Afternoon Musings from an Enrichment Instructor
by Karin Sperber
It is 2:30 and I have reached my last class of the day… at the very end of the day. For an Enrichment Instructor, the end of the day is often the toughest and most dreaded. The youngest students are sleepy after a long day, the oldest students are itching to leave and go home, and I am worn out.
Anticipation
I slowly creak the door open. As soon as I am in view, I hear some excited whispers: “Ms. Sperber!” Then, the classroom teacher makes a grand announcement. “And now, we have the wonderful Ms. Sperber, here for your entertainment!” Cheers erupt from the small crowd of 1st graders. I feel like a rock star. I play into their excitement and sashay into the room, ending with a bow. A student in the front row says, “I love having Peaceful Schools at the end of the day because we get to have fun and the time goes fast.”
Weaving Social-Emotional Learning into Enrichment Instruction
In my role as Enrichment Instructor, we have built a classroom community full of trust, fun, and learning. Finding ways to teach about social skills through the lens of art, science, and history – all while maintaining the level of fun this class expects – has been the most enjoyable challenge of my career.
We’ve explored our emotions through charades, made drawings of what we physically feel when we experience different emotions, and discussed what we can peacefully do when big emotions feel overwhelming. I taught perseverance while explaining about the science of snow; students then practiced their perseverance while making ice crystals in the classroom, in the form of delicious ice cream. We’ve discussed diversity and the various indigenous peoples of the land we live on – learning Haudenosaunee legends, reciting Cherokee words, and creating Tlingit-inspired art.
We have done so much together, and I have so much more that I am excited to bring to these students.
The Payoff
This normally “tough” time has become my absolute favorite part of the day. I shout, “GOOD AFTERNOON 1ST GRADE!” I am rewarded with an animated, “GOOD AFTERNOON MS. SPERBER!” in return. And with that, we are ready to begin.
About the Author
Since 2015, Karin Sperber has been working as an Enrichment Instructor for Peaceful Schools, teaching students from Kindergarten to 8th grade a multitude of subjects, including visual arts, S.T.E.M., theatre, painting, and lettering. When not working, Karin enjoys trying new recipes in the kitchen, creating art and craft projects, and spending time with her family.
