Joy Joy Joy For Teachers

I will be attending a workshop on Monday and Tuesday next week. I had to prepare my class for my absence because usually when I am gone they do not behavior for the sub and my assistant. At circle time at the end of the day I warned them that, if Mrs. Sandoval called me with a problem, I would have to get another teacher to come in to take care of them. This teacher has black hair , a big nose with a warp on it and is really mean. They were looking very suspicious at me (some were laughing). One student said" she's like a witch". Oh no, I said. Mrs. Sandoval told them that if this teacher came she would not want her around and they would she the only teacher. I told them her name was Viola Swamp. They were still half believing me when one girl said "she's like a devil"!
I quickly said "No, no,no she's just mean. I had to do a fast change of subject.....I think they finally got the message. We will see. The same morning our library hosted a quest character, Miss Wishy Washy. She has a farm and she is always washing her animals. It's a darling series of books. This particular book, the animals ran away from the farm and went to the city. Of course they get into trouble and get thrown in jail.......Miss Wishy Washy recued them and took them back to the farm. One of my students stood up and said "When the animals got back they said"HOME SWEET HOME". I was so proud. She was thinking out side the box! In our profession, this is one of the new cliches. We are striving to teach our students to think in a higher order. What's new about that? I thought that's what I was always suppose to do. I guess that's why everyday I pray to God to help me do the best job I can. I'll leave it to the HIGHER ORDER to guide me. I pray that you too pray for God's help everyday you go into your class to begin your day.