Back to School Gift

It is that time of year.

Store aisles are filled with folders, paper, crayons, and pencils.  Our mail contains the best sales for school supplies.  Although they've done hours of Pinterest PD, texting, and emailing, teachers are officially meeting to prepare for classrooms full of kids.

Yes, it is back to school time!

As parents, we usually get our child's teachers a gift for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Teacher Appreciation Day.  But what about a Back to School Gift?

As a teacher, the best (and I think only) back to school gift I have gotten was a note from a parent. It let me know that she had been praying for me and our school year. I taped it to the pullout on my desk and read it several times throughout the year.

I cherished that note.

Teachers have a wonderfully stressful job.

We love our students. We call them "our kids" - forever. We see these students in ways their parents will never see them.  We laugh with them. We cry with them.  We hug them when they celebrate and when their worlds are falling apart.

Teachers do more than teach. And to know that a parent was praying for me, praying for our school year.....that meant so much to me.

Parents, we do need your prayers.  Your children need your prayers. It is a crazy awful world we live in.  So many uncertainties. So much evil.  For some of these children the school is their safe place. The school is their guaranteed meal. The school is where they are loved and cherished.

I've come to realize in my many years of teaching that some of these students that I call "my kids" need me to teach them reading and writing.  Others need me to teach them love, compassion, and responsibility. And others, those children need to be loved and cherished and told they are indeed someone special, someone who is fearfully and wonderfully made.

So, parents, pray for us.  Pray for us to be what these precious children need us to be.  Pray for us to see them as more than a test score. Pray for us to show patience, love, and understanding while we stretch their minds and push them to succeed. Pray for us to protect them from bullies and self harm. Pray for us to see them as God our Father sees us.   Please, pray for us.

And then, I ask you this....Would you please show us grace and mercy?  We teachers are human. We mess up. We jump to conclusions. We get tired and frustrated. Life happens to us as it does to everyone. So, please, show us grace.

And then if you want to....send coffee.

Small Victories

A few months back, my teaching plans were thrown for a loop. After years of teaching fourth grade language arts, I got the news....

5th grade

all subject areas

including math

Yes.

Math.

For whatever reason, math just isn't my thing.  I was a decent math student in school. But having to do math on the fly is difficult.  I need to write it out, think about it.  Check my work.  Math was a private matter because I lacked confidence.  I knew I was better with words.  Reading them. Writing them.  Words were my thing.

Needless to say, my new teaching position within my school brought me much anxiety.

But here I am. Thirteen days into the new school year. I've taught 10 days of math.  Although I am totally behind where most of the other teachers are, I am refusing to compare myself to them.  I am, after all, a first year teacher with 15 years experience!  I am a brand new math teacher.  I am learning the content. There is no way I can teach it and keep up with the teachers who've made a career out of it already.

I can only do what I ask my students to do.  I am doing my best.

I'm taking it one day at a time. And that's working for me.

My actual lessons don't always match what my weekly overview says.  I'm teaching students. They aren't concerned with my weekly overview.  They need to "get it" before I move on.

And as we are learning together, my students and I, we are looking for those small victories.  The ones where the end of class comes and students are telling me, "Math was great today."  The ones where more and more students are engaged and participating. The ones where I get blog comments that tell me the assignment I gave was great.

Yes.  Those are the small victories.

I am thankful for the Internet and those math geniuses who are sharing their knowledge.

I am thankful for students who believe in their teacher and don't give up.

I am thankful for this opportunity (although I didn't ask for it) to grow and step out of my comfort zone.

Small victories.

Keep'em coming!

I'd love for you to check out my class blog to see what we are learning.  Click here to head over there.

A Letter to My Students

Dear Student,

What a year it has been (You can insert the year that you were in my class).  There were tears and laughter (from me).  I bet you didn't know that about me did you?  I'm certain I didn't learn everything I needed to about you either.  I'm sorry for that.

Student, you are a part of me.  You think that just because you called me Mrs. Grimes that our relationship stops at the classroom door at 3:00.  It doesn't.

My heart smiled each time you slipped up and called me Mama, and my heart laughed when you slipped and called me Grandma.  My heart melted when I slipped in the hallway, and you lifted me up off the floor. Yes, you are a part of my heart.

I cried for you when I knew things weren't right at home and knew there was nothing I could do about it although I called the right officials.  Some things are just out of my hands.  I cried for you when you were sad. Do your remember that time you ran into my arms and cried, "I don't know why my mama doesn't want anything to do with me?"  I'll never forget that. My heart broke for you.

My Dearest Student, you are more than you will ever know.  You are priceless and full of potential.  That's why I pushed you. That's why I repeated, "Failure is NOT an option."  I tried to get you to understand that I lay claim to you from the moment your name is on my roster.  I want nothing but the best for you. That's why we had that visit from the police when you continued to steal from me.  I want to see your name in the paper your successes, not because you made the Police Beat.

I'm not sure what you learned from me. Maybe some reading and writing. Maybe some compassion and integrity.  Maybe you learned that you are loved.

No matter how bad you acted, I still loved you, and I still love you.  Even you - the fourth grade class of 2000-2001. Whether you are grown and married or whether you walked out my door yesterday on the last day of school, you are a part of my life.  I may not always remember your name and face immediately, but it will come back to me.  I've enjoyed being reunited with you in the Wal-Mart parking lot, The Dollar Tree, Cracker Barrel, and UrgentCare.

You'll never guess that I learned so much from you.  I learned quickly that you are much more than a test score.  You are an individual. You have fears and dreams. All you wanted was to get that A, but a C was your best. I loved celebrating that with you.  I learned that your home life just sucks sometimes. Yes, your teacher just said sucks.  When I dropped you off at your house that day you missed the bus, I was terrified when I saw where you lived.  When I met your guardians, I understood why you never wanted to leave for long breaks.  When you didn't come to school that day, I was worried about your safety, your health, your life.  I learned that I loved you more than I imagined a teacher could love her students.

And while I have your attention, I want to apologize to you.  I want to say I'm sorry for the times I lost my patience with you, the times I should have been loving and understanding.  The times I raised my voice to you. Sometimes I forgot that you were just a child.  Please forgive me for those times.  If I ever made you feel less that special, I am sorry. You are an amazing person. I, I am a sinner who makes mistakes and sometimes those mistakes hurt those we love.  And I do love you.

So, Dear Student,  I hope you know that I ask about you. I check up on you. Whether I check on you through Facebook, acquaintances, or by walking across the building, I care about you and what you are doing.  Like a parent, I care about how you turn out.  Are you successful? Are you married? Are you making good grades? Are you showing love and kindness to others?  Are you trying your best?  Because that's all I ever asked you to do anyway.....to try your best.  To reach in deep and make the world take notice of how amazingly awesome you truly are.  I saw it when you walked in my door on that first day of school. My wish then and now is that you see it each time you look in the mirror.

Now, I don't know if you think of me when you look back on your elementary school days.  I don't consider myself a #1 teacher, but I do the best that I can.  I hope that when you do think of me, you will remember at least one good thing about me.  Here's some of the things I remember about you:

I remember that note you wrote to me when you told me my smile reminded you of your mom and that you think of her when you see me.  That's a good thing. I know how much you loved your mama, and I still can't imagine what it was like for you to lose her to cancer at such a young age.

I remember when you walked into my room on the first day of school, and I knew your name. You didn't know how I knew. It was written on your backpack.

I remember when you walked in to my room, and you were taller than me. You a 10 year old. Me a 22 year old.  I remember thinking, "What have I gotten myself into???"

I remember you as a third grader when I told you what we would be doing in class, and your face lit up with excitement.

I remember that trip to the Nashville Zoo and how amazed you were to see the many sights along the interstate.  It was an eye opener to me that you'd never been out of our hometown.

I remember that day you laughed.  It was the first time I heard your laugh all year.  I fought back tears.

I remember you thanking me for giving you a C. I reminded you that you earned it and worked really hard for it.

I remember that night at Open House when you sat down and flipped your desk. Oh, my!  I thought we were in for a rowdy year!  But we had a great one.

I remember that note you wrote to me and thanked me for believing in you, that I was a great teacher because I saw the potential in all of my students.

See, Dear Student? I remember you!

So, wherever you are in your life's journey, please know that I love you. I care about you. I want nothing but the best for you.  Why? Because when you walked into my classroom on the first day of school, you became one of my kids.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Grimes

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

You know you're a teacher when.....

You pray for snow days just as much as the students.

Finding a movie that matches Common Core Standards is a piece of cake when you come to work sick because it is more work to make sub plans.

A new stapler, pencil sharpener, or hole punch makes you giddy.

You cringe when you hear those words.....Common Core. It's almost like when the hyenas say, "Mufasa" on The Lion King.

Talking in your sleep consists of asking your husband if he turned in his lunch money.

You think Valentine's Day in an elementary school is cruel and unusual punishment.

One of your best friends is known as the Snow Fairy.

GoNoodle is your best friend on rainy days, cold days, and days you just need a little extra recess.

You see a cooler at Wal-Mart and immediately know how it can be used in the classroom to teach mythological terms.

Your last 3 Facebook posts were thanking coworkers for food.

You practically bathe in Germ X.

You get so excited listening to Barbed Wire and Roses on your old Pinmonkey CD because you can use it to teach figurative language.

You've actually asked your own children to be a a Voice Level 0 (more than once).

The best gift a student can give is a Starbucks card and school supplies.

You have NO FEAR  and are NEVER SURPRISED because you have seen and heard it all.. This fact causes you to have a Pinterest board called Teacher Fun.

Why I Do What I Do

When we were school age children, we would get so excited to see our teachers "outside of class" on the weekends or during the evenings.  I guess we all figured they lived at school.  It's so funny because times haven't changed.  When I see my students out and about, they seemed shocked to see me outside of room 206.

This being a teacher gig is more than just teaching reading, math, and science.  It is about teaching children.  That's what I do.  But why?

There are so many days I ask myself the same question.  The days a nine year old cusses me or threatens me or another student. The days half the class makes an F on a test that I felt they were totally prepared for. The days that have heated discussions with parents because they think the school is picking on their children.  The days when I'd rather be stranded on an island than sit through one more PLC, faculty meeting, or content planning.  The days when teaching is out of the question, and it is just about surviving until 3 o'clock.

So, why?  Why do I do what I do?

I think the last sentence of  this note I got from a student says it.....

There are kids that don't get hugs. There are kids that have never been told "I love you." There are kids that come from nothing and more than likely are on a path to nothing.  There are the kids whose parents are too busy with their own lives that they never ask for homework, check folders, or make an appearance at a conference.  There are kids whose parents get them out of every ounce of trouble they find themselves in only to place the blame on an adult because their kids are just perfect.

Then there are the other kids.  There are kids that their parents make sure homework is done. There are kids who take the assignment one step further because they just want to.  There are kids that are encouraged and loved and kissed and told, "you're great" every single day.

Why do I do what I do?  Because there are these kids,  regardless of what color they are or what neighborhood they're from or who their parents are, or that have a disability or are gifted, these kids, they have potential.  I want them to be the best they can be.

If a child's best is a C-, I'm going to push them to get that C-.

If a child never does their homework at home, I am going to give them time each day to get it done before class.

If a child has never been loved, I am going to love him.

If a child is more than just a kid in a wheelchair, I'm going to push him out of his comfort zone and the limitations others have put on him.

These kids are my kids for 9 months of the year.  It is up to me to show them what they can do if only they try.  It is up to me to love them, to hold them when they cry.  It is up to me to high five them, laugh with them, and encourage them.

I am not their friend. I am their teacher.

It is up to me to show them what I see in them and open the door so they can pursue something more than their circumstance.

In my fourteen years of teaching elementary school, I have had approximately 1,000 students.  That is 1,000 lives I've touched.  I am about half way through my teaching career, so double that.  I will have touched about 2,000 lives (if that isn't right, I am sorry. I am a language arts teacher, not a math teacher).  That is the size of some small towns.

Imagine the potential in those numbers.  Those kids can make difference in this world.  I am a piece of that path.  My hope is that something I say or do will create a spark in them to light the world afire with great things.

Teaching is like sowing the seeds of Christ.  You may never see the harvest of the seeds you planted.  There are kids that I see now as adults who are in the military, who are in college, who are becoming colleagues (wow that makes me feel old). I see that they are doing great things.  But others, I may never know if anything I did made an impact.  And if not me, maybe someone did, maybe someone saw their potential and helped open a door.


So, why do I do what I do?  Because there are these kids, and they have potential.

What a week! Oh, it's only Wednesday!

I totally had this moment in my class Monday.....

Yesterday brought this moment......

Today, I didn't realize a student was absent until 2 p.m.

I read somewhere that dancing can ease your stress.  So, I may try this.....

 I really want to walk away like this on Friday.....

Schools for Military Kids

I would like a little feedback from my military mom readers.  My husband and I are considering going active duty instead of staying in the reserves.  We want the best educational opportunity for our children.  From mom to mom, I'd like to know:

1. Do you home school or do your children attend school?

2. If your children attend school, is it a public school, private school, or a school on base?

3.  What are your educational regrets with your children? What would you change?

If we do decide to go active duty, I will have to continue to work.  There's a little word called bills!  So, I would have to find me a job, hopefully a teaching job since that's what I do. 

A Big Day for the Big Boys

The fifth graders at our school hold a mini mall each year as part of their economics project.  In the beginning, Colin was so not in to it.  He didn't want to participate and then decided on a project that he expected me to do. Ummm. No.  I finally convinced him to make and sell popcorn. He was hesitant, but he did it.  We were up until 9 last night popping popcorn in our hot air poppers and bagging and salting it. Popcorn was everywhere.  He told me it was so much fun.  Well, he is quite the salesman because he sold all 37 bags of popcorn for 50 cents a bag.  I was so proud of him. He said the coolest part was selling out, that it felt great! 

Carson and his Tiger Scout group visited our local fire department. It is run by volunteers and the gentlemen there tonight were not on call to work, but gladly spent over an hour with us.  They taught the boys about fire safety, and the boys saw a firefighter suit up, heard personal stories from firefighters, got some treats, climbed inside firetrucks, and sprayed from a real fire hose!  Man I wish I were a kid!  Carson, and his mama, had so much fun. 

Back to school

My first grader....

My fifth grader....

The beginning of my 13th year of teaching.

I don't look 48 do I?  One of my students asked me if I was 48.  Not a good way to start the new school year!

Before we get too busy....

Just a little update on what we've been up to....

Colin decided he wanted to eat out at Casa Grande for his 10th birthday.  The next night he celebrated with his best buddies by going to the movies and having a sleep over.  Because we were at a loss as to what to get him for a birthday present, we allowed him to pick out his own gift.  After narrowing it down between Legos or a new bike, guess what he picked....A NOOK! 

None of my kiddos are playing soccer this year. Carson was totally not interested. We did sign Colin up, but when he found out the age group was changed to include 13 and 14 year olds, he asked not to play.  I don't encourage my kids to be quitters, but I had to agree with him.  I was not comfortable with that decision to change the age group. Colin loves to play, but he felt like it was not a good thing to do at this point.  Needless to say when Hilarie took her kiddos to practice, I was very thankful we didn't have to go.

I think having a break from sports will be a good thing.  School is starting back shortly and Jeff has some upcoming trips.  All in all I think we will be very thankful not to have anything extra for a while.  I do hope that Colin will want to do Super Saturdays at WKU this fall. That is always fun.  He is already asking about playing Upward basketball again.

A couple of weeks ago we held a competition called Are You Smarter than a Preacher? at our church.  On Wednesday evenings, the older elementary kids attend Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills.  To test their knowledge, they came up with this "game show." Our 3 pastors (Dr. Copass, Jeff, and Steve Newman) were used as cheats.  However, they had to know the same material the kids had been working on.  I have to say, I was impressed by these boys and girls.  Josiah was the overall winner and received a trophy.  All the participants received medals for their hard work.  It was a super fun night, and I am so appreciate of Leslie for doing this program with our kids.  I am going to make more of an effort to study with Colin this sesson so I can learn the skills as well.

Last night we went to Carson's Open House for first grade!  YES, FIRST GRADE.  He has a wonderful teacher whom I've actually had the pleasure in working with when she taught 5th grade.  Tonight, Colin and I have our Open House.  Jeff will take him to meet his teacher (whom he is looping with, she's pretty awesome too - Love ya Baxter aka Aunt Kelly) and I get to meet my students.  Then, summer vacation will come to an end as we head back to school on Wednesday. Plans for tomorrow, our last day together for summer vacation....NOTHING!

Going Out With a Bang

Actually, it was more like a splat, sore arm, and bruised hip!


Yesterday was the last day of school. I had a fabulously fun day planned for my kids who came and stayed all day....lots of recess, a free book, iPods, DS's, and movies.


Toward the end of the day, one of the boys was sprawled out on the floor playing, and as I walked by, he stretched out and I hit the floor.


No one moved. Not even me.


The kids started asking if I was ok. I assured them I was, but I don't think they believed me until I finally picked myself up off the floor.


Man, the last day of school is rough!

Pie Anyone?

On Monday, we celebrated with students who performed well on their latest assessments.  They had the opportunity to "purchase" tickets to throw a pie at our principal.  Well, students began making special requests of faculty they wanted to throw a pie at.

 Pictured above is our Guidance Counselor, Principal, Assistant Principal, Me, and our PE teacher.

We had lots of fun. Our PE teacher was the big winner of the event as you can tell.  Colin was so excited to get to throw a pie at his mama!

Back to School Memories

When I was a kid, I loved going to school. I loved the back to school shopping where I got new clothes and a new lunch box. I was really into the girly school supplies; you know, anything colorful with feathers or sparkles on it!


I’ll never forget going to Wal-Mart one year and holding my new lunch box in the checkout line. My nose starting bleeding!

I always like coming home with my new clothes and modeling them.

As a teacher, one of the sweetest back to school memories I have is receiving a note from a parent. It let me know that she had been praying for me and our school year. I taped it to the pullout on my desk and read it several times throughout the year.

This year, I will have two children in school. Carson will be starting kindergarten and Colin will be a fourth grader at my school. I will be able to take Colin to school for the first time this year. That is special for me because Jeff has always done it.

When Colin started kindergarten, the guidance counselor emailed me during the day to let me know that he saw Colin and he was having a great day. That was such a nice thing for him to do.

I would love to hear some of your favorite back to school memories.

Just a little news.....

Life has been busy.....

Colin and Carson are well into soccer. Colin is playing U8 and is being coached by Mrs. Leslie from church and his dad. Carson is "playing" U4 and is being "coached" by his Mama. I'll tell ya, coaching 3 year old soccer is very interesting. Thankfully, my trusty sidekick Hilarie is helping me.

School is in full swing. I am teaching only fourth grade this year and I LOVE my class. I'm teaching them science and language arts (reading and writing). I've not taught reading in several years so I'm trying to do a good job with it. We have a new principal this year as well.

Colin is in Mrs. Banton's second grade class. She and I graduated high school together. Carson is in Mrs. Pamela's class this year. He is all potty trained except for the whole nighttime part. It comes and goes.

Oh, did I mention that our family will be getting bigger in March?

Next Year, Your Child Will be in ---- Grade

Today was the last day of school.

I do not get very sentimental about that. Some teachers spend the day crying over their kids, but I don't. Maybe its that we live in a small town and every where I go, I hear, "Hey, Mrs. Grimes!" I know I'll see my students often.

Maybe its just that I know that I've had my time with them and now it is time to pass them on to someone else.

With my job, I'm taking these young kids and turning them into middle schoolers. Its tough. There are days when you can laugh and enjoy each and every moment. Then there are some days when you are ready to pull your hair out and can't hardly wait until your student worker comes to be able to send him to the snack machine for a much needed Snickers bar and grape soda (Thanks, Robert. I don't know how I would have survived without you). Some kids you can love them and be kind and gentle. Others, you have to be tough as nails. We learned at a PD what it meant to be fair and it wasn't treating everybody the same. Fair is giving each individual child what he/she needs.

At the end of the year, I look back and ask the question, "Did I do a good job?" How is that answered? Not always by test scores or report cards. Not always by the Principal's evaluation.

What is it that tells a teacher, "You did a good job?"

Sometimes its that big hug and "I love you" you get from the child that spent the first 9 weeks of school cussing and hating everyone and just thought he'd be better off dead.

Maybe its the kid that you had for two years (because you made a deal with his mom that you would be his teacher until he passed) and on his final report card says, "I did it! I get to go to middle school. Look, I finally don't have any F's!"

Maybe its the ARC meeting you sit in at 4:00 PM on the last day of school with a mom and she states that she has seen positive changes in her son since he has been attending your school.

Sometimes it is that letter you get from a young girl a year after the fact stating that she remembers the talks you had and appreciated the fact that you wanted her to succeed.

Sometimes it is the young man you run in to at Wal-Mart and says, "Man, I miss you. You were right about what they were going to expect from us at the middle school."

Maybe it is the junior in high school that tells people, "Yea, Mrs. Grimes is tough, but she wants you to learn."

Maybe it is that Senior in high school that is about to graduate tomorrow and tells people that you were caring toward her as her fourth grade teacher.

I'm not so naive that I think every student I've had over the last 9 years will remember me or like me. I'm not Teacher of the Year by any means. But I do know that in each group, I've done a good job with somebody by seeing them out in the community doing good, by reading about them in the paper (NOT the police beat). Now, I don't take full credit for their success, but that is my reassurance that I didn't mess them up too badly! I love my job. Like any other, there are ups and downs. There are kids that I'm going to worry over. His he being molested? His he being fed? Is she running around with the wrong crowd? Is she making good choices in her relationships? A sad thing about it is that as a teacher, I have a pretty good idea how these kids are going to turn out. I can tell you who the pregnant teen girls will be, who the dropouts and potheads will be, and who will be dead or in jail by the time they are 21. That's so difficult. These children are precious. Regardless of how bad a day may get, I can see the potential in these kids. What they can become is so amazing! Yet, I am only a small part of their lives. There are so many other influences they have.

I just pray that these children that left me today, the many others I've had the pleasure of teaching, and those that I had my first year that graduate tomorrow will make wise choices, recognize their full potential, and seek God in everything they do.

Please pray for your children. Pray for all children. It may sound cliche, but CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. If we as a nation are to have a future at all, we want them to be God fearing, God loving, God serving adults.