My Year of Service - #3

Yesterday was my first full day at my inner-city elementary school, and boy, was it different! I've never worked with a full class of kindergarteners or first-graders before, and I now get to work with both. I also help out in the lunchroom when the kindergarteners are seated and given their lunch tickets for the day.
My day is divided between the kindergarten and first grade classes, about 70% of it being spent with the younger group. I'm beginning to learn their names as they go through their daily routines of reciting the months of the year, days of the week, and numbers. During the day, I am one of their stations when they split into groups and rotate around the room. We do a worksheet that focuses on how to write the letter of the week: D and d. They are also learning to sort things, by size, color, etc.
Some of the kids are good listeners and others need to be told *much* more than once. I'm looking forward to mastering the "getting-the-kids'-attention" techniques the teachers use.
I am amazed at just how much my voice aches at the end of the day - and it's not even from yelling! There is so much talking involved when dealing with small children. Constant instruction, answering questions, etc.
With the first graders, I mostly help a couple kids at a time with an assignment in the back of the room. I make sure they follow directions and that they understand what they are doing. Now, in math, they are working on greater than ">", less than "<", and equal to "=". Remember that "Which number does the alligator always want to eat?" trick?
I am already getting hugs from a couple of students as soon as they see me in the morning and before they get on the bus in the afternoon. I know the job is going to be tough, but those little smiles and hugs really make it worth it! That and knowing there's a chance that my efforts may help them to achieve academic success in the future.