The first week of school

It's Saturday!! The first Saturday of the school year, and I am thankful for the morning I had to sleep in. Even though I had dreams about work [We were all preparing to move our school into an old restaurant where each class would sit at a booth, and I was gathering items to teach the three year olds to sew. My boss was asking everyone if they took fish oil and talking about the wonders it does for the hair. I found a human skull and a sabertooth skull buried in sand in the desert where most of this dream was taking place. And it ended with being chased by a lion cub and a wild donkey.] it was so nice to take the morning slow.

This week was very busy, I was exhausted by the second day of school, but I am very excited for the year ahead! I bought some classroom management signs at Lakeshore, not quite sure how well they would work, but they are doing wonders for me. The visual cue and follow through I am able to give helps me be consistent and keeps my students accountable, and a large part of it, too, is being able to store them in a central, easily accessible location. Being in the 3's class is a nice change. It is distinctly different from the 2's [Toy Story 3: the caterpillar room vs. the butterfly room: it's true]. I can see with consistence they are going to be on top of things in no time. I have learned from the 4 years past and I was able to come into this year with a better idea of what I need to do, different approaches I need to take, and ways I need to be organized (I realized last year I am not the most organized person). My students already do such a great job, sure they got a little rowdy, but I know it will only get better from here. I really want to make it a point to build relationships with each student, to know that I am on their side, and have them be on my side. I am really glad my small class will allow for that. And they play so nicely!

"I bought new shoes at Nordstrom." -LL, age 2

The things that were, and the things that will be

Why break when you can break?

Being a preschool teacher comes with its challenges to be certain, and those challenges bring learning, strengthening, stretching, and growing in ways one might never choose on their own. In the midst of it, the challenges often seem so difficult and hindering to life and what you want to be doing. But in actuality those situations are life and the very means to get you to be what you want to be and do what you want to do.
I took a break from this blog over the past year because I was experiencing such challenges. I was spent from such growing pains and felt continually exhausted. Honestly, there were times when I really didn't know if I would make it through the year, but I can look back now and see how my endurance has increased and ways I have grown into a better teacher. For that I am thankful. In the midst I knew God was doing a work and I held on to that. I was encouraged by His word:

"...count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."   
-James 1:2-5 

This passage is so applicable to real life. And there is hope in it. I was encouraged through it to cry out to God in the midst. And so often I do. When everything is chaos around me I stop and ask Jesus for wisdom. When dealing with a frustrated child I stop and ask God for wisdom. And how many times by doing this have I been able to deal with a situation so much more calmly than if I had not called out to the Creator of the universe who is love and patient. My students see me do this often. I say one line prayers asking God for help, and I hope that is an example to them, that I am a human just like them and God is real and prayer is something to be really practiced. God, His word, and relationship with us are not things that only exist in a certain block of time when I'm reading to them out of the Beginner's Bible, prayer is not just the sing-songs we say at snack time, but our God is real, He is a present help in times of trouble.

I try to keep this blog a lighthearted place where I can share the joys of the day, the things that make preschool so wonderful. But life is real, and it is hard. Along with those joyful parts of the day come the temper tantrums and the paint messes. And sometimes you just need to be honest.

A new year ...what's in store?

I spent last week preparing my *new* class for the school year, making it cozy, making it my own, and it feels good! I moved into a new classroom, one that happened to be already extremely organized, and I had wonderful helpers to work alongside me to make sure everything has a place!

After four years in the potty-training room where I have gained the majority of my experience as a preschool teacher, I am moving on. This year I will be working with the three's, many of my students I had over the summer and even in the last school year. I am looking forward to strengthening my skills as a teacher and growing together with them in our own little classroom community. 

"You're my best friend, Miss Sarah" as she comfortably leaned into me. Little A, I'm loving you more and more.

What's a book for?

Yesterday I had to tell a student, "Books are not for hitting your friends in the face."

Wednesday Thursday

A was excited to show me his shirt with a "galana" on it. Translation: iguana

During circle time Miss Jessica was asking the students to help her figure out the month. Sweet S enthusiastically responded "Thursday!" Nice try.

During morning play little A likes these particular dinosaurs, she calls them kangaroos. They do look like them in some ways. She brought me a pterodactyl and told me it was a bat. She brought me some sort of cattle with horns and called it a moose. She brought rocks for "share something from your garden" share time, and she has a balloon weight that's the face of Mickey Mouse on a string and drags it, at the end where a balloon normally would be, like it's her little pet. She's a fun one, my little A.

Pterodactyl or Tattoo?

We were washing hands when I said, "Ooo! Cool pterodactyl tattoo!

She responded a little irked, "It's not a pterodactyl! It's a tattoo!"

"If you fall and hurt your knees then you have to go to the dentist"