The Future - It's Why Teachers Teach!

In the year 2023, my grade one class will be graduating from high school. I can only imagine what the future will look like for them and how they will make their mark.

I often think of the entire curriculum I am responsible to teach - LA, Math, Science, Social as well as making sure they are prepared for the 21st century with the necessary skills. But what about all those other skills I value and want them to learn - how to be responsible, caring, loving, understanding, motivated, honest, compassionate, cooperative, patient, creative and inquisitive. There is no manual or teacher's guide. There is no standardized test or PAT for these skills. But my students will be more prepared and responsible individuals for having these skills. My goal is to model these to my students everyday and for them to know I care for them.
As JFK said, "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future"

Although I don't teach kindergarten anymore, I still think this poem is super cute and we can learn alot from "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.

Let's teach the future more than what we are required to teach. Let's teach the future that it is their future and to care for themselves, each other and the earth.

The Kissing Hand

It is Saturday and school starts on Monday.  I am slowly starting to get a few things together.  Like many of you, I love The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn to use on the first day of school.  I love reading the book and having children create their very own kissing hand to put into our class book. 

Here is a copy of what I use for The Kissing Hand.  I always love to write something on the inside cover of every class made book, so parents and visitors understand why we created the book. 




The Kissing Hand

Since I haven't completed the book yet, I can't show you a finished copy.  However in the picture you can see the kissing hands my students made last year over at my blog The Candy Dish.  I just love how they turn out. 

The Kissing Hand

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Free For All Friday

FREEBIES!!!
Here is a quick booklet I do with my kids on the first day of school.

If you would like a copy with your school's name added to the front.  Just send us the name of your school and your email address and we can add that for you. 





First Day of School Booklet

We have really enjoyed Blog Hoppin' this week!  Thanks for all the new followers.  Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Three for Thursday

Over at Blog Hoppin' today it is Three for Thursday.  Your Three favorites... your favorite font, favorite blog and favorite online resource. 
I do have to say it has been very difficult to narrow this down.  But here we go.  I will give it a try. 

My favorite FONT  

 I think this is an addiction of mine.  I love fonts.  All kinds of fonts.  I love mixing fonts up and finding free fonts to download.  A great website to use for fonts is Kevin and Amanda. 

One of my favorite fonts to use right now is

My favorite BLOG



I think I need help, I am a blog addict.  Although I love all the teacher blogs - of course.  My favorite blogs are The Daily Love, which gives me the daily dose of love I need everyday! And of course 1000 Awesome Things, which reminds me of the simple things in life. 

My favorite ONLINE RESOURCE

WOW! This list is so long as well.  But a few of my favorites are Wordle

And because of blog stalking, I also found Tagxedo.  Thanks ladies.

So there you have it!! Three favorites.  That was difficult to narrow down.

It is your turn now.  Tell us about three of your favorites and link up at Blog Hoppin'

DREAMS

Set Dreams for yourself!
Set Deadlines for yourself!
But as Jon Bon Jovi says,
" Map out your future but do it in pencil. The road ahead is as long as you make it. Make it worth the trip."

It is so important to take the time to reflect on what you truly want in life, in all areas - personal and professional. However, while setting those dreams make sure to write them down and be committed to fulfilling them. You are the only one that can do it!! But also remember that sometimes you might have to erase if you choose to take a different path. Also recognize that you might be 'dull' some days and you will need to 'sharpen' (refocus) to get yourself back on track.

For our students, it is important that we encourage them to have dreams. As my favorite Walt Disney quote says, "If you can dream it, you can do it." What will our students dream up?

FYI....
So why the #2 pencil. While the No. 2 represents
hardness of the lead ― the lower the number, the softer the metal. Early machines that scanned and scored tests couldn’t detect marks made by hard pencil leads. Marks from No. 3 and 4 pencils resulted in erroneous results.
Softer pencils, however, had a tendency to smudge, making No. 1 impractical.

The yellow shade of a pencil apparently began to dominate the pencil industry in the late nineteenth century. At that time, pencils were either painted dark colors or not at all. Then, a company based in Austria-Hungary introduced a new, expensive brand of pencil that was painted yellow to distinguish it from other pencils.

"Dream to be Different"

Trust

Many of my posts have been around the central theme of potential and possibilities.

In June 2008, I received a book that changed the way I think about the potential and possibilities of teams and trust. The book was titled 'The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything' by Stephen M.R. Covey. In June 2009, I had the privilege to see Stephen M.R.Covey speak. He and his father are truly inspirational.

If you have ever worked on a TEAM then you truly know the benefits that trust can play. It is enjoyable to go to work everyday, the efficiency at which you can accomplish goals is astronomical and the results that you can achieve are exponential.

"Trust is what turns a group into a TEAM!"

After Stephen spoke I was able to get a copy of 'The Speed of Trust' signed. In my book, he wrote...
"Theresa,
Keep making a difference and keep inspiring trust!"

Everyday, I think about the teams I have worked on, the differences we have made for kids and education. In education, if the intent of our team is to care about our students then the mutual benefits are WIN! WIN!

Continue to build a team within your classroom, your colleagues, and your school.

Take Risks

Until this year, I had never done outside recess supervision. With the acquisition of supervision on the soccer field, I needed to wear my rubber boots.

However, this post is more than my supervision boots, it is about the risks we take in life.

We all have dreams but if we choose to wish for them to come true they won't. Making dreams come true is about doing and living your life to its full potential. At times the road may be dry and 'no boots' required but other times the road may be wet, slushy and outright treacherous. But if you wear your boots and keep the dream in mind, the road will become easier. So if you want to leave your footprint, make sure to wear boots!!!

To all educators, continue to instill in children the desire to take risks, live life to the fullest and believe in their dreams.

The Power of Caring

This is a picture of a notebook I have on my desk, but I also have this same saying on a magnet that is on my classroom whiteboard.

There are many difficult and challenging days for all teachers but we have to remember that we influence children by our actions. What might be the one action you do for a child that might change the way they feel? A simple smile, a kind word, a touch on the shoulder, a high five, a listening ear, or even a compliment. We might never know!!

So here is to the ABC Feelings we want all children to feel!!!
Accepted
Blessed
Confident
Determined
Excited
Fulfilled
Glad
Happy
Important
Joyful
Kind
Loved
Motivated
Noticed
Optimistic
Powerful
Quizzical
Respected
Smart
Terrific
Understood
Victorious
Worthy
X-cellent
Yearning
Zealous