Okay guys, I’m seriously writing this blog post while laying flat on my back, out of commission, in total pain. Why? Because I have a hereditary disease called sickle beta thalassemia.
At no fault of my own, my body breaks down and experiences high amounts of fatigue and pain. My body, unable to produce/regulate it’s hemoglobin, struggles with allowing red blood cells to travel throughout my systems properly. So what happens on the outside? I become jello. I become sick. I lay out flat. I come to the end of myself.
We all have times in our lives when we’re brought to the end of ourselves. It could be a health battle, a family situation, finances, or a struggling student. During these times, our mind is confused, questioning, doubting, and sometimes even scared.
But you know what? These hard times can actually be a blessing in disguise.
How? Because it’s during these hard times that we’re forced to rely on God.
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”~2 Corinthians 12:9
It’s during these hard times that people around us see our spirit. They see our heart, our struggle, and our perseverance. And seeing us continue during these hard moments, actually encourages others to continue as well.
You never know what your story or hardship could do for those around you. Seeing you fight the good fight might actually be what helps other teachers fight during their battles. Seeing you continue might actually be what helps your family continue. Seeing you persevere might actually be what helps your friends persevere.
So keep on going! Be a warrior! Keep fighting! God is with you. He will strengthen you, enable you, and use your battle to change lives around you. ❤️
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”~Philippians 4:13 KJV
Sometimes we start things that are a bit harder than we expected. We try training for a 5k, writing our first book, or teaching. Yes, that’s right, even teaching can be harder than we ever expected to be.
We’re tempted to scream, yell, and throw our own temper tantrums. We’re tempted to pull our hair out and rock the “half bald” look in front of all of our parents. We’re tempted to show up in our pjs eating our ice cream in between lessons.
So what do we do before our temptations turn into actions? How should we make peace with our reality and grasping sanity?
It’s an easy, crazy, and somewhat simple answer: We don’t quit!!
Okay…so actually that might be an easy answer, but it really is a harder action to preform. What do I mean by that? I mean that we take the time–we take the hard moments and we envision a future for our class and our individual students.
Hope for Your Students’ Future
If you don’t have a vision for your students you’ll find your heart wearing down sooner than later and your patience gnawing down to nothing. The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish;” (Proverbs 29:18)
If you have a vision, a hope, a goal, or a mindset for your classroom you’ll feel motivated to keep on going. You’ll understand their faults and imperfections as something God can help them overcome. You’ll see your patience increase and you’ll hope for them like you never had before.
Take the challenge to see your “trouble student” as someone who can change the world for the better. That student who is turning your hair gray? See them as someone who will be a doctor, a scientist, or even, yes, a teacher whose changing lives just like you do.
2. Pray for Your Students and Yourself
Pray for your students! Pray for their future, their abilities, their home lives, and their spiritual growth. Why? Because God has given them to you (and also because you can never truly hold a grudge against someone you’re praying for, lol).
Pray for yourself!! Pray for your spiritual and physical strength, wisdom to handle all of those difficult situations that come your way, and for love and enthusiasm for your students. Why? Because your heart is just as important to God as those around you. God loves you and He cares about you. You’ll find God giving you more love and compassion for your class everyday and it’ll totally be worth it!
So trust me, when things are getting rough, don’t quit! When you want to scream, smile. When you want to run away, stay put. When you think you can’t handle it, hold onto God’s loving hand. God’s got a great plan for your life and for your students, so don’t give up! Don’t quit on His plan! Don’t quit on a great year! And don’t quit on your students!
As teachers, our time, talents, and energy are constantly put into our students and our classroom. We pour ourselves into our teaching and allow it to become our passion, our drive, and our heart.
I know that, personally, even when I go shopping, it’s as if I see tons of toys as visuals for future lessons, and it’s almost as if every child that passes by reminds me of a student. Does this happen to anyone else or just me?
So what’s the problem here? Well…we can be so giving to others that we can miss out. We become so focused on the progress of our students that we miss out on setting time aside to personally refresh, relax, and rejuvenate.
This past weekend our Pastor paid for myself and the other women on staff to attend a Ladies Conference. We went to incredible sessions, shared stories amongst ourselves, and enjoyed peaceful moments of laughter. Let me tell you: it was such a refreshing time(and I didn’t even know that I needed it)!!
As teachers, mothers, or single adults, we can get wrapped up in the business of life and neglect our own personal care.
Many of us simply need those “ladies conference” moments. Those are the kind of moments where you can just get away for a second and be refreshed and renewed. Those are the kind of moments when you can be relaxed and reflect on God’s goodness. Those are the kind of moments when you realize that, although you give a lot to others, it’s not a sin to rest but it’s actually a way to glorify God, gain wisdom, and be able to give more to others later on. So don’t feel bad for taking a break away so early in the school year~it may be exactly what you need.
All people love to know that they’re loved-moms, dads, grandparents, principals, teachers, and yes even students. We naturally crave love and attention from others. God made us that way! To long for fellowship, praise, and love from those around us.
Unfortunately many of the students who walk into your classroom this year may never hear a parent say, “I love you.” Your presence, your smile, your kind words might be the only way a child knows that they are loved by God.
But how do they know you love them? Simple. You have to show them! The Bible states, “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly…” (Proverbs 18:24) The same thing that goes for our friends goes for our students. We simply have to show them how important they are in God’s creation, how much we believe in them, and how much we care for them.
So without further ado, here are 5 simple out of the ordinary ways that you can show your students how much you love and care for them.
Keep their Desk Clean
Make sure your students’ areas are clean. This limits distraction and helps them remember how invested you are in their well being.
2. Look at them when they’re talking to you
As a teacher, there will be many times when you’ll be multi-tasking while a student is practically begging for your attention. You’ll be tempted to continue grading papers or focus in on an important email or text while your name is constantly being called. But don’t get frustrated! Don’t loose it! Simply look at your student–eye to eye–and listen.
Remember that your students most likely don’t see a lot of their parents when they get home. They see televisions, phones, or those who are distracted by their own personal electronics. So when they get to school and are able to talk to you eye to eye, that’s when they’re able to realize how important and valuable their time and attention is to others.
3. Keep them Accountable
This might seem a little weird, but in all honesty: kids love to know their boundaries and what you expect from them.
If you’re into math, then it kind of works like this: boundaries+accountability=security (which shows love and care).
Keeping them accountable gives them stability and builds their security. It lets them know how invested you are and gives them a foundation to believe in. When they are not kept accountable their stability is taken from them and their security is shaken.
4. Acknowledge their frustrations & insecurities
Here it goes! This one is super out of the ordinary, but I absolutely love it! One way to show love to your students is to acknowledge and help them with their frustrations and insecurities.
Many adults, let alone children, have a hard time expressing themselves. Anger, sadness, frustration…we all go through it without many times putting a voice to it. Think about yourself. How do you express yourself when you’re upset with a co-worker, a spouse, or a friend? Do you confront them right away or take time to cool down? Do you yell or quietly talk it through? How do you face your insecurities? Do you hide them away or put them out for the world to see?
Now, imagine the children in your class. Think about how hard it would be to express anger, sadness, or any insecurities when you don’t understand them and your vocabulary is limited. Wouldn’t that be difficult to do?
So when your students are going through a hard time, acknowledge it and help them through it. Put their feelings into words and help them express it and handle it together. It really shows them how much you love them and care about their needs.
5. Tell them!
Sadly, many children never hear their parents say, “I love you.” It may be that the one time you tell a student how much you care will be the one time that they feel a sense of hope and belonging.
You have the power to transform your students’ lives, change a moment, and impact eternity. Hopefully these 5 Out of the Ordinary Tips will help you do just that!
All of us teachers and students are planning and praying for an amazing school year! We’re organizing, hoping, and anticipating. We’re decorating, imagining, and creating. We’re busy, overwhelmed, and scattered every other direction.
So how do we plan for the upcoming school year? How do we get all of our tasks done?
Here are 3 Ways to Plan for the School Year.
Pray
Ask the Lord to be in every aspect, every step, and every moment of your school year.
Whether you’re a teacher, a student, or a parent don’t neglect this step! If you’re truly wanting to see the Lord work, then simply ask Him. Many times we want God to work in our lives, change our circumstances, or do amazing things yet we fail to ask Him to do so while He’s just waiting to hear from us.
Be bold and ask God to do something new in your life. Ask Him to change students’ hearts, encourage those around you, and build you up to do exactly what He’s called you to do. Perhaps you need extra courage in the classroom, grace for your family, or wisdom in upcoming decisions. Whatever it may be that’s in your heart and mind, simply trust Him, have faith, and ask. The God you serve is capable of amazing and wonderous things!
2. Prioritize
This is one we all struggle with-including myself! There are so many times when I find myself trying to get things done and being distracted by another thing that needs to get done. How many of you have done that? You’re working on something and then you quickly follow your mind to another task that’s calling your name. It seems like our lists our endless! So what should we do? P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-Z-E
Decide what you need to get done and write it all down.
Don’t only make a long list of things to do, but pick out 1-3 specific tasks for the day to accomplish. By keeping your list small you make it less overwhelming and more manageable. This will also enable you to take those 1-3 tasks and break them down even more to understand the details involved in each. Now when that’s done, number them from the most important (those things that need to be done right away) to those that are least important (those things that can be done later).
This should help you to quickly get things done, make your long list become short, and turn your stress into relaxation.
3. Put it All Together
Take your prayers, your aspirations, your goals, your plans, and put it all together.
Get your to do list and put it into action! Start small and work your way up in big projects. Focus on one thing at a time, and don’t be ashamed to ask for help-you’ll be amazed at what God does through you!
How many of you love piecing together bulletin boards? I know I do!
A good bulletin board can make classrooms stand out among the rest, create excitement for learning, and even encourage parents to see their child achieve the impossible!
Personally, I love watching ideas come to life and seeing the sparkle in students’ eyes as they see a new character on the door or their name in lights!
So how do we make that magic happen? How do we make these ideas come to life?
Here are 5 easy steps to creating a bulletin board:
Plan it out!
What is this bulletin board for? Is it to welcome the students into the classroom? If so, you could include a cute quote with your grade and the students’ names. Or is this board seasonal? Or perhaps Biblical? Or simply inspirational?
Are you using your board to encourage the students to continue learning or are you using it to reinforce a concept that was previously taught?
Come up with a purpose for your bulletin board and draw it out! This gives you a goal and a plan as you’re piecing everything together.
2. Background
This one is super easy! Just choose your color and then go to get fabric!
What fabric? Yes, fabric!! Why? Because it’ll last you for years. Yes, years! I’ve used fabric on my bulletin boards that have seriously lasted me for 3 years or longer!
So pick a general color that isn’t too stimulating (like sky blue or black) and then go invest in $2 fabric for your background.
3. Boarders
Again, super easy! You can order fancy boarders online, make your own, or purchase them at your favorite store for only a dollar!
So pick out a color or a design that fits not only your classroom theme, but also the purpose of your bulletin board and then have fun with it!
For this bulletin board the fabric came from Walmart, the boarders came from a mentor teacher, and the elephant was a character that I had so much fun creating!
*Pro tip: If you put your boarders on the edges of the bulletin board, you’ll have even more room for words and characters.
4. Build A Character
Building the character is my favorite part!! I’ve done it a hundred times and seriously never get tired of it!
First look at your plan and draw out your character with a pencil. Then outline it with Sharpie or your old faithful black marker.
This image was not an original design, but was a recreation of Albert Einstein from my school’s curriculum.
Then decide how you would like to color it. Personally, I enjoy using pastels, but find what medium works best for you and what stands out against the walls in your classroom.
This was not an original design, but one that I recreated for my “Jesus is Our Firm Foundation,” theme.
After all of your outlining and coloring, outline it one more time-this helps those lines stand out. Then spray it with sealant, carefully cut it out, and take it to the nearest laminating machine. Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste!
Now doing this takes some time, so I usually sit down with a bowl of popcorn (which you can see in one of the previous pictures) and just get creative, so if you’re at this part then I encourage you to do the same! Find your favorite snack (perhaps some ice cream), sit down for a while, enjoy it, and get creative!
5. Bring in Words
This can be super easy too (depending how you go about it of course)! Take a look at your plan and, if you have a machine, you can easily cut them out or you can purchase them online or at the store.
Now, I don’t really encourage this, but’s it’s an option: You could even make your own. Sounds like a lot of work right? Well, it is! My first year of teaching, I outlined the letters I needed because I didn’t have a machine to cut them out on. It took a lot of time, but it looked great and saved me some money too! So if you’re looking to save a penny or too or want letters that specifically go with your decor then go for it!
*Pro tip: Hang up your letters using sticky tack so that you can move your them around if they’re not straight, or you don’t like where you’ve placed them. Don’t use tape, because it’ll tear a paper background (though, we’re hoping you used fabric). Don’t use staples, because it’ll be a pain to remove once you take them down.
*Pro tip: Stagger your letters in an up and down pattern (with the first up, second down, third up, and so on). This saves you time and headache, because it makes it to where they don’t have to hang completely straight.
This one was a Biblical and jungle themed bulletin board that was inspired by Pinterest. I have to apologize for the glare, because this is a pretty old picture, but it’s a good example of hand made laminated characters, fabric for the background, and staggered lettering.
5. Put it all together!
Hang it all up and watch your masterpiece come to life! Watch your students eyes light up and share in the admiration of parents! Take a picture of it, share it on social media, and show it off to your friends!
Enjoy every bulletin board, every decor creation, and every moment being a teacher! Get out there and get creative!
Your classroom might be the only clean, healthy, and uplifting environment a child is in today.
Those are hard words to hear, but they’re true. Your classroom might truly be the only place where a child feels cared for, and why? Because you’ve organized, cleaned, and kept it bright and cheerful.
But let’s face it, with students, parents, and other teachers in and out of our rooms on a daily basis, it can be quite hard to get our classroom clean (let alone keep it that way). But don’t give up!
Keeping your classroom clean is definitely achievable and totally worth it!
These 3 easy and simple steps will help you maintain a clean classroom environment throughout the school year! Ready? Let’s go!
1. Get the students involved (Daily)
make sure they’re picking up after themselves at the end of each day (no left over water bottles on hooks or trash on the floor)
choose specific class jobs/helpers (ex: trash monitor, whiteboard eraser, etc., make them simple tasks that don’t take a lot of monitoring and yet have a vast impact on the class)
2. Get Your Hands Involved (Weekly)
Vacuum/Sweep
Wipe everything down (desks, chairs, doorknobs, etc.) This prevents the spreading of germs and keeps the cold and flu season at bay
3. Get Your Mind Involved (Weekly) Aka: Organize your papers-take the dreaded stack and organize it into three separate files:
student information
graded work/work to be graded
behavior reports/parent teacher meeting notes
There you have it! Those are 3 easy, quick steps to keeping your already clean classroom both neat and tidy!
Of course there are a ton of other helpful tools and tips you can use to achieve this goal, so what are some of the ones you use? How do you organize and rearrange in order to maintain an optimum learning environment?
I would love to hear what your classroom does! Comment some of your ideas below! Let’s help each other think creatively!
As we’re decorating our classrooms and preparing for the school year, there are a few essentials we need. As we run from dollar store to dollar store, let’s look at 50 things that every elementary school classroom could use.
FOR THE TEACHER:
Hidden Chocolate, Favorite Snacks, and Coffee Mug!
Laptop or Desktop Computer
Printer & Ink
Teacher Name
clearly displayed for all parents and students to read
Pencil Sharpener
Stapler
Hanging File Folder
Bins/Storage Containers
Magnetic Tape (for your visuals)
Hole Puncher
Pushpins
Red Grading Pens
Wall Plugin
this will help your room smell fresh and inviting (definitely a need after your students have been at recess)
Cough Drops, Vitamin C, & Tea
don’t miss this one!
this is a big help during flu season
Observation Journal
either hand written or typed out
allows you to document student/parent behavior and interaction
CLASS DECOR:
Class Calendar
Class Rules
Class Jobs
“Welcome” Sign
Name Tags
two sets (for desks and backpack hooks)
Backpack Hooks
Birthday Chart
Behavior Chart
Bulletin Boards
Fabric-for the background (does not rip and lasts much longer than paper)Letters-you can purchase these or cut them out yourself
Boarders
Characters-the best part, because you can create your own!
Reading Area Decor:
Pillows-colored to match your theme
Carpet-personally, I use a large towel because it’s cheaper and can easily be placed in the washer
Age Appropriate Books
FOR THE STUDENTS:
Prize Bin
something with a fun shape (like a treasure chest or ice cream cone)
Prizes for the Prize Bin
bouncy balls
race cars
erasers
bookmarks
stickers
other small items that you can easily make yourself or purchase at the dollar store
Student Birthday Gifts
make sure it’s something small that won’t cost you a lot and that you can easily prep ahead of time
Student Birthday Cards
write them out now so all you have to do is pull them out when necessary
Special Snacks for Students with Allergies
if you have a student in your classroom with specific dietary needs, ask the parent if they would be willing to supply snacks for their child (that way you can have them on hand for those last minute special occasions and birthdays in class)
First Day Good Notes
write them out now
give them to the students at the end of the first day of school
makes the student excited for the next day and gives them something to show off to mom and dad
Play dough
Individual Whiteboards or Chalkboards
Whiteboard Markers or Chalk
ABC Flashcards
Vowel Flashcards
USA Map
World Map
Large Foam Dice (for games)
Costume Clothes (to wear on special occasions)
Math Manipulatives (for counting)-simple, fun, and cheap like pom pom balls, corn kernels, Lincoln logs, etc.
Student Pocket Folders
labeled with “Return to School,” and, “Keep at Home,” sides
Calling all teachers! Calling all teachers! School is just around the corner! It’s seriously only a few weeks away for some of us, so let’s get ready for an amazing, productive, exciting, and engaging year with our students!
So how do we do that? What’s our first step? Lesson Planning!!
Lesson planning is the first step in having an amazing, productive, and exciting year! Some teachers love it and some teachers hate it, but either way we all need it.
Personally? I love it! Lesson planning gives you perspective for your class’s future and gets you excited for new possibilities.
So let’s get started!
Know Your School’s Expectations
All schools are different!! If you’re a new teacher or even an experienced teacher, know your school’s expectations and follow them!
What does your principal and administration expect from your lesson plans? What sections are they looking for? What objectives would they like to see?
Do they want it electronically or is it fine hand written? Many schools are moving towards the electronic layouts or have a system that they would prefer you input your lesson plans on, but some principals don’t mind simply receiving copies of the lesson plans that you’ve written out.
How many weeks do they want it ahead of time? Most schools prefers lesson plans turned in at least two weeks in advance, but find out when your principal and administration need your lesson plans from you, so that you can turn them in on time!
2. Know Your Personal Preferences
If you have the option, would you prefer writing your lesson plans down? If so, you can find some amazing teacher planners at Michael’s Arts and Crafts or Barns N Noble. Now, remember, writing down lesson plans by hand can cultivate creativity, but it does take more work for you to change your plans around last minute.
I wrote my lesson plans down for my first year and, although I enjoyed it, I realized that it simply wasn’t for me and switched to typing them out after that. It made it easy to change plans from day to day if needed, and I allowed me to easily email them to my principal instead of trying to make copies.
Now, don’t feel pressured either way. Writing vs typing is a personal preference and both have their profits and their drawbacks, so find what works best for you and your school.
3. Know Your Outline
I can’t emphasize enough how different each school is. If your school has a particular outline that they would like you to use, then please do so. But if you don’t have an outline given to you, then create your own. I use the following:
>Bait:something fun and exciting that will grab the student’s attention, pull them in, and make them excited for the lesson
>Review: go over concepts from the previous lesson
>Materials: things that the teacher needs to prepare ahead of time and have on hand
>Objective: always student focused and states what they should know by the end of the lesson
>Spiritual Application:what in this lesson teaches the students about God
>Homework/Seat work
An example of my lesson plan layout in action would look a bit like this:
Bait: Teacher walks in eating apple pie. “How many of you like apple pie? What do you need to make apple pie?” (Apples)
Review: alphabet
Materials: apple pie, apples, flashcards with the short vowel sounds
Objective: students will identify, read, and write words with the short value A
Spiritual App: God made everything around us-our language and our fruits to use with wisdom.
Homework: Language p.1
4. Know When and Where to Write
What do I mean by this? I simply mean, find a time and a place that works for you to sit down, focus, and plan. Perhaps you’re a busy parent and your when is at night while the children are asleep or maybe you’re a teacher with a roommate and your where is outside of the house.
Simply find a time and place where you can limit distractions and focus on creating your lesson plans.
5. Know that you can Start Right Now!
Now that you know what you need, get out there. Start now! Start ahead of time and get going! You’ll be thankful that you did.
The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish:”(Proverbs 29:18)
You hold the vision for your classroom. Use your lesson plans to make that vision a reality!
How many of you have ever taken time to notice the people around you? Have you noticed them or just the top of their head as they’re staring at the small screen in front of them?
Our world today is addicted to their phones, games, apps, and social media accounts.
Don’t be the Average Joe who’s just going with the flow of society! Be someone a bit different. Be someone whose inspirational to others! Be that person who has a phone, but whose life is not consumed by it.
Here are 12 simple ways to simply put down your phone this summer and enjoy the moments you have today. Remember, you won’t be able to get them back tomorrow.
Put Your Phone in Your Room-simply decide to leave your phone in your room for a while and take a break from it. It’s still on, you’re still able to hear it, but it’s not glued to your hand or distracting your thoughts.
Ask Someone to Hide It From You-this one had to make the list simply because it’s hilarious! Please don’t feel ashamed if you have to ask a friend or a family member to hide it away from you. They may laugh for a bit, but they’ll be completely thankful that you did what it took to give them your full attention and make them a priority.
Go Read a Book-love this one! I’m definitely a Barns N Noble girl who can get lost in a good story. If you find a good book, you’ll also find yourself engulfed in stories unfolding without realizing that you’ve spent hours away from your phone.
Learn Something New-find something that you’ve never done before and try it or simply learn something that you’ve had little experience with. It’ll not only make for a good story, but it will also enhance your knowledge and brain power for later.
Go to the Gym– I really feel like there’s no in between with this one. Going to the gym is something that most of us either dread or enjoy, but either way it’s still healthy for you and a very productive way to use your time in comparison to being trapped behind a screen.
Teach Someone Else-find someone, perhaps a younger sibling, a spouse, or a friend, and take the time to teach them a skill that you already know. This can be anything-from sports, to woodworking, to hand-lettering, baking, or art. Help them learn something new and make fun memories that you both can look back on.
Find a Hobby-this one might take a bit more time, but it’s totally worth it! What could your hobby be? Gardening? Fishing? Cooking? Sewing? Biking? Explore the hundreds of hobbies that are out there and see what interests you! Have fun with spending time away from your phone and get into a new hobby!
Write Down Your Thoughts-doing this has been known to be both relaxing and stress relieving. If you’re looking to get away from your phone for a bit, set it aside and find a quiet place with your pen and a journal. Write down your thoughts, your hopes, and your dreams. You’ll find your time well spent and your heart well refreshed.
Clean the House-ugh! It might be a task that most of us don’t look forward to, but it’s definitely a productive one that we could all do more of–for obvious reasons of course.
Get Out of the House-once your house is clean, leave it! That’s right. Getting away and having fun outside the home is a great way to spend time away from your phone (especially if you leave your phone at home or in the car).
Create Something New-How creative are you? Do you remember when that amazing 1st grade teacher that asked you to invent some new toy and draw a picture of it? Well that’s exactly what I’m talking about now! Try sitting down with a blank sheet of paper and drawing a new invention-a tool, a toy, or perhaps a totally different item. Get creative and invent something no one has heard of!
Go Talk to Friends-easy, simple, and right in front of you. This doesn’t require much explanation, but when we miss it we miss on changing a life, impacting a future, and creating a memory.
So, there you have it! 12 easy ways to stay away from your phone.
So what are you going to do to live apart from the phone in your hands? Remember, your phone can be a great productive tool, but it can turn into a destructive distraction when it’s prioritized above people.
So get out there and get away! Spend time alone, time with friends, time learning, time teaching, and time cultivating the life given to you.
Teaching Creativity 