Sharing is Caring

This week the theme was sharing. Have you ever noticed that a child with disabilities is either amazing at sharing and getting along with other children, or the complete opposite. Well this week I've noticed a great deal of love between the children. Usually someone isn't playing nice with the other children, but this week there was so much sharing happening. I watched them share food and share the game they were playing, or the pencil they were writing with. Maybe it was the love in the air from Valentines, or maybe the spring weather that was making everyone get along. Whatever it was it was simply amazing:) With so much sharing in the atmosphere you could feel a sense of love and unity that only comes from the heart of each child. What a great time to be a teacher watching your children grow:)

Some Great Quotes about Sharing:
"Sharing. you can only have MORE for yourself by giving it away to others."
" Happiness is only real when Shared."
"Happiness never will be decreased if shared."
"The more we share, the more we Have."
"Sharing is Caring. It can be fun."


 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY with a day of learning!
Birthdays are such a special time to recognize those that we love. This week we had a birthday party for one of the co-student teachers in our class. The children were so excited and happy to participate in creating birthday card, eating cake and cookies and being involved in a balloon game. One of the children was not having a good day though. He has been acting out lately and just not being himself. Today he came up and tore down the decorations for the party and walked away. This hurt, especially after all the effort that was put into creating such a fun party. But instead of freaking out and yelling at him, I was forced to stay calm, breathe, and kindly ask him if he was okay and why he did that. Unfortunately he didn't have an answer, but later in our group debrief i found out he has been struggling in school and home and its taken a tole on him.
I learned a lesson today. No matter what someone does to you, you never know what they are going through. I was so happy I was kind to him and still loved him after such a rude act. Make it a goal to be the better person, to love those that do you wrong, and especially don't forget to have patience with your children.

 

Patience is a Virtue

I found a common theme in working with children this week. That theme was patience. I found it to truly be a virtue given from on high. There were times that I simply couldn't do it anymore... but I felt an extra push from within. The children I work with have very hard homes and for all their needs and disabilities- I'm afraid to say- they don't receive patience and love at home. So I really focused on being the difference in their lives. As an example of this, I thought of a pile of rocks. While they may be surrounded by water and sand, constantly hitting them and changing the environment around them, they are able to stand still and keep steady because of each rock under them supporting them and holding them steady. How was I to become that rock in their lives?- I asked myself. So I began to focus on the why?- Why did I want to be that for them? Through my diligence, and observation of the situations when I needed patience the most,  I found the how.
With all things, we need a purpose to why we do what we do. That purpose will grow strength in our heart and also a spirit of determination that will uphold us against any hard day. That is when we begin to develop patience. The true virtue of patience comes with time and a lot of practice.




Fluency Disorder (stuttering): I actually grew up with a brother that had a stuttering disorder. Although it only happened when he was excited, or nervous. I really got to see his point of view this week while i had to go to stores and speak as though i had one. People had to be so patient with me, i had to be patient with myself and speak slowly enough to get things out so people understood. I truly am so grateful for the ability to speak. And i am so thankful for the patience of those around me. I hope those with true disorders receive the same kind of love and patience.

Something in the Air

This week while working with my fourth graders there was just something in the air. By this i mean they were so frigidity, had no desire to participate, said ridiculous things, got in fights, and refused to do their homework. 

Have you ever experienced your child simply having an off day? What are some things you did to handle it? This week I learned that sometimes you simply cannot do anything, except be patient, take them aside and not let them think it is okay to act in this manner. Children test our waters, and definitely love testing authority. Raising and working with children is not an easy task. Unlike other jobs that have basic routines. This job, whether you are a stay at home mom, or caregiver- is not basic nor does your routines always go as planned. Your child(ren) will have their days, you will have your off days too, they will get sick, they will not want to do the activity or lesson you have planned, and or something else will come up. The key in any of these situations is communication. 

We cannot help them, if they do not express to us what is wrong, or why they don't want to participate. And you can simply say that, " Express to me what you are feeling, so I can help you." Many children will take this as you genuinely care for their feelings and opinion and your not just powering over them. You will find trust and a genuine relationship grow as you communicate and listen. Then once you have done that make an executive decision that benefits both parties. This will have a positive impact on your relationship with the children, but also a positive effect on the classroom. Make sure though that they are not manipulating you or over powering your authority. At the end of the day you must be loving, respectful and do what is best for them, even when they don't think it is.