First Grade and yoga....

Friday is my "work in class" day. I will say once again that I like working in my kids' classes, for a myriad of reasons, but mostly because I love them. Is it always fun? No. But sometimes, it is a little rewarding.
I normally have the group that is working on writing in their journals or doing a worksheet. I wander around, making sure everyone is working, answering questions, sounding out words, whatever is required. I have escorted kids to the principals office, stayed in during recesses correcting homework, encouraged and cajoled, and witnessed more than a few tears when they got frustrated. I guess I expect all those things to happen. But today... was something I never thought I'd do.

We worked on a worksheet today and I was prepared for the kids who wanted to guess the answers (The ones that think that if I send them back to fix an answer because it was wrong, and they choose the next multiple choice answer and bring it back for me to correct and tell them that they need to go back again to fix it again, because it was wrong AGAIN, and by process of elimination they come up with the right answer, that it will be good enough! NO (I am so much smarter than that!) & the ones who want me to read the whole thing to them (once again... smarter than that, me and them!) & the ones who think if they cry that they won't have to stay in during recess to finish their work when they were goofing off instead of working during station time (wrong...again!) *Wow! I sound tough!!! I am no push over... but I am not nearly as strict as Mr. E.*
After seven months I think I have a pretty good idea of how these kids operate. I know what these kids are capable of, which ones need extra incentive, who needs lots of redirection and which ones get frustrated easily. I thought the day had gone rather nicely. No tears or tantrums, or trips to the office. Great. The kids leave with Mr. E for p.e. and I stay to talk to Mrs. E (she is there everyday til noon when her kindergarten son goes home...now that is a dedicated "volunteer-at-school" mom!) After about 5 minutes we hear a child howling (literally!) as he runs down the hall towards class. Mrs. E says, "That must be ----, back from p.e." (She is also aware of what to expect!!) Sure enough, this student comes into class screaming and crying and yelling and kicking the desk. I am dumbstruck. I just stand there for what seems like forever, staring. I have seen this student when he gets frustrated with desk work, but obviously I have never witnessed a "p.e." melt-down. (apparently, Mrs. E had... more than once too, I guessed) She gave him a second and then tried talking to him, validating his feelings, trying to calm him down. I am still standing there, bewildered. Do I just leave? Do I stand there like an idiot? watching? After what seemed like an eternity something clicked in my head. I set down my purse and walked up to this student and asked, "Can I show you something?" I plopped down on the carpet and asked him to sit there with me. I get him all set up in modified lotus pose, have him put his hands on his knees, straighten his back, shoulders down and start explaining how he needs to breathe into his belly. After a few breaths I ask him, "Do you know what we are doing?" He shakes his head no. "Meditating," I say.

*@^!* Where did THAT come from!!! And why haven't I ever tried it with my own kids???

It was almost immediate. He was calm. I'm not sure if it was the complete change of direction, the yogic breathing, or if he was just freaked out by me plopping down on the ground and switching into yoga mode! We sat there for a few more minutes, talking about breathing, and how he could do *this* whenever he started getting frustrated or angry. I told him I'd check up with him next Friday to see how he was doing and left.

WEIRD! I'm not sure who was more surprised by that whole thing... him... or Mrs. E or me!!?