A Day in Kindergarten: 'You Deserve a Pat on the Back'

Recently, I and a few other girls from Cooper House have begun volunteering with Mrs. Deaton’s kindergarten class. We’ve only been helping out for a few weeks, yet there have already been some really cute and funny stories. 

From my own experiences, you never quite know what to expect when it comes to kids. When we go down to the Early Learning Academy, there are usually lots of things that need to be done to help the teacher. There’s predictable work like copying, cutting out crafts, putting together snacks, etc. The interesting stuff happens when you work with the children. Honestly, they say and do the funniest things sometimes. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was helping them with a little rhyming activity. Every few minutes, this one boy would pat me on the back and loudly say, “Good job! You deserve a pat on the back.” It was so random and I had to keep myself from laughing out loud. 

One of my friends told me this story; apparently Mrs. Deaton started playing a song, the class began singing, and eventually even my friend was convinced to sing along to the silly little tune. She just kept cracking up as she retold the story. It was pretty interesting to watch. 

Although, it can be hard to justify giving up your free period (especially when there’s a test that day), it’s definitely worth it. Volunteering is a great feeling and you know the extra help is appreciated. Just try to remember to do this one thing -- be sure to pat someone on the back when they do a good job.