I used to say “I’m just a Pre-K Enrichment Teacher” when someone asked what my job is. I hear others say it when they refer to their early-childhood education jobs: just a preschool teacher, just a stay-at-home-mom, just a daycare provider, just a….

Hold on here!!

Did you know that a child has cultivated 85 percent of his intellect, personality, and skills by age five? (i) Did you know that these tiny humans’ brains begin creating connections at a rapid rate before birth through age five and will only retain the connections that are used consistently? (ii) It is so essential for children to develop large- and small-muscle skills, to interact meaningfully with the world around them, and to develop social skills at an early age.

And that is where the Providence Enrichment program comes into play!

From 11:30-2:50 p.m., three days a week, our class of seven imagines, creates, and explores the world around them. We do mostly hands-on activities that build on themes learned in the morning academic class. Through music, science, art, physical activity, role-play, and social studies, children gain consistent, positive reinforcement of skills that will jump-start their future educational pursuits.

Most recently, in our Weather unit, we learned about rain clouds through shaving cream and food dye, watched heat expand the air in a bar of soap to make it puff up into clouds (which were then turned into “snow”), made leaf rubbings, played games with what outfits to wear in different seasons, discussed the recent hurricanes, and sent encouraging pictures to a sister classical school in Florida.

So I have now traded “just” for “get.” I get to be inspired by the creative play of turning a jump rope into a fishing pole. I get to run around a field chasing dragonflies. I get to hear ooh’s and ahh’s when we find out how clouds make rain. I get to hear little voices thank Jesus for mommies and daddies. I get to shed a tear when one student puts his arm around a new friend to comfort him because he’s sad.

I get to be the Enrichment Teacher.

 

 

Notes

i.National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. 2000. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
ii.Hart, B. & Risley, T. 1995. Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

Robin worked as the Assistant Director of Admissions at SPU and later became the Creative Arts Director at Monroe Community..