Get it Done!

In our ninth week of school, we are getting it done. Today was busy, productive and fun. We are now at a point where we will be doing a history chapter in class and one at home each week. This is to ensure that we will finish our history curriculum this year. The students enjoy listening to the chapter, doing their coloring sheet and map work together. We also discuss the chapter and highlight what they will be studying at home. I have been impressed with their narrations and would like to encourage you to keep up the great work at home!

We had some special treats today from some very thoughtful students. Our resident "Candy King", Hunter Wiggins, supplied the wonderful treat bags your child brought home today. Thank you Hunter! Also, Charlie Edwards was kind enough to bring a card that will enable your child to take a free week of Karate lessons. It sounds like a fun opportunity for all! I heard a few moms planning to coordinate their visit to the karate studio. Thanks Charlie!

We had a special guest in our classroom today. Diana Fowler, mother of Greyson, came and showed our students how to do simple origami. Each child made a mouse and whale. She brought special paper for folding and reinforced our history lesson from last week on Japan. I am thankful for the very talented parents we have in our class. In fact, next week, LeeAnn Wildman (Gracen's mom) is coming to read and do a Thanksgiving/Fall craft. If you would like to come read or do a craft with the class during the year, please call or email me and we can make it happen!

We worked on a Fall craft today. The children picked out their favorite leaves and we put them in wax paper with crayon shavings. The children then made frames for their project. We melted the crayon by ironing the paper, but due to the high interest in the iron, I only did a few swipes per child. You may want to run over the wax paper with the iron at home. The kids then held their project up to the light to see the beautiful Fall stained class they had created. I heard a lot of... Cool! Neat! All in all, I think they were pleased.

I have one request/reminder. This next week I will be using the time while Mrs. Wildman is working with the children to check all of the student's workbooks and journals. Please send all of their workbooks next week. Additionally, if you are behind in their history narrations or any other book this is the time to catch up and let me know so that we can come up with a plan for completion before the end of the semester. Remember, Veritas has a responsibility to uphold certain standards, and your child will receive a report card. Please let me know if you need help, or have questions. I am here to help. Thank you for all you do! Your children are wonderful and I enjoy working with them.

See you next week!

A Little Behind

As you may have noticed, I did not post anything from two weeks ago. I am a little behind. We have had several illnesses at our home that have kept me away from the computer. Before another week slips by, I want to fill you in on last week.

The children continue to do well, but I have a concern. Please make sure you go over the high frequency and sight words with your children. During a writing activity many of the children did not recognize simple sight words. Learning these words provides your child with the confidence they need to become strong readers.

The children had a lot of fun with a new creative writing activity. I made a doodle in their creative writing book that they had to turn into a picture. Then each child had to write two sentences that would tell a story about their picture. Many students were so excited that they asked for another doodle so they could write another story. It was great to see their creativity and enthusiasm.

Looking forward to seeing you this Wednesday. The following week is Fall Break!

We Did It!

I am so thankful to those of you who lifted our class up in prayer today. As the day came to a close, we gathered as a class to thank God for ordering our day in such a way that we were able to get work done and still have time to play. We hope that next week we will have Mrs. Sandy back and healthy. Continue to pray for her recovery and a return of physical energy.

We had a visitor in our class today. The pastor of North Macon Presbyterian and the father of our very own Stone, Hunter Stevenson, stopped in to play a round of "seven up". The children were thrilled for the addition to our game. If you would like to drop by our class for lunch, recess, to read a book, or play a game we would be glad to have you. The children enjoy introducing their parents to their friends.

I have to share the sweetness of your children's hearts. Today during our history review time, I asked who would want to be a monk. The majority of the children's hands went up. I was surprised and intrigued. I asked them to share their reasoning, and here are a few of their answers:

"Because they get to go to church eight times a day and worship God."

"They get to feed the poor and hungry before they feed themselves."

"They get to build tables."

"They spend lots of time in prayer."

These answers are a testimony to the intentional way that you teach your children about Christ and his church. It completely melted my heart and I am sure it will melt yours!

You may have heard we had a bit of excitement today. One of the children was stung by a wasp during recess. We were able to treat the sting quickly and everything turned out fine. I want to assure you that North Macon Preschool staff sprayed the nests immediately, so we should not have this problem again.

I want to encourage each of you to write your child's name inside and outside of their books. When class gets underway it is very easy to pick up the wrong book. This will help everyone get home with all of their belongings.

Have a wonderful week!

Getting Comfortable

I am sure you were impressed with the Roman signum that your child brought home from school today. The kids did a great job creating a signum that would represent their legion in the Roman army. I loved seeing the fierce creatures, or emperors the children drew on their plates. Once our signums were made, we marched down the hall holding them high as we pretended not to let the Barbarians, Celts, Vandals, and Huns take our legion's signum. We were able to relate this history extension to the story we have been reading in class, Teddy's Button. In the story, Teddy's father was responsible for protecting the army's colors/flag. His father was a hero because he rescued the colors from the enemy. Next week, we will talk about the banner that Christ holds over his people. We will talk about how Christ has never dropped his banner of love, and how we as his soldiers must hold the banner of Christ's love over our friends and enemies.

Speaking of enemies, ask your child if they met their greatest enemy in school on Wednesday. In Teddy's Button this week Teddy was told by Pastor Upton that he would meet his greatest enemy in the Christian life. Before I read the part of the story where Teddy meets his enemy, I took the children into the bathroom and had them line up with their backs to the mirror. I asked them if they wanted to meet their greatest enemy. On the count of three I had the children turn around to see their greatest enemy in the mirror--themselves! This led to us finishing the chapter and having a discussion on the war we have with ourselves when it comes to loving, obeying, worshipping and serving Christ. We talked about how knowing and loving Christ is the only way to fight this enemy. It is precious to see these children love this book and identify with this young boy and his journey with our Saviour.

It was obvious today that the students are getting comfortable with me and with school. Everyone has become better acquainted with where everything goes and the order of our school day. The biggest clue to their feeling of comfort was the large amount of excess talking. I had to speak to the group several times about listening and not talking, but the more I think about it this is a good sign. In a matter of three classes, they feel safe and at home. They love their friends and want to share what they are thinking with them. They are excited about what they are learning and can't wait to share the answer. I will continue to remind them of being respectful and proper listening skills, but I am thankful for their enthusiastic and friendly spirits!

I want to take this opportunity to encourage each of you regarding Shurley grammar. We are working in class on alphabetizing and the correct usage of a and an. At this point, I am not expecting mastery. We are going to camp out in these concepts for awhile. Anything you can do to reinforce these concepts at home is great. Perhaps having your child alphabetize your spice rack, dvd's or books at home would be a good review activity. In class we are playing games to reinforce the concepts each week.

I hope each of you has a terrific week. Please let me know if I can help you in any way.

A Happy Day Indeed!

We had another good day at Veritas. The children had fun playing grammar "around the world" and listening to another chapter of Teddy's Button. The most fun, however, came as we celebrated the birthday of our classmate, Hunter. Thanks to Mandi Wiggins (Hunter's mom), we had our snack outside, which consisted of cookie cake, chips, and a fruit drink. As evidenced by the big bag of candy your child brought home, we also had a pinata. The children enjoyed singing to Hunter and celebrating his special day.

Please feel free to send a special treat for the class on your child's special day. We always welcome the opportunity to celebrate one of our classmates. If you would let me know in advance that you will be sending something special for your child's birthday, it will allow me to plan our day appropriately.

I was very impressed by the children's reading logs. Please continue to encourage your children to read everyday. A book that has aided me in selecting books for Jack is Gladys Hunt's Honey for a Child's Heart. Available on amazon.com for under $10, this book contains age appropriate book lists, as well as encouragement for parents to read to their children. You may even be able to find this book at your local library should you be interested.

I hope each of you have had a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend. Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

I think we are going to "love" it here!

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

This past Wednesday marked the first day of school for our first and second grade class. Many of you and your children may have been a bit excited and a bit nervous. I admit both feelings stirred in my heart. How would the children get along? Would they respond to the activities planned for the day? How would everything work out logistically in our new "home"?

I prayed for weeks for a theme verse for our class, and the Lord brought me to John 13:35. He showed me through this verse that no matter what we do this year academically (and it will be a lot) we would have to learn to love each other, even when we don't want too. As I spoke with the children in the morning about what that might look like on days they were at school, I saw eyes focused in, some smiled, others nodded. Needless to say, God was active all day in giving us opportunities to love one another, and each child in our class rose to the challenge. Your children shared when others did not have supplies, were inclusive in their play, and spoke words of life and encouragement to their classmates. They even demonstrated great love to me by being obedient and respectful. Let us continue to pray together that God would show each of us how to love one another, thus glorifying the author of love-Jesus Christ!

One of our afternoon activities was to draw and color a picture of North Macon Presbyterian Church as a thank you to the elders and pastor for allowing Veritas to make their building our new home. It is a big deal to offer their facility to our students. Allowing our students to come means coordination of classrooms, copy machines, and parking. Not to mention more noise and activity in the building. However, they have graciously and with great enthusiasm welcomed our school. The children enjoyed the playground and open space in the front of the building during recess, and I was thankful for the dry erase board they installed just for our class. Will you join me and pray for this church? Pray that God would bless North Macon Presbyterian and minister to their congregation just as they have ministered to our school.

Lastly, I would like to post a few reminders. Please look for my emails on Tuesday, so that you will know what to pack in your child's backpack. As the year progresses, my prayer is that your child will grow in independence and personal responsibility. You can aid in this by showing them where you have placed everything in their bag. Tell your child where you have placed and what you have packed for their snack and lunch. Some of the children were unsure what food was for snack and what was for lunch. Go through their pencil box with them and show them where you have put their pencils, crayons, markers, etc. This will help us use our time more effectively each day.

I am sure as we grow in independence and responsibility at our new home we are truly going to "love" it here!