Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Cookies and Ice Cream




Today as I focused on doing assessments during my Young 5’s play time several learning games items turned into play items.  My students found uses for items that I didn’t dream.  As clean- up time came a box of plastic alphabet cookies sat empty, the plastic cookie shapes were missing.  I asked? “Who got out the ABC cookies?”  Maddie admitted she’d got them out, from behind where I was sitting.  How did that happen without me noticing? 
“Where did you play with them?” I asked
“In housekeeping.”
I looked at the assortment of items left to be put away, no sign of the game pieces.
“Look in the cupboards; we need to put them where they belong.”
Several eager children joined in the search.  As the process continued Legos, Magnatiles, the farm and the play dough were all put away.  The room was returning to order. I returned to ask.  “Did anyone find the cookies?”  Still missing.
By this time I was feeling frustrated.  I invest a lot of my personal money into learning games and I don’t want them to get lost.  I asked in a firm voice of the whole class, “does anyone know where the ABC cookies are?”  From the clatter of putting the big wooden blocks away I hear a small voice. “I think they might be in the vanilla ice cream.” 
A child went to the empty carton I’d washed and saved months ago.  I was planning on using it to create an ice cream store.  When I set up the store I know the menu will include cookies.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

An Unexpected Phone Call



An early morning phone call for most  people would bring concern.  For me the call brought delight.  Today, we had our fourth day off in three weeks.  To make it even more relaxing, this weekend we have Friday and Monday off for our mid-winter break.  I can almost feel my blood pressure subsiding as I take the time to do things I’ve put off. 
I admit to regretting not having my students make their Valentine’s card holders earlier, but we’ll get it done.
 I had a delightful day of making soup stock, cleaning the fridge and the joy of listening to some of our son's sermons on line.  I even squeezed in a trip to work to set up a new system for my small reading groups.   I had the time to call the endodontist and pay a bill--before it was even sent!  I even had time to smile at the parents grumbling on Facebook about our school cancellation.  
I didn’t take time, or courage to comment on that!