Currently (Barely) The End Of December

This has become a bad habit... Posting my "Currently" on the last day of the month is a bit of an oxymoron. Hmmmm. I'm not sure if I have ever used that word in a sentence that wasn't on a task card, a worksheet or a white board!

Love these cute frames/fonts from Jen Jones HERE on TpT

There are just a few more hours in December... and in 2013. In some ways, it doesn't feel like December. It is supposed to be close to eighty degrees outside all week! Normally I would love this weather... but a little chill in the air would certainly help make the Christmas season last a little longer...

However, the sense of "vacation" is obvious! I got up late (Well, 6:00 is late for me!) and we went out to breakfast--on a Tuesday! Now it is noon, there is football on TV and I am happily pounding away on the computer. And it's still a Tuesday! Time is moving gloriously slowly!

The tree is still up. It is a beautiful tree. I am not ready to refer to it in past tense yet. It still smells good and most of the needles are still on the tree instead of on the floor. There are lots of JOY ornaments and heart ornaments and purple ornaments and Starbucks ornaments... and it just makes me happy!

Here's a picture of my tree... and the JOY cup from Barbara Gruener (from The Corner on Character). She is a real JOY-bringer! If you don't know her, you have to go over and meet her right away. In fact, if you click the picture, you can read a post she wrote about JOY. Yep, she's a true buddy!

At the moment, I don't feel any immediate stress... but it is there... lurking behind a brain cell. I just keep trying to hurry away before it grabs me!

There were MANY things I wanted to accomplish during my time away from school. Most of them will likely remain on my To Do list. I have a bad habit of working on the things I like to do. It's not like I really NEEDED to revamp four sets of fraction task cards, but I had fun doing it. And I made the whole week of Morning Welcome pages for my "smart board" (We actually have Promethean, but that always looks weird when I type it--like I am trying to talk about mythology when that is not the topic I am addressing!). I love to match the background paper to the action buttons on my morning greetings. And it IS necessary to have those pages ready for next week--just not necessary to spend a few hours trying to make them look pretty when it should take less than forty-five minutes to get them all done! Still, I had fun!

Of course, I haven't graded the pile of papers that I brought home. I don't know where we are going next in Readers' Workshop. And I can't bring myself to write that lesson plan on the lithosphere--or was it the hydrosphere?--for earth science. Yawn. Sorry! Maybe a trip to Starbucks will help? (Doesn't a trip to Starbucks always help?)

So that's it for Currently... Which will shortly be "Previously." Once again, I am the last one on the block to link up!

But that's okay. I'm sure Farley will have the January Currently up before the clock strikes midnight--or soon afterward. So I will tell you just a bit in advance (and, likely a few times in January as well!): Happy New Year! See you in the NEXT Currently link up!

 

Currently... It's December!

I have often thought to myself: It's a good thing that Sweet Farley does her Currently postings... Otherwise I would never know what month it was!

So December is here and I am thrilled. I'm not sure why November was so incredibly long, but I am glad it's over...

I feel like my class is ready to take off and learn.  We had struggled so much with behavior, and apathy, and a lack of empathy at the beginning of the year... and now things are beginning to fall into place. Every time someone raises his/her hand to offer a comment, the joyful applause goes off in my head. It's not frequent, but it's BETTER. And I will take better--happily.

Hello Sketchie font by Jen Jones; Heart paper by Lauren Thompson on TpT

Still my heart had to hurt a little last week when we needed an extra volunteer for our Kindergarten Recess Helper program.  "Is there anyone from the Monday squad who would help out on the kindergarten playground today? Tuesday squad? Is there anyone from ANY day who will work an extra shift?" Not.One.Volunteer. Not one! I sat there in stunned silence willing myself not to cry (or worse!). Finally, one of my shyest (and sweetest) kiddos raised her hand and offered to help supervise the kindergartners. I said, "Your kindness has won you an evening of no homework..." (Odd that I felt the desire to reward her--Clearly I have some learning to do as well.)

Of course, then I had several volunteers. Obviously, I declined. I said that this student had volunteered because she was being kind--NOT to get something in return. She saw a need and decided to step up...

I believe that acting with compassion can be learned. I don't think my kids lack heart... they just haven't been called upon very often to think with their hearts. Overall, their lives are pretty comfortable and they are fairly fortunate.

I think that learning comes from opportunities to practice. So, I am going to incorporate some talk about Random Acts of Kindness into our schedule at some point in the next three weeks. If you haven't read the story about the police officer who bought new shoes for the man who was homeless, check it out here.  I think that will be the opening of our RAK discussion. (A side note: Maybe I because I wish so desperately for kids to care, I have read the story and watched the video FIVE times--and I still cry every time. I hope I can keep it together long enough to teach the lesson in a meaningful way...)

So now you get a chance to be inspired through the BlogFriends you meet and/or check in on at Farley's Currently. She's asking you to list your state when you link up, so don't forget. And, as always, remember to leave some love with those who link up before and after you.

 I hope that your December will be filled with happiness and the joy of random acts of kindness...

December Linky... Farley Brings Us Back Together

Hello Treasured BlogPals!

I'll begin with an apology to those who still have to work for four more days (and, in some cases, FIVE)...

Our District decided to put the five furlough days in June... So, happily, I am now officially FREE for two weeks of "Winter Vacation."  I no longer care what you call it.  All I can say is YEE HAW!

After my concerted efforts to follow the rules for the last two weeks and keep everything "holiday neutral," (see previous two posts!) I eventually had to concede that nothing is ever really under my control.

The bell rang on Friday afternoon, and, amidst the cheering and shouting about the first moments of vacation, I suddenly found myself holding an armload of gifts and cards and chocolate!  Better yet, as the students pushed their way to the door, a few sweeties gave me hugs, and then smiled and chorused, "Merry Christmas!"

The sound of those words made my heart swell!  I knew that they knew what I knew (follow that?!) and that made me smile.  Merry Christmas... the words we didn't say all week could be heard echoing down the sidewalk as they headed for their two weeks away... A few wishes for "Happy Holidays" were also added in and my day was complete!

All week we collected food for our Canned Food Drive.  Although we are a little school, we have big hearts.  This was a project organized by the kids in Student Council with very little adult help.  They looked so delighted as they left each classroom and added to their growing pile of goods--over 300 cans/boxes of food were collected.  I can't show my sixth grade "project leader," but if you look closely you can see her hands... the helping hands that made it all happen!

Of course it wouldn't be the same if December snuck by without a Farley Linky Party!  Thanks, Farley for bringing us all together again!  Here are my current musings...

Check out Life in 4B... You'll love it!

Then, head on over and visit Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade  Everyone is waiting to hear what's happening in YOUR life.

After you visit Farley, you MUST stop by and read Reagan's "Top Ten Reasons I Know Christmas is Near" at Turnstall's Teaching Tidbits.

I read her post two days ago and I am still laughing... You could be laughing too!