"Welcome to Pre-Kindergarten," Ms. Thompson told a classroom of four-year-olds sitting at desks on the first day of school. "We have rules you have to follow each day. You must sit still in your seat. You must raise your hand if you want to talk. When we walk to the lavatories, you must walk in line, silently. Does everyone understand," she asked? Little heads nodded yes. "At the end of the week, those of you who have followed the rules will get a grab bag full of school supplies and treats. Ms. Sue, my assistant, will keep track of who is following the rules each day."
While Ms. Thompson checked attendance, Ms. Sue handed students worksheets and pencils to draw lines connecting words with pictures illustrating their meanings.
A warm September breeze blew through the open window of the old city school, carrying with it a yellow jacket. The bee landed on Mary's wooden desk. She was frightened and wanted to scream. Remembering the rules, she clenched her teeth, instead. Bill rocketed from his chair, raised his notebook in his small hands, and slammed it on the bee. "It's dead," he screamed. "I saved us from the killer bee." The students cheered, clapped, and chattered. Ms. Sue removed the bee with a paper towel and cleaned Bill's desk with a disinfectant wipe.
Susita, turned to face George to talk about what had happened the way people do at games when a baseball player hits a ball and runs. "What did you do that you weren't supposed to do," Ms. Thompson asked, sternly looking at Susita, whose black braid hung down the back of her blue polo uniform shirt? "I donno," she said. "What did you do, George," Ms. Thompson asked? George shrugged his shoulders and looked at her with questioning brown eyes. "Both of you talked," said Ms. Thompson. "Bill, what did you do," she asked? "I got out of my seat, but I had to or the bee might have killed somebody." "I understand," Ms. Thompson said, "but you must remember the rules.
Ms. Sue, and volunteer grandparents and parents served breakfast to the students and opened milk and juice cartons for children.Volunteers dashed around the classroom, collecting trays of leftover food and disinfecting desks when breakfast was over.
While they were doing this, Sierra barfed up chunks of golden brown pancakes in a mixture of milk and orange juice
"Ew, it smells," yelled Leroy, from a bunker under his desk. Mary walked Sierra to the nurse.
When she returned, Susita and George were sweeping the floor that students had littered while cutting out pictures of leaves they had colored. Bill was collecting the crayons, and Ms.
Sue was collecting the scissors.
At the end of the day, Ms. Thompson handed out a homework assignment listing
classroom rules that students were to memorize with someone at home. "A typical day in Pre-K," Ms. Thompson said to Ms. Sue. "Right," Ms. Sue agreed.
While Ms. Thompson checked attendance, Ms. Sue handed students worksheets and pencils to draw lines connecting words with pictures illustrating their meanings.
A warm September breeze blew through the open window of the old city school, carrying with it a yellow jacket. The bee landed on Mary's wooden desk. She was frightened and wanted to scream. Remembering the rules, she clenched her teeth, instead. Bill rocketed from his chair, raised his notebook in his small hands, and slammed it on the bee. "It's dead," he screamed. "I saved us from the killer bee." The students cheered, clapped, and chattered. Ms. Sue removed the bee with a paper towel and cleaned Bill's desk with a disinfectant wipe.
Susita, turned to face George to talk about what had happened the way people do at games when a baseball player hits a ball and runs. "What did you do that you weren't supposed to do," Ms. Thompson asked, sternly looking at Susita, whose black braid hung down the back of her blue polo uniform shirt? "I donno," she said. "What did you do, George," Ms. Thompson asked? George shrugged his shoulders and looked at her with questioning brown eyes. "Both of you talked," said Ms. Thompson. "Bill, what did you do," she asked? "I got out of my seat, but I had to or the bee might have killed somebody." "I understand," Ms. Thompson said, "but you must remember the rules.
Ms. Sue, and volunteer grandparents and parents served breakfast to the students and opened milk and juice cartons for children.Volunteers dashed around the classroom, collecting trays of leftover food and disinfecting desks when breakfast was over.
While they were doing this, Sierra barfed up chunks of golden brown pancakes in a mixture of milk and orange juice
"Ew, it smells," yelled Leroy, from a bunker under his desk. Mary walked Sierra to the nurse.
When she returned, Susita and George were sweeping the floor that students had littered while cutting out pictures of leaves they had colored. Bill was collecting the crayons, and Ms.
Sue was collecting the scissors.
At the end of the day, Ms. Thompson handed out a homework assignment listing
classroom rules that students were to memorize with someone at home. "A typical day in Pre-K," Ms. Thompson said to Ms. Sue. "Right," Ms. Sue agreed.
