Something's Coming Towards Me !
Last post, I wrote about preparing to work with homeless preschool and kindergarten classes. I was concerned about discipline issues cropping up, but none did.
I was warned about a new boy, who had just had a lot of changes in his life – new school, new location. I was told that he sometimes hits people as a way of saying hello.
He didn’t hit me. He did come at me, though, like a dog pulling at a leash and bombarding me with questions in a very loud voice. It was interesting, though – by halfway through the class, he was sitting back, taking turns, and the volume dialed down. I never said a word. I think the rhythm of the class settled him.
He, like most highly reactive children, had been stuck in Moro (kids whose hands fly out in greeting is a sure sign of that!) He especially calmed down after we did the rap, Something’s Coming Towards Me! It’s a Moro Reflex integration activity from my new pilot project, Listenin’ Live for Literacy.
Something’s coming toward me!
(Gasp!) Hands go up!
(Breathe out) It’s only a leaf blowing on the wind.
Something’s coming toward me!
(Gasp!) Hands go up!
(Breathe out) It’s only a bird flying in the sky.
Something’s coming toward me!
(Gasp!) it’s a ball, catch!
(clap!) Yay!!!!!
After the first verse, the teacher said that yesterday this very child had said that a monster was coming towards him! But then he saw that it was only an ant.
Improvisation opportunity! We went around the circle, and everyone got to say what was “coming towards them” and what it turned out to be. Each time, we gasped and did the exaggerated hands up in the air motion, and then dropped our hands with a sigh of relief that it was only a __.
Something’s Coming Towards Me was the hit of our class! Almost everyone had “something” to contribute, and they were full of excitement. One child, in the teacher’s lap, was non-reactive – he stayed in a Fear Paralysis state throughout the class. But later, I was told that his very presence was not a given. This boy often became agitated at circle time, and had to leave. He stayed, if not calm, quiet, and remained for the entire half hour class.
I could feel the energy of the class settle into a different place after Something’s Coming Towards Me. Children were making more eye contact with me, and volunteering to participate more in all of the activities. And there was a deeper sense of calm supporting all of us.
It was a lesson to me. We all – adults and children - carry a lot of anxiety we aren’t even aware of – until it dissipates.
Just now I realized that I have some, the residue of three different ongoing worries. I just did Moro – breathe in, hands to up, breathe out, hands go down – about six times. I’m starting become more aware of the room around me now – the sound of the dishwahser, the quality of light through the window, the feel of the keys against my fingers. I’m breathing better.
I guess something was coming towards me, and it was only a thought.
Note: These wonderful preschool classes for homeless children are held at St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children in Dorchester, MA through a program provided by Horizons for Homeless Children. The music classes are provided by the Young Audiences of Massachusetts Healing Arts for Kids.
Susan Seale Feb 01, 2013
I’ve had so much coming at me the last few months…I may need to do this all night:)