I hope you each had a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)  I had a great time and it was restful and relaxing!

​Now, thinking about what we can do with our children/students at Christmas time is what I am thinking about. I know at many schools you can't do Santa etc, so I liked to do snowmen! 
​Here is a fun activity that turns out great for a snowman. You can even make it into an ornament. It is so enjoyable to see how everyone's turns out so differently!
You can find the directions here: busyclassroom.weebly.com/december-crafts.html

​

What are you thankful for this holiday season. I am thankful for so many things in my life. I am thankful for my family, my health, my job, my students and the wonderful life I get to live each day.
​I do feel like every single day is a gift. A couple of years ago I lost my best friend. It was sudden, and scary. When things like that happen it makes you think differently. I tell people now, that complain about wrinkles and getting older, that it is gift to grow old. It is a gift to have those wrinkles---and I truly feel that way.
​I hope that as we start 2018, we are all able to look back on what we have done and be better at whatever it is we are going  to do next.
​I hope that we can value each other more, engage with families and children  in a way that makes them love school and feel valued and comfortable. I hope we hold our families tighter, and that we learn to love one another, and the differences that we each bring to this world! :)

​I love teaching, I am a co-learner with my students. I love being able to share ideas, resources and experiences with them. I love to hear what they are experiencing and how they are making  a difference in the world.

​I hope that everyone has a wonderful and THANKFUL week!  Have fun and enjoy your family and friends!  Do something great for someone else.  Give back! 

​DR. Shipley

Praise and encouragement are two ways we can feel good about each  other. I am going to offer 30 ways to say "VERY GOOD".  This was taken from an unknown source but I have used it with families in my classroom for a very long time.
It is important that we let students know they are doing a good job.

*Good for you
*Superb
*You did that very well
*You've got it made
*Terrific
*Couldn't have done it better myself
*You're doing just fine!
*You're really improving
*Now you've got it figured out
*Outstanding
*Incredible
*Good work
*You figured it out the first time
*I think you've got it now
*Tremendous
*You did really well today
*Perfect
*Nice going
*Now you've got the hang of it
*WOW
*You're getting better every day
*You are learning that fast
*Super
You make it look so easy
*You did a lot of work today
*Keep it up
*Congratulations
*Exactly right
*Nice job

I also like:
1. High five through the air
2. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done
3. Give yourself a round of applause

I  find that children love to be praised, they want to know you see them doing a good job. Lets start today. 
If you are modeling this, you will see your students begin doing the same thing!

To the DIFFICULT ONES
I'll be patient

To the PAINED ones
I'll be concerned

To the FRUSTRATED ONES
I'll be committed

To the IGNORED ones
I'll be accepting

To the INDIFFERENT ones
I'll be caring

To the DEMANDING ones
I'll be modeling

To the ANTISOCIAL ones
I'll be including

To the UNATTENTIVE ones
I'll be interesting

To the NEGATIVE ones
I'll be assisting.

Are you these things?  If not, what can you do differently?

BY Robert John Meehan

This is one of my favorite quotes.  I wanted to share it with you!

"Next to hugging your child, reading aloud is probably one of the longest lasting experiences that you can put into your child's life.

You will savor it long after they have grown up.

Reading aloud is important for all the reasons that talking to children is important---
to inspire them, to guide them, to educate them, to bond with them and to communicate our feelings, hopes and fears.

You are giving children a piece of your time."

---Jim Trelease
The Readloud Handbook