievements. When we reviewed our day in the tuk tuk, every student recognized the importance of being organized and prepared in the classroom. These small victories they teach themselves are steps to a greater awareness and overall growth.
