Praying Hands

I just finished cutting out these handprints of 8 of my new students in my preschool class. Last night at Open House I had each child and their parent/grandparent/guardian trace their hands for us to use in a lesson and craft on the first day of school.

I was sitting here in my comfy chair watching Shark Tank while three under 9 year old girls ran through the house with Savannah and it dawned on me that I could be using my cutting time to pray for these students and their parents. Preschool isn't a big deal to those not sending a child off for the first time, but for those young parents or perhaps grandparents that are sending their four year old to me it can be daunting. I know. I'm there.

Am I doing this right?
Is he/she well behaved?
Does the teacher like my child?
Does my child have friends?
Is my child up to speed?
Is he/she having fun?
Is he/she learning...growing?

It's hard. Trusting someone to take care of your child is hard....whether you do it when they are 4 years old going off to preschool or 25 and getting married. It's hard to believe that anyone could manage to take care and love your kid like you do. And you're so very right. Our job as parents is unique, blessed, a privilege. No one can do your job as well as you do. But the fact of the matter is that we have to trust something...some ONE bigger and much more trustworthy than our humanness. We have to trust God to protect them, to lead us, to grow them, to guide us. It's amazing the peace God brings when we take all our issues to Him.

So this night of cutting out these sweet handprints has turned into a prayer time for those bigger handprints...moms, dads, grandparents who are working hard and depending on God for the wisdom and guidance to do their best at parenting....and maybe even for some who don't know yet or need to be reminded of how special and valuable they are to the Lord. May this year be a year that changes all that. May our class be a special expression of God's love for each family.

The Preschool Room 2011

I've spent the better part of the month of August knee deep in preschool. Here's how it's paid off:

Focus Board for September 

Circle Time 

Theme for the year "Oh Happy Day!" 

Left open for good work to be displayed 

Cutesy wreath from one of my students! 

 The Classroom

A little gift from me to my students at open house. 

Reading nook. It now has chairs and a rug in front of it.

It's gonna be a fun year!

What's Really Important

Tomorrow is the last official day of school...then Friday Morning there is graduation. It's been a busy year for my class. We've learned about ABC's and 123's and colors and shapes and phonics. We've learned about vegetables, pilgrims, patterns and weather. But, all of that is second to the really important things that I hope these kids came away with. 

My prayer is that when they look back at this year that they'll remember these lessons:

1. Jesus loves them. If they know that, then my job is done.

2. Be kind to others. It's not enough to just be kind when someone is nice to you. If they can remember to treat people with kindness...even someone who doesn't deserve it then they will have learned a valuable lesson for life.

3. Say I'm sorry. When you do wrong, on purpose or on accident, say "I'm sorry" and then get on with life. If you take a toy, interrupt, cut in line, push, bump into someone, or call them a name...do the right thing and apologize. Don't let things build up....you'll get angry.

4. Forgive...when someone hurts you, or your feelings, forgive and move on. 

5. Share....your crayons, your glue, your toys, your books, your colors. 

6. A hug makes things better. It's a bandaid for your heart. And we all know preschoolers love bandaids.

7. Be a helper. If someone is struggling give them a little help. One day they will return the favor.

8. Do your best. Whatever that is. Your only competition is yourself.

9. Work together as a team. 

10. Try try again. Don't give up just because you don't get something the first time. Keep trying...and then try again. 

Come to think of it, I hope these are lessons I have learned this year! What an amazing time we've had.

This truly was a year of life change for me and my little class. What a wonderful group of lives God allowed me to be with each day.  

- Thank you Lord, for these unspeakable gifts.

Mother's Day Artwork

Each student in my preschool class made one of these paintings for their mom for Mother's Day. They turned out super cute!

Here's how you do it:

Supplies:

canvas mats (found mine at Walmart near the acrylic paints)

green acrylic paint

blue acrylic paint

white acrylic paint

brown acrylic paint

pink acrylic paint

stencil paint brushes

pencil

Directions:

1. Place your canvas mat vertically and draw a light pencil line slightly below the halfway point on the board. This will be the dividing line between your sky and grass.

2. Take a small amount of green paint and dab you stencil brush in it. Using an up and down motion stomp off some of the excess. Then begin pouncing the green paint in the up and down motion below the pencil line. This creates an illusion of texture.

3. Repeat the same directions as #2 but using blue paint for the sky. Allow to dry completely

4. Take child's arm paint fingers, palm and halfway if the arm with brown paint. Place arm down on canvas where the brown on the arm is placed at or below the halfway point of the green. Any further up and the fingers will be off the canvass. This creates the tree and branches. Allow to dry completely.

5. Place pink paint and white paint on paper plate. Then mix a little white and pink together to make three separate colors...(pink, light pink and white). Take a small stencil brush and using same up and down motion as before pounce on each finger (branch) and cover palm. This will give the illusion of cherry blossoms. You might also like to paint some on the grass to look like they have fallen from the tree. All to dry.

The kids loved seeing how great their work turned out. They did an awesome job being patient (it took us a week to complete all the steps).

Why Teach?

Face it. I teach four year olds and most of my mornings with them consists of Crayola's and Stephen Fite songs, but every once in a while a moment takes my breath away. One such moment happened today.

We've been creating our own dozen resurrection eggs for the kids to take home their set and share with their parents. All last week we were busy filled the eggs and learned the resurrection story. Today we finished up with the last two days and when I got to the last day I gathered the students close and talked about the empty grave. I'm not really sure what happened, only that, in that brief moment, no one talked, every set of eyes was fixed on me and that for once this year 8 little children sat in amazement at the miracle story of the Resurrection of Jesus. Finding out the tomb was empty fascinated them.

I confess, as I watched them, a tear streamed down my face and I found myself choked up by their innocent excitement and maybe even more by the sacrifice HE made. Like a chef who has discovered a great recipe, they were giddy. They had finally discovered the hope and the reason for everything we had already talked about in the resurrection story...the bread, the garden, the crown of thorns, the dice, the darkness over the earth, the white burial cloth, the sponge of vinegar and more. These things had to happen in order for us to experience the greatest miracle of all times. Resurrection.

This is why I teach. It's not to impress anyone or get praise or get a paycheck or to teach a kid to read or write. Solely...100% it is to teach children about a God who keeps His promises. Is it my responsibility to do this....not solely, but it is my responsibility as a Christian to share the gospel with others. I'm so thankful that includes my class of energetic four year olds!

New Bulletin Boards for the Preschool Room

This bulletin board was created out of a need to motivate my sweet class to "take their time", "this is not a race", "do your best". I am pleased to announce that most of the students have since found their good work displayed on the "Harvest Good Work" board. 

If you think you've seen this board before....you have...except the apples turned to leaves this month. Soon the green will fall off and we will be left with only the leaves.....

I bet you can't guess what's coming for December????

Top 10 Lessons Learned During My First Week At Preschool

1. Never underestimate the power of a hug....given or received.

2. Before giving children glue....you really do have to tell them not to eat it!

3. Punctuality is not important to preschoolers....except when going to snacktime or recess.

4. There are times that "many hands" do not make "light work".

5. Nose picking appears to be an Olympic sport that most preschool students earned a gold medal in.

6. Some teachers NEED a diet coke before they start the day....I am one of those.

7. As a teacher you do not need to buy "back to school clothes" to wear during the first 2 weeks of school. Otherwise, you'll be wearing home the hand and footprints of each of your students.

8. Snack time is a sanity break...which should probably require a chocolate bar.

9. Before you teach the 3R's you have to teach kindness. Some kids don't know about it.

10. Hugs, I love you, stickers and smiley faces make most things better.

First Day of School 2010

We're off to a great start in school this year! Tucker is loving being with his friends again at preschool and Savannah is adjusting well to her new classroom too!

Here are a few shots from my preschool room

Hope your school year is off to a great start!