Even if you have no plans to ever host a kindergarten tea party, I encourage you to watch the video and enjoy the precious moments.
We made the tissue paper hats for the girls and ordered the top hats for the boys. The students made the decoupage vases and got to choose five flowers to create their bouquets.
The party begins with an etiquette video. The students learn how to shake out their napkin and put it on their lap as well as how important it is to sit on the edge of their chairs so they can easily reach their tea cup. They learn to say, “Please pass the cookies” rather than standing up and “sticking their bum in the air” and reaching across the table. How to properly hold and drink from a tea cup is demonstrated. If they need to use the bathroom during a tea party, they place their napkin on the table and say, “Pardon me” before leaving. Of course, they all needed to try this during the 30-minute party since this was a rare occasion when they didn’t have to ask the teacher first. The etiquette video also taught the importance of thanking the host for being invited to the tea party. The students were so attentive during this video and took all of these instructions to heart once the tea party began.
Throughout the school year, I am constantly encouraging my students to lift up their heads, watch the instruction, think, and raise their hands and participate. Lately, I’ve been using the simile, “You don’t want to be a bump on a log.” I even drew a log with a bump and said, “You see, the bump does nothing; it just’s there.”
The morning of the tea party, I had one student fussing around all morning. When I called him over and said, “What’s wrong, honey? Why are you so whiny today?” He replied with, “I just want to go home. I’m not the tea party type.” I said, “Well, I’m not going to send you home when there’s no good reason. Plus, I think you’ll love the tea party.” After lunch, when the students went to specials, I started getting things ready for the tea party. I learned that this same student was in the office, sent by the P.E. teacher because he just would not stop crying. So I went and talked to him. Leaning on me, he said, “I just want to go home, get in my bed, and be a bump on a log.”
Needless to say, we did not send him home. And—you guessed it—he thoroughly enjoyed the tea party.
Keep smiling! We’re almost there!
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