I don’t know about your church, but the preschool classroom where I teach has wonderful, brightly colored, ergonomically correct chairs—for preschoolers! Not so much for adults! We teachers sit in the same little chairs, so getting on the kids’ eye level can be a stretch. (Or maybe it's just getting up from the little chairs that's a stretch!)
But in order to really play, listen and talk with kids, I’ve got to be at their level. So that means not standing up while kids are sitting down; no hovering around the back of them while they’re seated at the table and not talking to my co-teacher while kids are playing on the floor. (Even though I love my co-teacher and really enjoy talking with her—we share our lives before or after class.)
I’ve figured out the extra effort to get down to the kids’ level is worth it because my goal every Sunday is to have close-up eye contact with every child. I’m thinking there are already enough places where kids are overlooked and passed by because they are part of the crowd. At church, every kid deserves focused attention.
What I learned today: Dress comfortably!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Little Chairs
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3 comments:
This is so very true - I work in the church office and in the preschool on Sunday. My office chair air-lift died and just sat on the lowest level. Everyone thought it was a candidate for the trash pile - not me - it was the perfect chair for the nursery teaching table. My little friends like to get to the table first to see who can beat me to the "soft" chair. Sometimes they like to pretend to be the teacher and sit in it to tell stories they remember to their friends.
sounds awesome!! I have a small class of 3-5 yr olds and they are a blast to get into the word with!!But you are correct about the eye level of focus.. as soon as you leave their frame of sight they do start to drift off :) just a bit and that is a great time to let one of the kids chime in and be the center of attention.To be able to participate in how they would have acted out a certain scene in the skit or just plain what they thought about the person's situation that we are talking about... Great job observing through their eyes what they need.. Thanks!!
Diana Everly
Grace Christian Center
Embers (3-5) Coordinator
I'm 67 and if I got in one of those little chairs I would never get out. But guess what those little kids are very adaptable. They crawl up to me and bring my walker to me and we love each other just fine. Don't let inability to get down stop you from sharing love with kids! It does help to have someone with who can run fast in case one decides to go get mommy. I usually have a middle school helper :)
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