When the Cat's Away...

When the cat's away, the mice will play! While hurrying through the halls the other day, I passed a kindergarten class on its way to lunch. A purple plastic Easter egg grabbed my attention because its owner was holding it up in the air jangling it rather loudly. Thinking it contained coins for buying ice cream, I said, "Well THAT'S a fun way to carry your lunch money!" 
"It's got SKITTLES in it," she explained. 
 "Well what a yummy dessert THAT will be," I replied. Raising her left eyebrow, she answered, "Ummmm, I don't think they're gonna last THAT long!" 
 And with a giggling swagger, she proceeded on her way to lunch. I guess when Mama's not around to oversee, skittles can indeed make a DIVINE appetizer!

He Speaks the Truth!

Personalities. There are all kinds in this big old world, and in second grade classes, we're discussing them as part of a unit on respecting ourselves and others. We're learning that the world needs all types of personalities because, for one thing, they help guide people in choosing careers, and of course our world needs all kinds of workers to fill all kinds of jobs! As part of the lesson, we talked about a variety of personality traits, and then I asked the children to rate themSELVES on some of them. They were to use their fingers to show me how much of each trait they considered themselves to have. For example, if they were naturally super friendly, they might hold up 8, 9, or 10 fingers. If they were more reserved and shy, they'd only hold up a few. I stressed that there were no right or wrong answers and asked them to be honest in their assessment of themselves. In a Thursday afternoon class, we were nearing the end of this activity, and that was a good thing because the last answer from the class cracked us up and created a moment of chaos! The question was this: "On Saturdays when you have a free day to have fun and be yourself, how LOUD do you like to be?" As students thought about the question and started holding up fingers to answer, one little Dennis the Menace who almost always has enthusiasm written all over his face blurted at high volume, "I'm gonna need a few more FINGERS!" Immediately, two of his buddies sitting on the carpet near him held up all their fingers and lined them up with "Dennis's", enabling him to have a score of 30! Yep, that's about right!

Boss yourself around! That's one of the self-control ideas we're learning in kindergarten guidance classes. Since strong feelings can come upon us anytime and anyplace, we need to have some ways that we can ALWAYS use to calm down as well as some ways we can SOMETIMES use (such as talk, rest, exercise, play). The ways we can always use are breathe, count, click, boss, and push-pull-dangle. After introducing the first four ideas to a kindergarten class last week, the children and I practiced taking deep belly-breaths, counting backwards slowly, clicking onto happy thoughts, and bossing ourselves around. We learned that it's not good to boss your FRIENDS around, but telling yourSELF to do the right thing is helpful. While we were practicing this bossing technique, we stuck our bossing fingers in our faces and said such things to ourselves as, "Calm down. Chill! Get a grip. Suck it up, Baby! Ho-o-o-o-ld your horses! Cool your jets, Dude. Do the right thing. Slow down, stop and think!" Looking around the room, I noticed a tiny dark-haired boy wiggling around in his chair inattentively and not participating. Calling his name, I said, "Sweetie, point your bossing finger at yourself for me. Stick that finger in your face." Still squirming in his chair, the child solemnly took his index finger, pointed it at his face, and then promptly stuck it up his nose! Ummm, that's not precisely what I had in mind, but it did crack me up!

Music Speaks!

Music can grab my attention and tug at my heartstrings, and I'm sure many of you have the same experience from time to time. Songs can also add variety to my classroom lessons, as well as giving children a chance to wiggle. For these reasons, I often include music in my lessons. In second grade, we'e in the midst of a long unit on respecting ourselves and others. A couple of topics have been on the importance of respecting cultural and money differences, so I read Dolly Parton's book Coat of Many Colors one day. Since we live so close to Dolly's home in Sevier County and to Dollywood Theme Park, the kids are familiar with her. Many of them have also seen the 2 TV movies based on Dolly's childhood in the Smoky Mountains, so interest in this book was already there. After the story, I taught and sang Coat of Many Colors, accompanied by my guitar playing. Lots of children were familiar with the words, especially the chorus, so they sang their little hearts out. As I was putting my guitar back in the case at the end of class this past Thursday, a chubby cheeked second grade boy softly called my name. This little boy has had some severe family problems to live through and is now in a healthy, nurturing environment both at home and at school. He had been sitting just 2 feet away from me, had helped me open my guitar case, and had sat mesmerized as we sang the song.
 Because there was lots of commotion while half the students were being dismissed to go back to their classrooms, I leaned forward to hear the child's soft-spoken words. I got the feeling he didn't want anyone else to hear. Looking up at me with earnest blue-green eyes, he said gently, "Miss Mimi, that song makes me want to give all the love in my heart." My reply was a hug and an affirmation. "Well I bet you have lots of love to share." I got a bit teary-eyed, knowing the struggles this sweet boy has, and I thanked God for the joy of small moments such as this one.

Time...It's all Relative!

Now we all know that kindergarten students have a developmentally rudimentary perspective on time spans, but this comment just brought out the giggles in me!  Here's what happened.  In a lesson explaining conscience and how it can help us make decisions, I told a true story about some double trouble I got into when I was 4 years old.  My little sister Beth and I did something wrong and were about to get punished when I looked my mama right in the eyes and blamed the whole incident on Beth, who didn't even take up for herself.  Instead, Beth got punished and I didn't.  "Now you MIGHT think I was happy that I didn't get in trouble," I said to the class.  "But I felt like the rottenest kid on earth.  I couldn't sleep a wink that night, but just tossed and turned and turned and tossed.  I kept thinking about my sweet little sister, who took a punishment for me, and I remembered how much I love my parents and how I'd lied to my mama's face and how she trusted me.  My conscience was causing me to feel guilty and ashamed and worried, and it was helping me think about right and wrong."  The children sat mesmerized, as they LOVE to hear their teachers' childhood stories, and I could tell that they were shocked and disappointed in me for being so mean to my little sister. At the conclusion of my story, I told the kindergartners that this story happened a L-O-O-O-N-G time ago, and the reason I still remember it is that it was the day I realized I had a conscience, and I still feel bad about what I did that day.  Now here comes the funny part.  In the midst of this solemn conversation, one of my favorite little girls, a tiny blonde with beautiful blue eyes, blurted out in all seriousness, "Hey, that was a REALLY long time ago....I was still a BABY!"  (Who knew that "babyhood" lasted for over 50 years!!)

These Boots Are Made For Comfort

Boots, boots, and more boots. I love boots of all styles and colors, except I must admit that I recently gave my high-heeled ones away, even though they were quite pretty and in good shape. I guess I just don't have the will or patience to deal with the lack of comfort and speed that come with wearing heels! Last year I found a good online deal on UGG-style boots during the end of winter sale season. On one of our few snow days that year, I went a little wild buying boots of many colors, and this year I've enjoyed wearing them very much. They feel just like bedroom shoes! Well one morning this past week, I wore my pink sparkly boots to school. As I made my daily rounds along the school hallways while the students were arriving and making their way to class, I got scads of comments from little girls who were big fans of the pink sparkles. "Ooh Miss Mimi, you look like a princess!" "Those are Barbie boots!" "You're pink from head to toe!" (Not really, but I did have on a pink denim jacket.) But I had to giggle out loud when a first grader complimented my boots and asked where I got them. "Sears," I said. "But I got them last year." Then, based purely on her first grade perspective, she screwed up her face and asked, "If you got them last year, how come they still fit?" Ha ha... I just love kids!

Best Present Ever

Not recognizing the number, I didn't answer my phone Thursday morning. Listening to the message left by the caller, I was filled with curiosity. A lady had left a cordial message saying that she was trying to get in touch with my husband, Phillip. He had been her child's special ed teacher many years ago, and she said she'd appreciate a return call from him. Since Phillip and I worked at the same school for 24 years, I recognized the name of the former student but was perplexed about the purpose of the call. After all, the boy had been one of our students around 20 years ago.

Because we only had a half day of school due to the holiday break, I was happy to go out to lunch with Phillip. I told him about the phone message, and his furrowed brow and tilted head showed me that he was as surprised to hear from this lady as I was. After lunch, I went Christmas shopping while Phillip went back home. When I pulled into our garage a couple of hours later, Phillip met me at the car with tears in his eyes. However, these were tears of gratitude and joy, not sadness. He said that the mother had called to express her appreciation to Phillip for the spark he'd ignited in her son as a young child. Her child had "graduated" from special ed fairly quickly and had gone on to get a master's degree from a respected North Carolina university. Her son is also a fine poet and writer and is thriving today. The mother said that she gave Phillip and God the credit for turning this child on to learning and for giving him the confidence to believe in himself.

Two lessons were brought home to me through this occurrence. First, every single one of us has a need to make a positive difference in this world, and we all need affirmation that we've done that. Second, I know that many times I get the urge to say or do something nice for someone, simply out of love, but most times I don't follow through. Taking the time to carry out these nudges or inclinations is what matters, not just thinking the thoughts. Phillip and I are so impressed and thankful that this kind woman took the time during this busy season to get my number from a mutual friend, to call me out of the blue, and to express these meaningful messages to my husband. Phillip ended their conversation by telling her that this was one of the very best Christmas presents he could possibly receive.

Merry Christmas, Friends, and my we all be more kind and intentional in SHOWING that kindness during 2017!