Why can't we dress up all the time!

November 9, 2010, how did it get to November. I guess that October was so much fun. We studied Spiders, The Skeleton, and how much fun is the celebration of Halloween. It's great fun to pretend and use drama to learn. Our storybook parade was great fun with our parents watching us. On to Thanksgiving and does it ever slow down? My class is continuing to develop into wonderful little learners. I have a few tricks still in my bag to keep the harmful behavior at bay.

It all takes time. One of the Wellness supervisors let me in on a secret....You have 15 boys and five girls take a look at the maturity levels. Ding goes the bell, most researchers say boys develop at this age a little slower than girls. What have I been thinking? All is much better. Which brings me to the reason for the season. I have to be very thankful that I have a job. The world is a mess and millions of people are out of work. Thank you Lord for my job. Let me pray today for those less fortunate than I. Please help them find some kind of Light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, let them see your love and light, Lord. Only with you, will we as a nation strive and become strong. I"ll keep plugging a long and will not complain, because I know you are there with me all the time. Happy Thanksgiving to all. I hope it is a blessed one for you.

My guardian angel.

Only two injuries (not serious ones) this week. I'm still exhausted at the end of the week but progress is being made. Yeah!! Many thanks go out to my very wonderful co-teacher Diana!!

Thank you God for letting her be with me. Sometimes she makes me laugh. Humor heals.

Teachers when you feel down and out just try to remember something really funny that has happened to you...God is so funny some times. Here's one for a laugh. A boy in my class heard the pledge of allegiance and made the sign of the cross. He also builds crosses out of logos. Now tell me that's not God intervening right in front of me. We hope he continues his calling.... we need good priests out there. God thank you for all the funnies and the co-teacher that is right there when I need her. I am blessed.

I can not believe it has been 5 weeks( I almost said five years) since school started. Yes, I love it!

I refer to the beginning of school as the labor pains when you are about to push in the birthing process.. Oh yeah without medication. It really is intense and sometimes you want to quit, but, you can't. In about April the Baby or student turns into this unbelievable child of God.

The last month is like the morning you take the baby home from the hospital. You are so proud and over joyed! Then it's May and the child has turned into a marvelous person. Then you have to trust and let them go..... to kindergarten . The process goes on each year. Some birth are easy, some are not and others are followed by postpartum blues. What do I do now? After 27 years of teaching I still haven't gotten over the pain in the beginning, the glory of each birth and the celebration at the end. Yes, teaching is a calling, you never know what this group will bring and it's

difficult to see the end results. Guess what? At the end you will not remember the pain just the joy of having that year with your students. I join with you and share your pain, but remember at the end it's the best feeling God has gives you. Look to the next months to show your joy, joy, joy for teaching. God needs you, so care for his little ones. Please pray for me and I for you in His name Amen.

Wow!!! School has started and I am now in the labor pains of birthing the class of 2010-11.

They are a challenge for which I will conquer. Sounds like an ole Carly Simons song....I am Women. It's going to take a little bit more to manage 15 boys and 5 girls! Some of my old tricks are coming back to me. Sing, sing, sing. They all love singing and dancing. More exercise outside

and lot of good learning "playtime". It's just the 4th week of school and I've been out of the classroom 2 and a half days. Not good for consistency. Try not to be abscent the first month.

Be there every day reinforcing everything you know of. This is their first experience with real school. Go slow....get to know them.....slow sterness but lots of love. God I am trying everything you have taught me in the teaching field. Is there something I've forgotten? I need to hear from you Lord fast. God is with each and everyone of us all day long and night. Teachers don't forget to pray and ask for the things you need right now. I bet your need patience, clamness, love and devotion to get the job done well. Best of luck and may God bless you this school year!!!!

My Summer vacation

WOW! It is already July 15 and the summer is half over. I was blessed with a Tour of the Italian

coastline from Naples to Sorrento and Capri. I suggest you just go to the last two areas and stay for 5 days. It is beautiful and fun. When leaving Sorrento we stopped off in Pompeii a tourist town with a city of ruins and a Cameo Factory.  Guess where I stayed while the tour hiked the ruins, yes, you quessed it...I went shopping.  In this part of Italy they grow lemons.  Lots and lots of lemons.  That was very insight. The lemons are bigger than grapefruit. You could find most anything made from lemon especially Lemoncello. I was not to impressed  with the favor.     Then the tour took us to Rome and the Vatcian City. That was quite exciting, since I have Cathloic roots. The ruins in Rome are awesome, but I would rather shop.

One thing I did learn that the people of Rome love to write......all over everything, even beautiful building and historic sites. Why? It was very upsetting to me. It ruins the beauty of the city.

Next we flew to Athens where there is and under current of unrest.  I did not see and Island because of the strikes they were having. I forgot to say, I traveled with my sister and we had fun just being together. No need to go to Greece......stay in Italy. I did not go to any ruins.... I shopped or relaxed under shady trees or shops with air conditioning. We did travel with a really fun group. and we had lots of good food and fun shopping in the Plaka old town plaza. Thank you God for giving me the experience of travel. I feel teachers need to see the world to break the burn out of the year. It's hard to save,but, well with it.

I have returned and settled in to teaching a special class of Pre-K students I had this year that are in need of just a little more time to develop. That was a Gift from God ,because, I was ready to get back to school. I'm planning a 10 day trip to see my 2 year old Grandson and then we will be starting back to school.... I start smelling crayons at this point of school. I call it CRAYON FEVER.  It's a good thing!!!! Well that sums up my summer. Hope yours is going well.

Rest your little hearts and bodies so you will be able to concur what may come you way in August. May God give you these gifts of respite. He is so great. See you in September.

I made it through the year!!!  I think this class was the best one I have ever taught!  The end of the year saw lots of tears.  I just loved those kids so much.  A word to the wise, when 14 out of 20 students turn five before Dec., you have and older class to work with. I had no serious discipline problems and it made the whole year so much fun.  They were so smart.  Here it is Summer again, you know that I do not do well during off time.  I am waiting to leave for a tour of the Italian coast, Rome and Greece.  When things were so rough last fall with Headstart I needed something to look forward to soooo.... I started planning this tour.  Sometimes people just need something to dream about in hard times.  The year turned out perfect.  Headstart is difficult at times but, I enjoyed the year after the initial first few months.  The pay-off now comes.  As teachers we sometimes do not treat ourselves for work well done.  I highly suggest planning something special for yourself after a long year, even if it's just short trips to near by towns.  Breathe! Take time to see old friends.  Go to lunch once a week.  I have difficulty with summer, but, I am learning to deal with it.  I am so blessed this summer with my trip, but , also I will be teaching Summer school in July.  My same students that need a little more time with me.  After I finish summer school I will be going to visit my little family in North Carolina. So, I'm booked for the summer and I thank God for giving me all these gifts of work and play. He is so GREAT!  I pray for all of my fellow teachers that you are enjoying you time off and will return to school refreshed. Laugh, love and play so that your heart will be ready for any new challenges in the fall.

This is me and my Super Assistant

I'm back!!!!!!! In full swing with a new program called HEADSTART. Nine years of teaching Pre-k and nine different ways to teach it. I was in on the very first grant for Pre school education nine years ago and it changes every year. I won't bore you with the many ways I have taught, maybe later when I'm feeling funny. WELCOME all new and old readers ( not age wise). My blog is for teachers to read, to laugh, cry and get some blessings from above.
First of all they do not pay me enough to do this job. I am raising America. With that said, I love teaching and do it because it is my calling to do God's will. He has given me an infinite knowledge of how to do this job. Most of all He wants me to show HIS love to my little ones. Maybe one by one they will learn love, discipline, caring for others and trust. Trust means being secure. I have them for approximately 7 hours and those seven hours, they will feel secure. Hey maybe they will learn something academically on the way. I say to you in this new beginning of school "Show the love of the Lord with your whole heart , mind and soul. Go gett'em. God Bless You Today!