"Peep"ing into Science

In the afternoons, all of the preschool classes combine for aftercare.  The other teachers and I create a calendar before each month of the cooking, art, and science projects we will do each day. 

Carrying out science experiments with 30+ preschoolers is tough, so a teacher will usually lead the experiment as the children observe.  Today, we started a peep experiment.  Yup, marshmallow easter peeps!

I put 5 cups on a tray; 2 had plain water, one had vinegar, one had soda, and the last one was a soapy water mixture.  I asked the kids to guess what was in each cup. Then came the marshmallow peeps. I put a peep in each cup, except for one of the water cups - I put a yellow peep and a pink peep.  The rest of the afternoon, the kids checked on the peeps to look for any reactions.  They noticed the water in the cup with 2 different color peeps was changing color, and the peep in the soda was starting to "grow warts".  

Tomorrow we will check the peeps again and make before and after inferences.  The kids loved it!!

Passion and Pride

It's easy to answer the question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" at 5, 10, 15 years old. The next thing you know, you're 24, living with your parents, and about to change your major for the fourth time.  It's strange, though.  A few years out of college and I'm doing exactly what I wanted to do all along: TEACH.

Not too long ago, a friend asked me "do you have ANY pride in your job?" (I should probably mention that I complain and tell her I want to call in sick everyday.)  So it got me thinking...do I?

I've worked with children since I was old enough to babysit. The kids in my class this year are the wildest bunch of preschool maniacs I have ever dealt with.  For a first-year teacher like myself, that brings the challenge level up a few notches.  They don't listen, purposely defy me, and lie straight to my face.  But I get to be the changer.  I have the power to teach them respect.  I have the power to teach them right from wrong.  I have the power to do everything in my power to help them grow into functional, productive, successful human beings.

Every single day I am with those kids, I get to personally witness that what I do truly matters.  I get to build minds.  Working with children has always been my passion, and I wouldn't trade my rambunctious class for a boring desk job any day.

I learned at an early age "if you love what you do, you'll never have to work a day in your life".  Perhaps that's why I struggled with "what I want to be" so late in the game.  Am I really going to be happy with the career path I choose?  After a long period of soul searching, I discovered that passion and pride go hand in hand.  If you do what you're passionate about, the pride comes naturally.


"The best thing about teaching is that it matters.  The hardest thing about teaching is that it matters EVERY SINGLE DAY."

Thank you for the inspiration, TT.