Snips and snails and puppy dog tails?

Today I started a new job at a daycare just for the summer months.  First days at anything are a little unnerving in general, but my "thing" is working with kids, so it doesn't take long for me to feel like I'm in my groove.  I was lucky to have only 7 kids today so I got to know them pretty well in a matter of hours.  I could tell which little guy was going to test me today from the second that he walked in and I could tell which one was going to be my special helper.  The little boy that took one look at me and thought "umm...you aren't Ms. Sondra" warmed up to me and was chatting away by lunch time did wonders for my self esteem. My new job is different, but I can tell that it's going to be fun and I'm excited to kick it into full swing June 2.

So in the classroom I was subbing in today, there was a plastic box with a lid full of dirt in the science center and I asked the kids what it was.  It's worms!  They have a box of worms in the classroom for the kids to just check out whenever they want.  Absolutely brilliant!  I only wish that I would have thought of that this last school year.  Contrary to what you might think...it was not the boys that were digging in the worm box, but the girls!  I was loving every minute of watching these precious five year old girls with perfect curls and bows in their hair, digging in a box of dirt and pulling out worms and squealing with delight as the worms wiggled about on their hands. A common misconception that some teachers may have...girls don't enjoy science or that science related careers are jobs for men.  As teachers, we need to do encourage both boys and girls to get dirty, explore and discover in a field that has many opportunities for both men and women.