Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Back to School (NOT!)

Annie suggested I share this bit from an email I wrote her this morning--good idea, Annie. Background information: School started today for some of my best friends. Please pray for Joyce, Sue, Vicki, and Marlyn. They're there, I'm not.

I am not much missing school's politics and messes, but I am missing
starting a new year. I keep thinking of things that I would do to decorate
my room or first-day activities I would do with my kids. I believe my theme
this year would have been something to do with pirates. I thought it would
be fun to piggyback off a kid-appropriate summer movie that had been hyped
all the summer--that seemed to make it more fun for the kids, too. And there
seem to be a lot of pirate things available at the stores. I probably would go more for the "treasure" aspect, though, since that's what the kids want, anyway. I might put together some sort of "treasure chest" for each child, made out of a brown lunch bag, or maybe even work out a "treasure map" where they could find their treasures in the classroom. Darn, I miss the creative end of that job!

A bunch of us got together last night for a "last hurrah" before school started. Just for the heck of it, I made little back-to-school gift bags for the
teachers that were going back, with different things that had significance,
like rubber bands to remind them to be flexible (I told one friend I put a bunch in
there, because I figured she would be snapping hers pretty quickly). I have
the list on a word document. I really liked this list, because it had
scriptures with it, one for each item. I added some stuff of my own, though,
and didn't get a scripture for any of those items. I added buddy bars (to
remind them to get a buddy and enjoy school together), reward stickers (for
the teachers, not the kids, to remind them that they deserved a reward for
what they did to educate kids), and Pop Rocks (to remind them that teachers
rock the world). They seemed to be delighted.

If any of you would like to make a gift bag for your child's teacher, just let me know and I'll send you the list. The items are not expensive and the bag won't take up much of your child's backpack space. Love to all, and God bless.

8 comments:

ann said...

See how smart you are? I love that you literally just copied and pasted that. Things don't have to be perfect to be awesome, do they? I love you! I love it that you're still using your gifts of encouragement, etc, to bless your school, even though you don't have to be there anymore. I can just see your friends having a better day because of what you did. You cutie!

Jenn-Jenn, the Mother Hen said...

Please e-mail me the list! I want to not only give one to Jamie's teacher for this year, but his teacher from last year, too!

Love ya bunches!

Tara said...

What did you teach?

Tooz said...

I taught special ed, grades K-8, self-contained or collaborative, everything or just individual subjects (like math, science), sixth grade science, fifth grade, two years of fourth grade, two years of third grade--I pretty much did about everything, including toileting. Some of it I'm glad is over, the rest I miss.

Lydia said...

Ah, the days of toileting your kindergarteners. I don't think I've ever had it as bad, even with 2 and 3 year olds as you did with little "D" (you know who I'm referring to.)

Yes, I think someone made a VERY WRONG move letting you retire early.

Just move on down to Tennessee and teach at our school. :)

Just Julez said...

I saw Mrs. Kinney yesterday. She was in Kroger's with a very pregnant daughter and her two kids. I remember when she was right next door to Mrs. Adkins. She recognized me, and greeted me. What was odd was while Alex never had her as a teacher, she recognized him by name, and grabbed him up and hugged him right there in front of God and everybody. I didn't know whether to be proud or paranoid or both :)

I'm glad when things like that happen, aren't you? It means that even with all the negatives, God finds a way to send good stuff.

We love you! And btw, your boy is now officially 6' tall. And STILL growing!

Jenn-Jenn, the Mother Hen said...

We miss you! We need an update!

Love you!

Jenn-Jenn, the Mother Hen said...

It's been a week! Where y'at?