Elmer's Glue

Being back at school today felt like the first day of school. It seemed like the kids forgot what they were supposed to do in any given situation. I know that having three days off did this. It also didn't help that it snowed yesterday and was continuing this morning.

The same things happened in all three of the kindergarten classes I had this morning. Suddenly it was a great idea to just blurt out random things while I was trying to read a story to the class. Or start poking a neighbor just enough so said neighbor would scream out a "STOP!" that would disturb the story. Or ask to go to the bathroom setting off a sudden urge for everyone to go while the story was being read. Or just come up in the middle of the story and say, "Hug!" and wrap your arms around me. (Okay, that one caught me completely off guard and put a smile on my face).

I should've known that this would happen. I should've planned to get them re-acquainted with the rules in the library. I should've read a story and done an activity that went along with this theme. Oh no, that would be too easy. I planned something else instead.

I did an activity that involved Elmer's glue.

Most of the kids did great. Most of them heeded my warning of "Only put a dot or two on the place where you want to paste the paper." Most of them cut out the correct paper to be glued on the other paper. Most of them didn't turn their glue-soaked papers upside down onto the table to write their names on the other side.

The remaining few had me running from table to table trying to put out glue "fires". Somehow a "dot" of glue translated into some of their five-year-old minds as a quarter-sized "glob" of glue. Somehow it was a great idea to turn the paper over with glue globs and press it on the table. Somehow it was an even greater idea to start running around the library with scissors. (Why is it always so tempting to run around with scissors?)

I do have to say that the activity lasted a good 25 minutes, which is the longest that any of the kids has lasted so far this year. I did have a few "helpers" that I kept busy because they were the first ones done and were starting to get into trouble.

I did learn one thing in all of this. I think I may need to put in a supply request and ask for glue sticks.