During the day – Dave
Zoe and I are lucky enough to have been handed the educator in residence (EIR) torch at Nobleboro Central School from Cam Miller and Kayleigh MacFarlane. Cam and Kayleigh worked hard with Nancy Courville and Ann Hassett to implement a fantastic EIR program here and Zoe and I are hoping to keep things rolling in a positive direction. The obstacles we face have nothing to do with the school, the kids, or supplies, but with not wanting to leave at the end of the day! Everything about Nobleboro Central School comes together to create an environment that makes the EIR program a well-oiled machine. The school’s staff is welcoming, accommodating, and appreciative of our presence. The kids’ enthusiasm and excitement is contagious, and every single one is unique, kind, and understanding – which makes our job that much more interesting and fun.
We begin each day in the library and either stay to assist during library time or we march down the NCS hallways, art projects plastered from wall to wall, to the art classroom where these masterpieces are created. Library time is an absolute blast for both EIRs and students alike. It begins with a read aloud session lead by the wonderful Mrs. Harriman and is followed by a library choice time. The students can either choose to search for one of the many captivating reads carefully arranged on the shelves, or they can participate in specific activities that change from day to day, or from book topic to book topic.
When we spend time in the art room with Ms. Workman, we can’t help but feel nostalgic for the art classes we remember taking as children. Ms. Workman is fantastic at getting the kids ready and into the projects in the short amount of time allotted for art. Zoe and I often find that we are so engrossed in participating in the art projects she arranges, that the first time we look up at the clock, class is over! Library and art room time is a great way to spend time with the kids, but lunch and recess are where we find the kids are really in their element. This makes it a prime time to get to know them.
We often vary between staying in and eating lunch with each lunch group, or we decide to join all the groups for their recesses. With snow cover came snow pants, igloo building, snow angels, and snow basketball. When the snow is melted, the blacktop is filled with intense five on five pick up football games (these kids have skill), basketball, jump rope, zombie tag, and other various playground activities that often involve shrieks of genuine delight. It is a great time to relieve some of the tension that inevitably comes with sitting still during a full school day.
We are excited in the remaining time here at NCS to get more involved in the Be a Learner program, and to step into classes upon teacher requests to facilitate activities that relay principles forged in Kieve’s Leadership School. The days we have spent here at NCS have been an absolute delight for me and Zoe and the students we see everyday, and we are very grateful to have the opportunity to spend more time here!
After School – Zoe
The EIR program at Nobleboro also includes running an after school program for students. Dave and I love coming up with creative ideas to get kids excited about hanging out at school for an extra hour. We have divided the program in three age groups: 1st-3rd graders, 4th-6th graders, and 7th-8th graders. This allows us to focus on each groups’ varying interests and skill levels. Our activities range from arts & crafts to trekking through the woods and building forts. Some days, we play basketball and football on the black top, while others we jam on homemade instruments. We are excited to continue exploring fun options from kitchen science to massive games of “everybody’s it tag.” We hope as we continue to make connections with the kids, the program will continue to grow in popularity.
The goal of the program is to provide another way for students to stay active and get involved, especially in between sports seasons. For us, it is a great way to connect with kids outside of the classroom. Our after school program provides an additional outlet for kids to express and explore this wonderful creative energy. From what we have seen, these kids have an incredible ability to be creative, fun, and silly while remaining incredibly fair and respectful. This speaks to the wonderful community NCS provides, and we are so grateful to be a part of it! It is our goal to be relatable, positive role models; Dave and I hope that kids will see us having fun in a respectable, fair way and will want to do the same. Through all of our after school activities, we aim to spread Kieve’s mission to empower youth to be kind and respectful. We passionately believe in the power of positivity and the importance of creativity.
