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Saturday, April 30, 2016

Four Legged Chickens, and Other Evidence...

I'm an early bird by nature.  I need the time in the morning, letting my mind wander and plan the day for my students.  I tidy up, rearrange, stack things, drink my coffee, file, grade....you know, the usual things.  Sometimes, in the quietness, I notice the tiny treasures that get lost in the shuffle once my students come in.  These little things are evidence that I know I'm where I should be in my career choice.



This little gem was a picture that my student was drawing on Tuesday, after his testing was finished.  I didn't even knew he drew it until the next day, in the stillness of the morning.  I audibly laughed out loud, wishing someone were with me to crack up at the four-legged chicken.  Evidence....


Even though the owl craze is over, I can't switch to a new classroom theme because these little pictures keep showing up on my desk.  It's the sweetest thing ever.  This one hangs over my desk, just waiting patiently for me stop the business of my work to remember the little girl who drew it for me--I remember that she was SO excited to give it to me.  Drawings are sometimes the only thing a child can give you that's truly from them.  More evidence....


Every year, I try to be all tough, telling the kids that I do not accept coins for book orders.  "Checks or dollar bills only," I say.  Then, the baggie of change comes in, and I get all mushy inside.  I love that the kids love book orders, and pay with whatever they can scrounge up.  My change jar at home is full, and I continue writing the checks out to Scholastic.  Drives me crazy, but I love it.  Evidence.


I call these "book stacks."  They tip over...they cause squabbles...technically, I see book stacks as an early warning sign for hoarding.  When I stop to think about it, they are just signs that kids are excited to read, and have a bunch of books on deck, waiting to be read.  It warms my heart, because at the beginning of any school year, it's hard enough to get them to put a book in their hands.  Evidence.

 

The love notes show up when you least expect them. This one showed up in the stack of papers I was grading.  I was all pent up over the number of papers with no names on them, then this little heart made it's way up the stack.  Evidence.

There's more evidence waiting to be discovered.  Take some quiet time in your classroom and you'll find it, or it will find you.  Whenever I'm stressed, stretched too thin, under appreciated, misunderstood, I will have these pictures to remind me of what really matters.

Enjoy your weekend,