Although technically as Jumpstart Corps members, we are supposed to be teaching the kids, there were many moments when the kids actually taught us. One of those moments happened during the first few weeks of session. I walked into Sunshine Early Learning Center as usual, pulled out my book, and walked into the classroom. My three partner children ran up to me and greeted me and we headed back to our usual reading spot. After going over the name cards, we jumped right into reading Oonga Boonga. This was the second implementation of Oonga Boonga and it was no surprise that the kids got bored very quickly knowing that they have already read this book. I was able to reign in their concentration through asking them questions and asking their opinions on certain parts of the book but regardless of my efforts, they found it very hard to sit still and concentrate. Up until that point, I always had my kids sit “criss-cross applesauce” on designated spots during reading because I thought that would help implement the Jumpstart idea of repetition and familiarity. Little did I know that it is very hard to get three and four year olds to sit still in specific spots without getting restless and unfocused. I was getting very frustrated at the fact that their attention was on where they were sitting rather than on the storybook. Feeling defeated because I couldn’t win their attention, I put the book down for a second and tried to give them a second to wiggle out their restlessness. That was when one of my kids looked up at me and said “Can we just sit on the pillows?”
He was referring to the different colored pillows that were always sitting next to our reading spot. That was when I realized that maybe sitting criss-cross applesauce in the same spot for name cards AND reading was probably as uncomfortable for them as it was for me. No one likes to sit still for that long especially not four year olds. So I grabbed the pillows and gave everyone a different colored pillow to sit on for reading time. When I picked up the book again, I was shocked at the difference that these pillows made. The kids seemed comfortable and were extremely engaged and focused. They were answering all of my questions and we had a blast getting through the rest of the book. That comment from my kid made me realize that reading time didn’t necessarily have to be so serious and boring but was designed to be fun and relaxed and the pillows’ effect on my kids focus was proof of that. I learned from my kid that although Jumpstart has very rigid lesson plans that it wants Corps Members to follow, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the lesson plans can’t be fun and relaxed as well. Ever since my kid asked me that question, I’ve had them sit on the pillows and it’s worked out well every time. With me, I’ve always thought about what it is that I can teach to the kids, never about what it is that the kids can teach me and as evidenced by my second Oonga Boonga session, our kids have a lot to teach us.
Duaa AbdelHameid
Corps member
Team Kindness
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