Amperstand Final Draft

Jasmine Jackson
I absorbed many different skills from completing a whole year of kinder garden, probably some of the most important do’s and don’ts of my high school year reflects back to it. As much as I like to say I learned during my kinder garden year has no comparison to what I learned during my three week internship experience as a kinder garden teacher assistant. I am proud to say I learned the key to a successful life, home, and job is patience.

Patience seems to be the only skill one would need in order to endure the stress that comes while dealing with kids, teens or people in general. Listen closely as I take you through a few of my memories to explore the many annoyances one may experience when working with kinder gardeners. From the constant shoe tying, tattling, line cutting, arguing, fighting and the worst of them all, the finger in the nose while confused on something just said. Yes, yes the booger finger. If you can survive two days of working in a kinder garden class, I feel confident that you are prepared to endure the stress of the “real world”.

“Miss Jasmine, Miss Jasmine” “yes Kevin S” I reply. “Uhm my shoe came untied again “Well let’s see, I carefully pull up the two strings loop then cross them over and under big bow, then little bow. I glance up to check if he watched the whole process. Not a chance seems that the ant next to his hand had more importance than learning a lifetime skill. I dust the dirt off of my denim jeans, take a sip from my coffee and continue with my set task. They say one of the easiest ways to deal with constant shoe tying is to teach them the skill so they can do it themselves. This can become extremely hard if your student has a 2-3 second attention span. But wait, the headache doesn’t began at the constant shoe tying , the throbbing begins at the consistent bickering between classmates.

“Miss Jasmine Miss Jasmine” yes I mumble never looking up from my scissors and worksheets. “She cut in front of me at recess today” yelled one of my students angrily. “Nun Huh” yelled the defendant “I was there first” she stated defensively. “No I was there first then you cut me.” The plaintiff clarified. “Girls Girls” my mentor thankfully interrupted. “Please have a seat on the rug it is time for phonics.” I sip my coffee and exhale a deep breath. They say the best way to deal with tattling and fighting between students is to try and understand each point before making a decision. This is something that can also be a hard task when one is not use to being a judge. Just when your headache begins to progress the breaking point of your day will take its toll experiencing the horror of the booger finger.

Tap Tap Tap, “Teacher” one of my students confusingly says. “Which one do I color . . .” I look up from the apple laptop and over my left shoulder. Oh no please not the finger in the nose. My face went blank as I tried to focus on the question he asked. I looked at him with confusion. He slowly takes his finger out of his nose and places it on the table then taps me again once he notice I wasn’t paying attention.“Would this triangle be red or blue”? I shake the vision of the slimy green finger touching my shoulder and answer his question. “This triangle would be blue”. I sip my coffee, and exhale a deep breath.

Even the worst situations of them all can be contained with patience. This is where the headache is fully blown and unstoppable. Your day is over and there is no way to turn back the hands on the clock. However there is tomorrow, you’ll come in ready to deal with the constant shoe tying, tattling, line cutting, arguing, fighting and the worst of them all, the finger in the nose while confused on something just said. Then the next day and the day after that will all come together like clockwork. This is when the patience develops. Once you are able to deal with constant shoe tying, tattling, line cutting, arguing, fighting and booger picking. You are successfully read to deal with late co workers, needy bosses, bickering patients or whatever the “real life” sweeps your way, you will be prepared.