As Emma Claire Grows so Is her Understanding

On Tuesday Emma Claire had a rough day at school. Ended up that there was this huge misunderstanding and she was VERY upset and had to be taken to the office. Her teachers thought it was because she had been told "no' that she couldn't do something, but it turned out that she had gotten hurt by another child in the class. After the matter was resolved she returned to class, back to herself, and with a scratch under her eye. Although she had gotten hurt she did lose the privilege of watching movies at home (her most favorite thing right now) for the rest of the day because she acteddisrespectful toward her teachers when she was upset. When we got to school on Thursday she went to each of her teachers and told them that she was "sorry for being disrespectable". : ) That leads us up to where this story begins...


I asked Rachael Davis who was a party in this story to journal it for me.

"I was walking down the hall, and Brooke stopped me to ask what I thought she should do. It was circle time, and all the kids in the class were sitting in the circle except Emma Claire, who was sitting at a table. Brooke wanted to know how she should handle that. After a few minutes' discussion, we decided that since she was sitting quietly at the table, participating, and not distracting other children, they would let her remain there. Of course the goal is for her to eventually sit in the circle, but not worth a major show-down. We also talked about how the major point here is for them to encourage Emma Claire to use appropriate language when she doesn't want to do something. Instead of saying "No," the goal would be for her to obey first, and then ask her teachers if she could sit at the table instead - a lofty goal for any 2 year old, but definitely something to shoot for!

I kept walking down the hall, and a few minutes later, I passed their classroom again, and Emma Claire was sitting in the circle just as sweetly as you please.

I asked Brooke how in the world THAT happened. She told me that moments after I walked away, this conversation transpired:

Emma Claire: Mrs. Brooke, I not obeying. I not sitting in the circle. I disobeying my teacher.

Brooke: Emma Claire, come talk to me about that. Do you want to obey?

EC: Yes. I want to obey my teachers. I sit in the circle.

Brooke: OK, Emma Claire. Go sit in the circle.

Yay, Emma Claire!!!"

Comments:


comment by GG on 01/17/2010

Emma Claire: I am sooo proud of you for wanting to obey your teacher. You are my sweet DOODLE DUMPLIN!!