I know people are expecting to read about my experiences as a wannabe nursery teacher but, really, at this point of time, it’s just lectures and lots of reading.

The good news is that we start going on job placements in about two and a half months’ time so I might have more stories to share then.

The bad news is that we’re not allowed to photograph children in nurseries. All students (and I expect staff) have to sign confidentiality agreements.

That means you’ll have to put up with my crappy drawings.

 

 

We sometimes do get to talk to the kids at the nursery. Bournemouth Montessori Centre has nurseries on the first floor and classrooms on the second floor, so we sometimes encounter kids on the way to and from classes.

One morning, a three-year-old boy was standing right in front of the baby gate which we have to pass through to get up to our classroom.

He was chilling out or something, I don’t know. He had his back facing me so I couldn’t tell what he was up to.

I walked right up beside the boy and said to him, “May I pass, please,” fully expecting him to stare at me blankly, or even cry. (I have this insane fear of causing babies to cry.)

To my surprise, he smiled at me brightly and said, “Yes, you may!” Then he promptly stepped aside.

I quickly recovered my shock and said, “Why, thank you!” as I unlocked the gate and let myself through. He stood there and watched me with a grin on his face.

Just as I was done locking the gate, he started telling me something. I wasn’t sure what he said. It was a long sentence, about twenty or so words. I’m quite sure he was saying something sensible and not just spouting baby talk. It’s just that I’m not so good at deciphering kiddy accents yet.

Not wanting to traumatise him by saying I didn’t understand him, plus I really had to get to class, I just said, “Thank you for telling me that!”

 

 

He smiled as I bade him goodbye.

“Good bye!” he said back.

As I went up the staircase, I looked down again and this precious three-year-old was still watching me with a happy smile.

“Bye!!” he said again, waving at me vigorously this time.

If I can bottle cuteness, this boy is going into my bottle.

But it seems that he’s not the only one. Many other kids in the nursery seem to enjoy interacting with students who pass by, as my classmates also report similar encounters.

I’m really looking forward to working with them for real. I just need to brush up on baby accents!