The Life of a Child

I loved my college days at BYU-Idaho.  Would I go back tomorrow and do it again. Of course not.  I am so grateful that I have graduated school and have an actual career.  But the life lessons they incorporate at that school is priceless.  Something I have been thinking about is the impact we have on a child.  In this case, especially as a teacher.  I love the quote a professor, Linda Hawkes, gave me.  She said, "They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."  My patience has been extremely thin lately.  It's not their fault.  It's mine.  They are so innocent, trusting, accepting, and forgiving.  And I am a perfectionist who wants each child to succeed and will make it happen at all costs. It's a strength and a vice... trust me.  Today was just one of those days.    In the past two weeks, I have had 4 nightmares about school.  2 of the 4 have been about the students moving on to 5th grade.  I wake up every night with tears on my pillow.  It kills me to know my time with them is so limited.  I see their success and I just pray that every teacher will build upon those successes and not let them slip.  The other two have been about the students deciding that they hate me as a teacher because I am so mean and choosing a different teacher. Again, I wake up having cried in my sleep. But honestly, after a day like today, I would not be surprised if that happened.   Today after school I sat in my chair, exhausted.  I reflected on my day. I do this every day.  I think about every word I said to each student.  I cringed as I realized I was definitely not as patient, understanding, and loving as I should have been. I was quick to point out faults and areas of improvement and slow to recognize their small successes.    Our time together is about 100 days or less. Then they will move on to another teacher and I will just be apart of their elementary school memories.  With such a short amount of time, how can I be anything but patient.  I think back to my teachers.  All I wanted from them is acceptance.  To be told I was good enough.  I didn't need them to point out my faults.  I got enough of that from my friends and others.  Regardless if it is your own child, a neighbor, primary kid, etc., YOU have the ability to affect their life.  I love the quote from Elder Holland that says, "Be kind... imperfect people are all that God has ever had to work with.  That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but he deals with it.  So should we."    Here is to a little more patience, a little more love, and a little more understanding.  I love those children with all that my heart can handle.  And for the few short months I have to spend with them, I am going to make the most of it.    

100% Chance of Sprinkles and Showers

I love celebrating babies! And this weekend, Sam and Kayla Merrell decided to throw baby parties for each other.  Needless to say, it was a crazy weekend.  I was an awful assistant in both cases.  Total failure in the "help throw your friend a baby shower" department.  However, both ladies did an excellent job.  Something that creative Kayla came up with was a "Sprinkle."  Sam is due any day with her second baby and it is another boy.  Therefore, she didn't feel like she needed a ton of things and didn't necessarily want an entire shower.  So, Kayla was like fine than we will do a Sprinkle, which is just a smaller shower.  There were about 6 of us girls and we had pazookies (half-cooked cookie dough with vanilla ice cream), vegetable trays and just enjoyed each others company.  It was splendid.    Then, the next night we had a shower for Kayla.  Husbands were invited also and we played some fun games and ate delicious chili, cornbread, salad, and cake.  One game we played was called "The Price is Right."  The boys really got into this game.  We played boys against girls but you could play against couples or individually too!  It was fun to see what they boys thought on the prices.  In fact, they did pretty good! Out of 9 items, they won 3.  Impressive, right? Sam and I bought all the items on the list and then we gave them to Kayla, the mom-to-be. Therefore, there was no confusion on what they looked like or how big the container was.  They were all present for the contestants to see!  Here is the freebie:

   

November Resolution

What do I do in my spare time? Lesson plans of course.  Seriously, I LOVE teaching, but it is definitely draining.  But there is more good than bad.  It helps that I have the best students in the entire world.  The other day a few students were lingering after school (that's right - for some reason my students would stay for an hour after school with me if I would let them) and one student was working on their story.  He turned to me and said, "Mrs. Thompson, I'll give you 5 bucks if you don't make me write this story."  I just started laughing and said, "I am offended! You think I could be bought like that?"  He replied with, "I will make it 10 if you throw in the book report due tomorrow." I couldn't help but smile.  Lately I have been having dreams about my students leaving and moving on to 5th grade.  In every dream, I just bawl.  The same dream has happened 3 times in two weeks.  Obviously, it's a huge fear of mine.  I tease them that I will just have to become a 5th grade teacher and keep moving up each grade with them.  I may or may not be considering it.   I am an awful blogger but I love blogs.  I love to checking Abbie Martinsen's blog and reading all of her updates.  Then, I click on all the other blogs she is linked up with (well at least the ones I know).  I love Kayla Merrell's blog and reading about baby Liam.  Although, I know all the information, I love her sense of humor and reading it again.  What I love about family and personal blogs is that they are so real. They are good days and bad days and days that are just "blah."  They are heartaches and triumphs and everything in between. I just love personal people.  They remind me that we are all trying to do the best that we can.  So, mark my words, I WILL take time for myself and blog more.       

A Dream Come True, Thank You, and Pictures of the Classroom

It's true.  I am finally a classroom teacher.  It's wonderful, stressful, challenging, tiring, rewarding and everything in between.  Yesterday (Friday) I came home from work at about 6:00 and Trent and I headed to Costa Vida for date night.  After date night, we went back to the house to play board games. But first, I suggest that we take a quick 30 min. nap.  It was about 7 o'clock - so not too late.  Later, I heard someone moving around the room and I shot out of bed.  It was Trent.  He said that it was midnight and he was just going to bed.  Apparently, he had tried to wake me up at 8 and I growled at him so he just let me sleep.  So basically I went into a small coma.  I was only up for about 5 minutes and I fell back asleep until 8:30 the next day.  Do the math, folks.  That is over 13 hours of sleep.  Seriously, I was exhausted.  I wake up at 5 every morning, I keep up with 19 kids all day long and then I stay until 7 {maybe later} every night.  Then I do more work at home until midnight and I start my routine over again.  It is grueling. But I LOVE it. I know that sounds crazy, but I would do anything for those children. But something I am working on is time management and learning to listen when my body says, "STOP!"   Also, decorating my classroom was like a stressful, but also a dream come true.  I feel like the pictures below do not do it justice {Trent - let's get a better camera}.  Seriously.  You should have seen the kid's faces when they saw it the first day of school.  "Wow!" "Cool!" "Awesome!" "Yes!" were all common phrases.  Success people! But that success would have not been possible without a few people.   Ambrey: You are such an amazing friend.  Seriously - what would I do without you!? You spent so much time with me getting my classroom ready the first week before you went to Utah.  You ran errands with me and it was nice having a fellow perfectionist in the classroom because you understood my OCD tendencies.  Thank you. I owe you TONS. P.S. - I am sorry I am so good at phone tag ;)   Kayla and Chad:  Is there anyone better than the Merrells?  I suggest not.  Kayla, how could I ever thank you enough?  You are pregnant! A child is growing inside of you and you are running to Idaho Falls {twice}, helping me hang things from the ceiling, cutting hundreds of letters, organizing, painting, and reassuring me after every decision and project.  I could not have done it without you.  You have seen me as the tired zombie, fed our little family, and have just portrayed the true love of Christ.  And Chad - when we die and go to heaven - I am going to prove to you that SO many people have complimented me on the stadium lights. Because it has happened at least 6 times!  Dead serious.   Gail Merrell:  Over 300 books... I still can't believe how many books I have collected in the last week.  Thank you so much! I can't imagine how long it took you to sort and pack all those books. I just want you to know that I appreciate it!  I wish I could have recorded the children's faces when they saw the books.  Thank you! Thank you so much! I truly appreciate it!   Mommy and Daddy:  You know how much I love you. I hate being so far away from you.  Thank you for driving the 16 hours to give me those books.  Only a deep love for a child could possess two individuals to drive so far, only to stay for one day and then drive so far back.  I hope that I can become as patient, selfless, and long suffering as you two {and you know that last part is true}.   Trent: You are my rock.  You are my everything.  What husband takes his free time to decorate his wife's classroom, build her a hutch, and basically spend all his free time revolving around her.  You are the most selfless individual I have met. I love you.   There are so many other people I should say thank you to!  Sam - for bringing me fabulous treats that helped me get through my preparation week, Talia for training me to become an excellent teacher. Seriously - I just want to be like her.  Kelli for our first teacher support groups ;).  There is SO much that goes into teaching.  So much preparation, love, challenges, and fun.  Here is to a successful year!   So my classroom theme is about teamwork - that is why it is a sports theme.  We talk about how in this class, we are all working together to try and help each other succeed.  Let me tell you, the kids have ATE this up! They absolutely love it! The first week, I taught them how to teach.  We talked about not giving the answers to our peers but showing them how to come up with the right answer.  It is definitely a work in progress but they are doing so well.  It's amazing.  I love this teamwork theme.  We have a big poster that says, "T.E.A.M. Together Everyone Achieves More."  Having that as our motto has made a huge difference in our classroom environment. Now for the pictures:  

I was SO nervous.  Seriously, I thought I was going to pass out.  Nothing you do during college can prepare you for that moment.  

 You see that white board underneath that sign - yeah. I did that. Well Ambrey did that.  That was a chalkboard people and we turned it into a white board. Hold the applause.

Those are their book bags on that stylish 70's bright orange backpack rack.  I actually just moved our locker room down below the backpacks so that I could put up Mountain Language above the backpacks.

Please, stay awhile.  You are always welcomed here.

Kayla hung the footballs and baseballs from the ceiling.  Later, I found thin plastic bases.  I am gong to put a hole punch through it and then hang it above the groups.

Get it - Lunch is "Served." Thank you Pinterest.

Excuse the mess.  I wasn't completely put together when I took this picture. But how cute is this banner?

 The kids LOVED this.  Also, I am getting pillows and bean bags for them to relax on while they read. Notice the 12 boxes of books! Thank you Gail!

 Every kid has a job and it is related to a something in baseball.  For example, the assistant coach is the teacher's assistant and the concessions manager is the lunch count.  They love it!  Also, they had to interview for their jobs.  Best. Day. Ever.

 Math Rotations, Fast Finishers, and Writing Section.  Whenever a child asks a question that I don't know the answer, they write it down and put it on the corkboard.  If they finish their work early, they come and grab any index card and research the answer and then report their answers on Friday.  They love it!

 They really are tough words!

 The stadium lights. I should have taken a picture of it far away.  It looks SO good with the rest of the classroom.