Finding Joy amid chaos

Every day there are reasons to be frustrated, worried or annoyed. It can be so easy to see the negative aspects of life, but some days... you can wake up to bright white powdery snow and watch a bird lightly hop across, just barely scathing the surface. These are days when simple joys are experienced and hope is renewed once again.

Don't you wish...

This year I have a new challenge in my class..there is always at least one. Among all of the many joys that she provides in my room, my favorite has to be random burping, humming, eating like a monkey and crying like Chewbacca. But yesterday as I was helping her with writing..I had the special treat of hearing one of her lovely ballads.. "Don't you wish your girlfriend was HOT like me!! Don'tchya wish..." you know the song. She says "My daddy always sings that song!" When I was 5 I sang "Once there was a snowman, Popcorn popping and Have a gratitude Attitude!" Times have changed indeed:)

A new year..

It has been a while..so I have a new class this year and it has already been very interesting. From the runny noses to the hugs and "I love you". I gain a perspective each day into the deep level of patience and determination required to guide children with love. I am in awe at how children love the smallest things in life. Each of my students are examples to me and I am grateful for that.

That's my sista's name!!

The great thing about kids is the how big of a deal everything is and sometimes they will do just anything to get out of trouble. Within the first few weeks of the school year, a boy told me, "She said you are mean." I glanced at the girl and she insisted that she was talking about her sister. That, in fact, her sister's name just happened to be Mrs. Utley. She really thought she had me. :) I almost started rolling on the floor laughing.

The little things

In order to survive the life of a Kindergarten teacher, you have to laugh as MUCH as possible. Yesterday, after carefully placing 5 new colorful erasers on worn down pencils, I started preparing the class for dismissal. Among all of the other things I was setting in order, helping the children pack up, answering the phone, etc. here comes my little, often clueless student.
"Mrs. Utley? Can I have these?" I look down to find the 5 new colorful erasers, now looking not so new, in her hand. I was amazed that she had taken the time to take each one off and walk across the room waiting for the perfect moment to kindly suggest that the erasers should now belong to her. Just one of MANY endearing, hilarious and most random stories in the life of me.