Oberon's Shenanigans- Day 5

     Well, I'm gonna have trouble topping this one. I just loved it. I have seen similar things on Pinterest, but I decided to add my own spin to it.

     I am doing a new behavioral system for December. I hung a mini-stocking for each child, and they begin each day with 3 candy canes inside. If they finish the day with 3 or more candy canes, the day was a success. Any less, and they do not receive treasure box for the day.

     However, on day 5, the kiddos walked in to find no candy canes in their stockings. Instead, they found poor Oberon all tied up with this note...

     They all cracked up, but a bit uncomfortably. They thought it was funny, but were a little concerned about whether or not Oberon was okay. One child suggested that maybe Oberon did this himself, which I had to admit would be in character for our mischievous little friend.

     This turned into an all-day hunt for our candy canes, and they all had a lot of fun. Everyone went home with treasure box. But not before talking me in to untying him. Which brings me to a question... Does everyone else stick to the rule of not touching your elf? I have established a rule that the kiddos cannot touch the elf, but adults can, since Santa has entrusted the little helpers to us to care for. Opinions?

Oberon's Shenanigans- Day 4

     Oberon was pretty funny this weekend. We came in to find him zip-lining through the classroom on a string of Christmas lights. He was carrying a note that read "I got bored while you al were home for the weekend! It was an accident..." and he had TPed our entire classroom.

     This little elf is cracking us up and we are having so much fun seeing what he is up to each day. The kids constantly write him letters and draw him pictures.
     And it doesn't only encourage them to work hard- I feel the challenge daily to get more and more creative in setting up his shenanigans!

Oberon's Shenanigans- Day 3

     Today, we played a game called "Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?" in my Jr. Kindergarten class. It was a game my niece did at her birthday party, and I just had to see my kiddos do it. In the game, we separated into different groups. Then, we chose a "snowman" and rolled that person in toilet paper. When that was done, we added buttons, a carrot nose, and sticks for arms. It was so funny.

My niece playing the game.

     Anyway- that night, our crazy elf, Oberon, decided he wanted to try it as well. We came in on Friday morning to find him all wrapped up as a snowman with little buttons all down his front. Even his nose was painted orange. The kids cracked up, and couldn't wait to play the game again!

Oberon's Shenanigans- Day 2

     Today, our elf must have been feeling homesick. We walked into class this morning to find that Oberon was making snow angels in a pile of glitter! The students loved this- as they love anything that sparkles- but I found myself disappointed in it, myself. I didn't like the way his hands were, first of all. I guess I need to separate his hands. It is limiting me too much.
     But the biggest problem I had with this, was that I didn't have a large enough container. I felt like it looked odd. I wish I had taken more time to set up a little winter wonderland to make this look more impressive... oh well. Next time.

Christmas Gifts I LOVE for Parents!

     If you teach preschool, then you are likely feeling the pressure weighing on you to find the perfect Christmas craft to gift to your kiddos' parents this year. Christmas is less than 3 weeks away, and these projects are never quick. It seems that no matter how early I get started, I always wind up awake all night the last night finishing up. With 30 kids on my class roll, I'm afraid this year won't be any different.
     But in case you are still at a complete loss for what to do, I compiled some of the crafts I have done before and added some adorable ones that I found on Pinterest (Thank God for Pinterest!).

1. Button Ornament Cards

     I made these cards with my kids a few years ago. We used a gold paint pin to draw the bows and write "Merry Christmas" on each card. Then, we picked some simple little buttons for the ornaments. My favorite part about this, was that we took a class Christmas photo, which was enclosed inside the card, and then mailed them each out, instead of handing them out as they picked up. The parents loved them, and the kids loved getting mail!

     If I had this to do all over again, there are a couple of things I would do differently. First of all, I'd have written "Merry Christmas" before I did anything else. I wound up having to squeeze the words in wherever they would fit, and I think it made some of them look sloppy. The major change I would make though, would be to pick some more interesting buttons. I found myself immediately wishing that I had bought buttons in different sizes- and maybe even different designs or shapes.

2. Fingerprint Candy Cane Card

     I haven't tried this one yet, but I think it is so simplistically cute! I have seen variations of it before that didn't particularly impress me, but I love this one on the green cardstock and with the adorable little bow.

     I think that the only thing I would change about this card is that I'd like to see something written on the front. Maybe just a simple "2014" in the bottom left? I so often see old gifts in the houses of my old students, hung up in frames. If this one were to make the beautiful walls of these homes, I'd like to see the year on it.

3. Handprint Santa Mason Jars

     I cannot say enough about how much I LOVE these mason jars! Mason jars are so trendy right now anyway, and these are just too cute. This is such a cute idea that parents could decorate with year after year.

     As much as I love this, I know that when I do this (most likely this year), mine will look entirely different. Firstly, I think the Santa face is a little lazy. Going to all this trouble and then adding 3 little black dots? I think we can do better. Then, I'd consider the colors of the jars. I think if you are going to decorate with mason jars, you have to think about what kind of style you are going for. Somehow, the bright colors look out of place to me. I think red, green, and blue can all be used, but maybe a duller version of each.

4. Silhouette Ornaments

     Every year I swear I am going to do a silhouette gift for one of the holidays, and this one will have to be it. I love every little piece of these, and they will go so perfectly with my mason jar gifts above! All I will have to do is glitter the band, then cover the lid with a cute holiday plaid fabric. Then, cute out each child's silhouette for the perfect finishing touch!

     There is NOTHING that I would change about this craft. I think it is just right the way it is.

5. Handprint Snowmen Ornament

     So simple and so sweet, right down to the cute little note. The first gift I ever received as a teacher was a simple ball like this with a plain white handprint on the bottom and the little boys name. That ornament is hanging on my festive little mismatched tree today, 5 years later. It may not be the most creative idea, but it is sweet and it is special. The fact that these are made into snowmen makes this even better!

     The only thing I would change here is the note. It has such an adorable little rhyme on it, but it is difficult to read. I would space it so that the rhyming words ended the line. Other than that, I love it.

6. Glitter Handprint Ornament

     I know we have all seen the glitter ornaments 100 times, but this one is a nice twist. So simple, but so perfect.

     The pinner of this idea claims this was done with swirl paint on the inside, and a glitter glue handprint on the outside. I find it hard to believe there is a glitter-glue that is this good. I personally would do a craft glue handprint, then sprinkle it with lots of glitter.

     That is all I have for today. Monday, I will begin working on the Handprint Santa Mason Jars and the Silhouette Ornaments. They go together so nicely, and I just can't choose between them. When I have finished them, I will post the final product to see how my version differs from the ones shown here!

I wish you all luck! Hope this helped a little!

Oberon's Shenanigans- Day 1

     This year, our class is being visited by a scout elf from the North Pole for the first time. I am only sad that I did not begin this tradition earlier.

     The kids LOVE our elf, Oberon. They love all his mischief, his love, his letters. They love to write to him. They love to read to him. He inspiring two of my very favorite things: learning and laughter.

     He arrived the day of our Thanksgiving party, where at our school, we have an event called "Pies with Parents" to celebrate with our children's families. After walking around, serving the kiddos various types of pie, I finally came around with the last pie.

     But when I opened the pie box, there lay a scout elf, surrounded only by crumbs of the missing pie!

We knew immediately that Oberon was going to be quite mischievous. As we talked about it, the kids picked up the word "mischievous" too. For the last several days they have found all sorts of clever ways to use their new impressive vocabulary.

Daddy's Little Girl...

     When I was 5, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a mom. I think I had it all figured out back then, but I didn't know it. My daddy said I would be a mom one day, and a teacher.

     When I was 7, my dad sat me up on one knee and told me I was the smartest girl in the world and I was going to make a difference one day. I told him I was going to be an astronaut. "No," he said. "You cannot be an astronaut, that is too dangerous for my little girl. You will be a teacher."

     When I was 12, I wrote a paper for school about my dream of being a flight attendant. My dad shook his head and told me he'd never sleep if I were constantly flying around. "You need to be a teacher," he told me. "You have so much fun helping with your (16!) nieces and nephews! And you are so good with them!"

     When I was 15, I started taking steps to be an athletic trainer. Then at 18, a psychologist. At 21, I was studying to be a journalist. "No. No. No." my daddy kept saying. "You are meant to be a teacher!"

     I did love children more than anything. But even way back when I was a tiny little girl, sitting on my daddy's knee, I was so scared of becoming a teacher. Over the years, this fear shaped itself into being a lack of confidence in my ability to teach well. I was so afraid that I wouldn't be patient enough, or smart enough, or that I wouldn't be that teacher that makes a huge difference in every child she meets. Even when I was little, I held teachers in high regard.

     While studying to be a journalist, my best friend talked me into helping out at the preschool she worked at to make some extra cash. I was just going to be giving lunch breaks to the teachers, so I'd never be in a classroom more than an hour. This lasted one week.

     My boss called me into her office and gave me a lead teaching position. Despite my lack of experience, she said she knew that I was a teacher. She said I should not be giving lunch breaks, nor should I be an assistant teacher for a while first (which I suggested). So, I called my daddy and said, "I'm a teacher."

     "I know that," he said.

     Things have continued in that direction for 5 years now. I left that small preschool after 2 years (and many, many special little moments) and applied at a couple larger private preschools with pristine reputations. Both offered me the position of a co-lead teacher, and after quite a lot of consideration, I took one of them.

     After a year and a half of amazing teaching days, I found that I had not made the right choice for me. I loved my job, but at this school, the lesson plans were pre-planned and sent in from the corporate headquarters. I loved planning lessons myself.

     So after many tears and much careful consideration, I reapplied at the other school, where I landed my perfect job. I taught 4-year-olds in a PreK class for a year, and have now spent the last several months teaching 5-year-olds in Jr. Kindergarten.

     The school has extremely high standards and expectations, but I love it. I spend hours planning lessons about outer space, only to come in and find out that the kiddos are only interested in dinosaurs today. So I change it up and find another way to capture their attention. No two days are the same, and every day seems better than the last.

     Because my daddy was right. I am a teacher.