Kids play with my hair

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Primary Elementary Teachers Chatboard

Kids play with my hair

by Emmylou

yesterday, 2009

When my students have free time in the classroom, sometimes they like to come behind my desk and play with my hair. I never gave it much consideration, but my school supt. was in for a visit and remarked on it. I have an evaluation coming up and I want to be ready to defend myself. I have read up on free classroom time and such, but I'd like some more input on this topic. Bottom line, I believe children need unstructured free time in the classroom. My students know that when it's work time, that's the time to get busy. My supt. gets so caught up in the outward appearance of things that she can't see what this free time with my students does. Whether they're playing pretend barber shop with my hair, or school in the back corner--they are practicing modeling skills that they use to understand the world. Anyone else have this issue?

Thanks!!!

Oh yeah, I teach in a 1st/2nd grade classroom in a rural school with only 6 kids in my class. I have no problem meeting standards ...See More

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IMO Emmylou.

I am sooo with you. I am white. My students are black. One thing they LOVE to do is touch my hair. They love to braid it and just touch. I feel there is no inappropratness attache to it. I must say...some of the black teachers do....as they also disapprove of huggs and other displays of affection such as kind words.

If y...See More

Apr 9, 2009

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Primary Teacher You are so right about kids acting out what they see and hear. On the subject of hair the kindergarten class I taught had a lice problem and so the kids were being checked regularly. This became a play theme...not one we encouraged of course but they would use any toy to lift and separate each others hair saying they were checking it. Now I am with...See More

Apr 9, 2009

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anon Without meaning too I'm sure, this has a bit of a racial undertone. On 4/07/09, Donna music/TN wrote: > Could you get some heads from a beauty school for them to practice > on? I'm guessing I know the population you teach, and there's a > lot of social interaction which goes on over hair in that group, > so the kids are playing out exac...See More

Apr 9, 2009

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jenny/2/oh On 4/09/09, anon wrote: > Without meaning too I'm sure, this has a bit of a racial undertone. > On 4/07/09, Donna music/TN wrote: >> Could you get some heads from a beauty school for them to practice >> on? I'm guessing I know the population you teach, and there's a >> lot of social interaction which goes on over hair in tha...See More

Apr 10, 2009

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Karen M. Why would it have a "racial undertone"? People (men and women) of all races practice on heads in beauty school before moving up to practicing on real people before earning their beauticians license.

Years ago when I taught in an all black school, I was the only white teacher there. My students were fascinated with my hair. They all thought...See MoreWhy would it have a "racial undertone"? People (men and women) of all races practice on heads in beauty school before moving up to practicing on real people before earning their beauticians license.

Years ago when I taught in an all black school, I was the only white teacher there. My students were fascinated with my hair. They all thought I was old because it was "white" (it's blonde). They didn't understand why it was straight. And, yes, I let them touch it. Not ALL the time, but there were times. This was something outside of their world that they had never experienced before.

I would encourage EmmyLou to get those beauty school heads and other things for the kids to practice on though. And think about what other areas of work/play the kids might enjoy doing to that reflect real world experiences. Before this year I always had a workbench in my classroom with real hand tools (I teach K, but moved to a smaller room). Could you do this in your classroom too? Using a hammer is great for eye-hand coordination, so is using a screwdriver! Maybe one of your parnets could make you a workbench??

What about teaching the kids (boys and girls) how to crochet, knit or sew?? That's always fun! Practical too. Wal-Mart has yarn on sale all the time. Again, great eye-hand coordination skills, nice tactile work, practical life skill, and very calming to do.

If your superintendent asks about it during your evaluation, you can honestly tell him/her that you did some research, pondered on it some, and then decided to provide the kids with other opportunities, which I hope you will. :-) Good luck!

On 4/09/09, anon wrote: > Without meaning too I'm sure, this has a bit of a racial undertone.

> On 4/07/09, Donna music/TN wrote: >> Could you get some heads from a beauty school for them to practice >> on? I'm guessing I know the population you teach, and there's a >> lot of social interaction which goes on over hair in that group, >> so the kids are playing out exactly what they see (and I do see it >> being beneficial for them to have that unstructured, dramatic play >> time even in 1st/2nd if you're allowed to do it), but I agree that >> it's probably not a good idea for them to do so with your head, if >> for not other reason that if you have to react quickly when a >> child has a clump of your hair, it's gonna hurt! >>

Apr 10, 2009

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