Miss Anne-Lies stops after 42 years and looks back: “A girl called me a spoiled nest”

After more than four decades in education, Anne-Lies van der Weg, a beloved toddler teacher from Zoetermeer, retires early. She could share her passion for teaching to children for generations at school. She ends her time in education with a book full of quotes from her students: Klets talk in kindergarten.

Anne-Lies often jokes that she has been in school all her life, and there is certainly a core of truth in it. Before she stood in front of the class, she followed her education at the Klos (the toddler Leader Training School) in The Hague. Later she obtained her deed, with which she was allowed to teach group 8. Yet Anne-Lies soon knew: her heart was with the toddlers.

Lifelong at school

Anne-Lies stood in front of the class in Zoetermeer for almost her entire career: first at the Elzenhoek, then at De Buut, and now for 25 years at IKC Floriant. As a result, she not only saw countless Zoetermeerders grow up, but she also met several generations. Former students came back as parents. Even some colleagues were once in her class. “I had an internal supervisor here at school as a toddler in the classroom. Because I keep everything, I could show her a report of a parent conversation. She really enjoyed that, “says Anne-Lies with a smile. Another former student became director of De Elzenhoek. “I already knew her as a toddler.”

Then and now

Anne-Lies has experienced many changes in education over the years. For example, she used to have 44 toddlers in the classroom. That would now be unthinkable. “At the time, education was less performance -oriented and everything went much more playfully, so you could also work with larger groups.” But not only education changed, but also the toddlers. “They used to listen better, now children are much more articulate,” says Anne-Lies.

A lot of rubber bands

Yet it is not a recent statement that stays with her the most, but one from the early days of her career. “I opened my late. A girl looked at my many rubber bands and shouted: ‘So, what do you have many rubber bands! What a spoiled nest you are! “” She laughs. “Today, children would not say that so quickly. Not because they are less pronounced – on the contrary – but because they are used to much more in terms of things. ” Yet some things remain unchanged: “The circle, the fixed daily schedule and of course the great statements of toddlers.”

Statements on individual notes

For years, Anne-Lies collected the funniest and most special statements from her toddlers on individual notes. Quotes like “My mother has a bracket with choosing” or “Miss, what do you have long legs!” passed by. What started as a spontaneous collection soon grew into a booklet with hundreds of statements. “People wanted to read it, it was appreciated, and soon they said,” You have to make a real book of this! ” Then it became serious, “says Anne-Lies.

Hedgehogs reinforce the quotes

De Kleuterjuf called in her colleague Marijke Ridderhof for the illustrations. Anyone who knows Anne-Lies knows that she has a preference for hedgehogs. In the book, the drawn hedgehogs Bob and Bibi therefore play the leading role, which reinforce the quotes. Her son built a webshop and in no time she was with a publisher. “A book is an intensive process in which I had to think about everything: from paper thickness to font. I also had to decide if I would place first names in the quotes. I chose to do that so that people can recognize themselves or their children. Now my book is Klets talk in kindergarten Finally ready! ”

Read more under the photo>

Launch

With more than 100 pre-orders, Anne-Lies looks forward to the official launch of her book, which takes place on 4 April in her own classroom. “It still feels a bit unreal, but it will really happen soon!” She says. Who is curious about the book can buy it through jufannelies.nl Or at Children’s Bookstore Silvester in the Dorpsstraat.

Travel outside the school holidays to

After 42 years of teaching, Anne-Lies says goodbye to the school desks and is retiring early. She is preparing for a new phase of her life. Enjoy the freedom and travel. “Finally outside the school holidays,” she says laughing. But even though she stops as a kindergarten teacher, her heart stays with the children. “Fortunately I live at the end of the street, so I will definitely walk into school again.”