Subbing 3 Year Old Class

Well, today was interesting, I was to sub in a 3 year old class. 7 students in a very tiny classroom. The kids were unusually attentive and they actually were great to teach. The theme for the week was Noah's Ark and we made pita bread boats with peanut butter and animal cookies to go in the "boat". Then they got to eat them. We then did Noah's animal parade, where they each got to use an animal puppet and we walked around the building taking turns being each animal. The kids especially enjoyed a book that I brought about a hampster that makes it onto Noah's Ark.
It amazes me how different three year olds can be. There are a couple of classes that I would definitely not want to sub in. The teachers can't wait for summer and the kids have not really improved! You can really tell which parents discipline their kids and which ones let their children do what they want. It is very difficult for the teachers and the other students. As a parent I would be mortified if my children did half the things that some of these kids do!
That, of course, is why I would not want to teach 3 year olds, most of the time they do not care whether you give a treat for good behavior or tell them that what they are doing is not acceptable. They are still too little to really use cause and effect management. If you tell them they will get a treat at the end of the day if they do well, they forget, if you constantly give them treats for behaving then you have a hyped up on sugar kid!
No win situation. 4 year olds tend to be able to have better self control and can make themselves behave when given the proper incentive.
That is it for today. Glad the day is over and I can relax tomorrow in my normal Support Staff role. : )