Every teacher brings unique and special gifts to their students and every student will apply these gifts in their own unique and special way.
Teachers often have brilliant ideas and things from home they want to share with their students. Over the summer, this class had been talking about seashells and under the see creatures. Their teacher had a beautiful collection of seashells that she had been collecting over the years and she brought them in to share with her students.
As I looked over her amazing collection, I couldn’t help but admire her desire to share these items with her children but at the same time I worried that something might get broken. The teacher understood this and took careful measures to let the children touch and feel the items but under her watchful eye.
If you plan to bring something from home, keep in mind the following tips…
- If the items you plan to share have any real value to you, then teach the children how to touch and feel them with gentle hands. Help your students appreciate the value that these items have to you.
- Don’t get upset if something gets broken – if you are overly concerned about the items, then you might want to rethink whether or not you should bring them in the first place. Sharing items from home should be a positive experience for you and the children.
- Bring extra items that you don’t mind the children playing with or exploring freely – like in this case the teacher can provide seashells in the sensory table.
Part of the joy of teaching is the investment you make into the process. This teacher demonstrates that teaching doesn’t just start when you walk in the door – it is an extension of who she is and the unique qualities and interests she brings along with her.
