Advent Calendar Idea

Last year, for school, I was looking for an advent calendar type of idea that would be more on the "educational" and Bible side of things. I stumbled upon this blog/post, and LOVED it!!! I knew her idea would work better in my home, and didn't have the time to do all the searching, so here is how I changed it up a bit to work for my little school kiddos:

 

Here is my Christmas tree:

(star tutorial found here; the rest is just cut paper for the tree)

I used the Christmas collection of scrapbook paper from the ActivityVillage website, and mounted those on "library card" envelopes. Then I copied and reformatted the "meaning of Christmas" readings and glued them on cards to fit in the pockets.

I used some of the printable for the numbers from here and here. They worked beautifully--very talented people to make them for me to use!!! Thank you!

I popped the inserts in. . .

Then instead of having tangible things to display or put in drawers as shown in the first link, my Sped aide and I got together to collect pictures to hang on the bulletin board.

As seen in the first picture, as each day was read, the picture got to be hung up. The special helper of the day got to search for the right picture, the class got to guess what the pictures might be about, and the "high" readers got to practice reading scriptures. The students really looked forward to doing devotions and Bible in this way! I used it again this past year. . .although we never got it done as a snow day cancelled our last day of school!

If you need yet another way to do advent and teaching the "real" meaning of Christmas, here is what I did. . .

To All Teachers of Any Classroom. . .

An article has been circulating among my friends of Facebook. It was found right here: at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blackberry/p.html?id=3209305

It’s a humorous article by Steve Wiens, titled:

Steve Wiens: To Parents of Small Children: Let Me Be the One Who Says It Out Loud from May 3, 2013 17:02:32

It made me smile, and even chuckle every now and then. I’ve read it over a few times and decided to give it a try. . .here is my rendition of his article (with no intention to get in trouble for any copyrighting or all that jazz—I give ALL credit to him for what he wrote!) in order to send a note of encouragement to those teachers in my blog-world.

So here it is:

Susan: To Teachers of Any Classroom with Needs and Needs and More Needs: Let me Say it Out Loud. . .or at Least on this Humble Little Blog

I am in a season of my teaching career right now where I feel bone-tired almost all of the time. Ragged, how-am-I-going-to-get-through-the-lesson-plans-by-the-end-of-the-day-or-even-get-them-through-this-year-learning-anything-at-all, hands-in-the-air, did-I-teach-them-anything-at-all exhausted.

I have a full class of primary students—the little ones. I'm not complaining about that. Not even one little bit. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I absolutely LOVE what I do! But the helplessness I sometimes feel—I could give that away. But I know I have a principal and superintendent and board and school community with high standards. I have a bunch of parents who have trusted their darlings into my care each day. And I have a bunch of wide-eyed students who are looking up to me . . . all the time. ALL the time!

I have a class with needs and needs and more needs. There are many moments where they are utterly delightful, like last week, one of them told me they wanted to be a teacher just like me when they grew up, which they thought would probably be about 2 years from now. Or the time when one of them prayed that they could be locked in the school so they could have a sleep-over with me and never have to leave the classroom. Or the time  when one student came up to me and wrapped herself around me in a spontaneous hug to which followed all of the others who are just itching for a class cuddle.

Oh, but there are also many moments when I feel like I have no idea how I'll make it until the end of the day. The constant demands, the outbursts, the yogurt spills on the carpet, the noise, the repeating of directions, the forms, the grading, the set-up, the clean-up, the “I-think-I’m-going- to-be-sick” moments, the e-mails, the phone calls, the problem-solving, the blank stares after 2-step directions are given. Oh they are like fingernails across the chalkboard. The gentle reminders I daily (or hourly. . .or is happening each minute?) give to not all shout my name at once or follow me around like a mother duck and her ducklings. Or shed tears or angry words when demands are not met immediately and to their liking.

photo credit

I’ve come to the stark realization that I am not an octopus with enough hands to juggle all of their papers or problems. Or a superhero who can jump in at any given moment to perfectly rescue them at exactly the right moment. Or a mind-reader who will magically know what is going on in their heads when they can’t get it out by way or words or pictures or actions. . .and follow their logic of course. Or a miracle worker. Oh, to be a miracle worker!

I’m just a teacher.

I have to confess that sometimes, it all drives me to chocolate. And I will neither confirm nor deny how much coffee I drink in one day or how much junk food might be stashed in my desk. Or how loud I play my music on my drive home.

There are people who say this to me:

"You are a great teacher! You can do it!"

I usually smile and give some sort of lame joke to brush the comment aside, but inside, I secretly don’t always feel like I am who they think I am. Sometimes I feel like I wasted a whole day of a child’s life. Sometimes I feel like I didn’t teach the lesson in a way that made them “get it.” Sometimes I feel like we are on a journey that is just too far and the end is not in sight. Sometimes I feel like they missed the point—or I missed the point.

If you are a teacher, you know that there are moments of spectacular delight, and you can't believe you get to be around these little people all day—five days a week; 6-7 hours a day. The joy, the bliss, the “ah-ha” moments, the successful projects, the cooperative group projects, the high test scores! But let me be the one who says the following things out loud:

You are not a terrible teacher if have tried the lesson three (or even 10) times with three (or 10) different approaches and they still give you blanks stares. Half of them are probably already doing calculations two grade levels up and solving major world problems as they stare.

You are not a terrible teacher if you need to take a story break sometimes. You are justified—you have little imaginations that need to be filled right there in your presence. Who knows if one of your students might become the next Dr. Seuss or Robert Munsch, or if they have already formulated the storyline for the next book about the Wimpy Kid or Star Wars.

You are not a terrible teacher if you can't figure out how to refocus their energy on the 18^th math problem today and need to take a Body Break (of course that is the teacher lingo for run around like crazy for five minutes—you included!) instead. Mind and bodies need to grow and their bodies might be more needy today.

You are not a terrible teacher if you are wishing it were a snow day . . and it’s only  the end of September.

You are not a terrible teacher if you are wishing that the Pro-D meeting would end really soon because you have about 10 stacks of grading sitting on your desk and next month’s unit to plan and bulletin boards to plan and Centre activities to organize for the next school day. And today would have been a great day to get it done. . .instead of spending the weekend working on school stuff. . .again.

You are not a terrible teacher if you just can't wait for the end of the day after a school spirit dress-up day. Or even if it’s a Friday of a short work week.

You are not a terrible teacher if the sound of certain complaints no longer register as immediately urgent to deal with. You don’t like your sandwich again? Your shoes are wet after jumping in mud puddles again? Your pencil broke again? You lost your journal again? You don’t feel like writing today . . .or reading or doing math or science or socials or health? What exactly are you trying to say. . .again?

You're not a terrible teacher.

You're an actual real and normal teacher who has a desire for your students to learn and succeed in your classroom and in life. You cannot do it all. We all need to admit that one of the casualties specific to our information saturated culture is that we have sky-scraper standards for teaching and learning, where we feel like we're failing horribly if we give them more free writing time or add a few extra minutes onto recess or watch a video—even if it is an informational one and fits into the theme you are studying perfectly!

One of the reasons we are so exhausted is that we are over-saturated with information about the kind of teachers we should be. And we are getting so overwhelmed with that instead of being the teachers we were created to be.

So, maybe it's time to stop reading the blogs that tell you how to be the best kind of teacher in 7 steps, with the best worksheets and centre activities, with the cutest graphics because obviously students learn better with cute pictures and the latest fonts. Maybe it is time to stop beating yourself up because you can’t figure out a way to teach this one skill in the absolutely best way possible and integrate it into five other subjects as well. Maybe it is time to stop worrying about what is the principal or other teachers or parents going to say about the project that sure looks messy now, but will have great results . . . just wait and see when we are done.

Maybe it's time to embrace being the kind of teacher who takes those “fails” in class and turns them into “wins.” Who prays regularly for your students and asks God to give you the right, calm, and confident words He wants you to speak into these students. Who asks God to help you to be a better version of the person that you actually are, not for more strength to be an ideal teacher. Who uses moments in the classroom and the playground to recognize that we are sinful creatures who need a Saviour. Who can show that they are forgiven by showing that same kind of love to those around them. Who can model a servant heart and expect a higher degree of love to be shown on a regular basis. Who can show grace because you were shown grace when you needed it most by Someone who has a lot of it to give.

So, the next time you see teachers with that foggy or glazed or frustrated or pensive look in their eyes, take a moment to pray for them. Send them a note of encouragement. Put your hand on their shoulder, look them in the eyes, and tell them that they're doing a good job. That they are doing what they were created to do and are striving to follow the example of the Greatest Teacher. Just don't freak out if they start the waterworks. At times, we feel like we're botching the whole deal and our students will turn into . . .well, we aren’t exactly sure anymore.

You're tired. Today might be a good day or it might be the day that tops the world’s worst day ever list.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

You are making a difference. You just might not be the lucky one to see the results . . . at least not yet. But ask them in 15 or 20 years what their teachers did for them. They won’t repeat the list of how you feel the day went. You might be most encouraged to know that they will look back on today as one that spurred them to be exactly who God created them to be . . . because that is what their teacher taught them and how their treated them.

Go. . .and enjoy your day teaching those precious children of a God. The same God who gives courage and patience and rest. . .and go eat some more chocolate.

Teacher Appreciation Week: Merci Beaucoup!

Our PAC did it again!

They pulled off an absolutely amazing and beautiful Teacher Appreciation week!

The theme this year was French. . ."Merci Beaucoup!"

Here is their Staff Room Pendant. . .

their foyer bulletin board

their staff room table décor

and some of the daily gift baskets to be won.

And I actually won one this year! Woot woot! (Mine isn't pictured though. . .it was made by a mom of one of my students, and contained handmade rustic-ish décor. . .so now I have to re-paint our ensuite to match, of course!) I NEVER win these things, so I was thrilled! (And that the one I was eying hadn't been scooped up yet by another lucky winner before me!)

 

Students brought in adorable little notes and encouragements for us teachers and all who work at the school. They are so sweet!

 

The PAC--they spoiled us!

Monday--an invite to the staff luncheon on Friday, a visit from some French servers gearing up the students and serving a bubbly fruity treat

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday--treats in the staff room every day! These were wonderful, and ranged from things like brie and baguettes to crepes to fill.

They also treated us to mini candles, chocolates, and verse to encourage us each day. Some included:

Ruth 2:12: "May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done." (NLT)

Zephaniah 3:17: "The Lord you God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing."

1 Corinthians 9:8: "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Friday--and of course, Friday included a wonderful and delicious lunch of croissants, quiches, fruit and pies/torte for dessert. . .complete with the PAC taking over outdoor duty responsibilities!

They spoiled us!

 

Our families own little gifties to the teachers . . .

bath bombs (bath fizzies) with adorable printables and homemade cards.

As a mom, I appreciate what the teachers of my kids do, and as a teacher, I LOVED the encouragement and appreciation I felt by the parents and students of our school. Thank you!

Pretty clothespins

Here is a quick and easy thing I did a few nights ago.

Pretty clothespins!

No, I'm not so crazy that I need this for hanging my laundry (I don't know how durable they would be if used for that reason). I was thinking more on the lines of hanging up student art. I used the clothespins last year, but I just wanted to spruce it up a little, make it "cutesy," like a good primary teacher would. :) Using clothespins was so-o-o handy--no pushpins=so much quicker to put up and down! An easy student art wall!

 Here is how easy it is: Cut strips of scrapbooking paper--really thin! Measure your clothespins and cut away. Glue the strips on. Wait for them to dry. Then modge-podge, or whatever brand you have of that glue-ish-y paint. Wait for it all to dry again--really good this time, and there you go.

 So, now I have done my first "get-ready-for-the-new-school-year" project.

And I'm wondering where is my summer disappearing to???

A little teacher giftie

Last week was a Teacher Appreciation Week at my son's school. This was our clever idea. Although, I have to admit, there was nothing clever I can take credit for, except for making it with my son! The idea came from this blog. It links to the printable and everything. All you do is print out the printable (small hint: leave the extra white space that goes to the edge of the paper--these labels are a hair too short!), wrap it around the water bottle, attach a crystal light-type of tea packet with a fancy ribbon, and add a tag. So-o-o simple!

Here is how they turned out for us:

And a close up. . .

It was very inexpensive, but very cute. Enough to say thanks, and useful enough, too.

Here is another way of doing it. . .although, I kinda like the first way better.

Good-bye Summer, Hello School

Gone are the carefree days of summer,

staying in pajamas late

going outside to play early

Mom having a cup of coffee in semi-peace

when the kids would play all day

together

pretending to be everything imaginable

 and exploring the world around us.

Oh, how I savoured those last few days!

Good-bye summer!

Hello school days!

Welcoming first days of school and students!

 This year was a little different as mom and son both had first days of school! It was I who welcomed  a batch of my own group of primary students, and it was Dad who brought E to school on the first day.

(And as a result, fewer pictures than I would have taken!)

 But he met his friends and met his teachers and started all the exciting things school had to offer a "bored-summer-mind,"and it was okay that summer was over for him! School was way more exciting. . .plus there are still hours after school and in the evening to play and bike and swim!

 Princess A was a little bit jealous and a lot bit going to miss her playmate. She needed a first day of school for E picture, and took a few days to get used to playing without him. But soon enough she got to start a "school" of her own. . .

Dancing!

What kind of princess can resist wearing pink and prancing around???

And I rush out the door--some days with no coffee at all--wondering,

"Where has summer gone?"

Making Snowmen

A few weeks ago my son got a letter home from school about a book that they had read:

Snowballs by Lois Ehlert. It is this cute children's book and all the illustrations are done using "stuff": things like paper, screws, popcorn, seeds, hats, socks, scarves and so forth. They got a "homework assignment" to make a snowman of their own at home using stuff from around the house. Junk. Recyclables. That kind of stuff. So, that is what we spent the day doing.

First, E had to look at images on the Internet about "snow people." That gave him the perfect idea.

Then, we had to make a stop at our local, free craft shop (aka: Oma's house) to pick up a few supplies. (That is still considered stuff from around the house, right? It was just from her house!)Since E and A were awake and ready to do all this by 7:30AM, they had to be distracted to make a cut and drawn kind of snowman first!

(Here is little a keeping himself entertained through it all!)

My busy workers! They used cups and bowls to trace their circles and material scraps for scarves. And of course lots of glue and crayons! And the final projects~ at 8:30AM! (First is E's, second is Princess A's creation)

Then, we were finally able to make the trip over to Oma's to pick up some stuff--googly eyes, Styrofoam balls and a cute little outfit for little a (not part of the supplies, of course, but just a nice added bonus!)

Here is E with some of the supplies:
And here is his story: "We got a ball and tissue paper. Then we stuffed it in a bag for eating lunch until it was full and taped it shut. We glued the buttons on and colored them too. The the nose. We poked it in and for the smile we did beads. I got burned a bit from the hot glue. For the eyes we did googly eyes. We used material for the hat and tied it with a string and then did the cutting and made a scarf from the same material. We poked straws for the arms. That was very last. And. . .I think that is all. We used a glue gun to stick everything on. And some tape. Done. I think."

Here is the snowman and the proud owner (minus the straw arms--that was a thought later on). And some close ups. . .

Then of course, Princess A needed one. So during the 20 minutes of napping time in the afternoon (mixed with crying because little a didn't want to nap!) Princess A got to make her "Snow Angel."

Too much fun.. . .she spent some time afterwards floating it around the house! Here is a link for where we were looking at snow people ideas (if it still works--I had some problems with it earlier!).

1st Day

I now have a kiddo in school! After my countless first days to begin the school year, I got to see my son have his first day of school!

And it started VERY early! Here is my E all dressed and ready for school at 6:30AM. The good thing about it all was that, even though I was very groggy and sleepy, I still saw the humor in it and took a picture of him! (I thought this only happens in the story books that you read to your nervous grade one kids to make them laugh about a new school year starting! Doesn't he realize there is a baby in the house and sleep is a very cherished activity?!? Doesn't he realize I was super organized (read: overly excited) about this and we could have all been out the door and completely prepared for the day even if we had overslept by an hour?!?)

On a related note. . .when he prayed that night, he said thank you for Kindergarten and how great it was and please help him get enough sleep because he was tired from his big bike ride with Opa and because he really woke up at 6:15 even though he told Mommy it was 6:30! What a goof!
But here is E waiting for school to start . . .

Here is the proud, out-the-door-photo. . .right before we walked to school together. Of course, Opa had to join in the action and biked along side of us (part of the same route that E and Opa bike along once a day in good weather!). It was a great walk together--he was so eager to get there and not be late!

Sitting in his group. . .these toys are not the trains he spotted in his Kindergarten visit and again as he was hanging his bag up! Eventually he did join in with the others.

Listening to the teacher during story/circle time. . .

And there you have it--a successful first day (well, morning anyway!) On our walk home, he didn't have to much to say. "It was good." Even asking direct questions didn't pry any further information out of him. Eventually, by supper time, we got a few more details--that he didn't get to go to the gym and that he thought he had the best snack in the class because his mom always makes the best snacks. (The longer he believers that, the better we all are!) I think I might be one of those moms who need to rely on the teacher's newsletters to know what is going on!

I made him promise to sleep until at least 7pm on the next day he goes to school!