The 'Perfect' Presentation

Please note that the word 'perfect' is in quotation marks in the title ;)

So C is my student I have had the most problems presenting new activities too. It's not that he's not interested, it's that he is so interested he has a really difficult time keeping his hands off the materials until it's his turn to try. This results in a lot of overfilled water glasses, triangles that don't fit together because he missed the part about the black lines matching, and sound cylinders that are simply shaken instead of matched. Not atypical for a three year old, but slightly frustrating as a teacher.

Today though I showed him the orange squeezing activity and everything fell in to place. He's done enough other food activities that I could verbally direct him to get on the apron, place the oilcloth and bring the tray to the table. All hands on, no waiting required on his part. C was a bit impatient about letting me unload the tray so I could tell him the names of things. Luckily there are only four things on the tray: a juicer, cup, tongs and cloth. He also knew from experience that he had to carry the tray over to the fridge to get his oranges out. I only had to let him know that he was allowed to use the tongs to get two oranges and that was it.

Again, no waiting necessary.

At the table he immediately jumped on the sliced orange and squished it down on the juicer....then looked in surprise that all the juice hadn't magically come out. He looked at the orange, pushed is down again and looked at it in puzzlement. "Let me show you." He insisted on hanging on to the orange as I demonstrated how to twist it to squeeze out the juice. Finally he got it and after showing how to pour it gently in the cup I let him juice to his heart's content.

Despite having other children come and ask questions I was able to direct him to putting the finished juice in the fridge and cleaning up to go wash dishes. Knowing these were all tasks he could handle I drifted off to the other neglected children (ok, so they were doing a pretty good job keeping busy but I know they felt neglected!). Luckily I noticed right away as he went to put the clean dishes back on the shelf and was able to remind him about getting a new cup and cloth for the next person. He happily complied, then went to fold his apron at a table.

Next thing I know I hear this little voice "I all done!" C had come all the way across the room from where he'd been sitting at the snack table to show me his empty cup. "Was it good?" He nodded, grinning and I sent him off to wash his cup and be off to new adventures.

If only my timing could work out so nicely for every presentation! It always seems as though the biggest spills and disaster happen when I'm int he middle of presenting something new. Oh well.