Category: Back to School

A Prayer for Teachers (and other School Personnel)

Dear Heavenly Father, 

As we prepare to return to school, I pray that all Teachers know how awesome their job is. That it is our purpose and something You, O Lord, have called us to do.   That everything we do and say, a child hears and does. Help us to be mindful of that. Help us to show love where there is none. Help us to speak love where none is heard.  Help us to build relationships with our students through listening and engaging in meaningful conversations with them. Help us to build relationships with their parents through caring and sharing of their child’s day and progress.

Remind us that you are only a call away.  When we feel overwhelmed, we just say “Jesus” and you are there.  When we feel confused, frustrated, concerned, angry, “Jesus” is all we need to relay. When we feel victorious, worthy and wanted, we say “Jesus” because we are thankful and grateful of your grace and mercy.  Come into our classrooms and fill them with your presence. Come into our schools, you are welcomed!  

Show us that we are not alone.  Help us find Teacher friends and colleagues that care about our welfare.  Let us join together to encourage, inspire, redirect, learn and love each other.  Lead us to you through the purpose of fulfilling Your Will in our lives and that through us many generations will flourish because we trusted and believed in you!

As this journey begins again this year, I pray that many will come to know you through our obedience in loving you Lord with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind. The first and greatest commandment and the second that is like it:  Love your neighbor as yourself, which is found in Matthew 22:37-39.  

Give us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) which are the fruits of the spirit so that we may pour out what you have put inside us.  We love you and are thankful for the gifts we are given. The gift of Teaching! We will use this gift to bring glory and honor to you because nothing is impossible with God! (Luke 1:37)

In Jesus Name I pray, Amen!

Thank you, Jesus!

Amazon Wish List for Teachers

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3W045GOYJKEUM?ref_=wl_share

I created a Wish List on Amazon for my classroom and students. As I was adding things, I was reminded as a Teacher how much we spend to make our classrooms feel safe and secure. How much we want our kids to learn and have fun. How much we want them to feel loved and meet all their needs.
As a parent, I realize that I always hated the supply lists for my girls. But there were only two of them.
PSA: A Teacher (1) always buy a class set (25+) of everything, so that every child can have and use the materials in the classroom. When you are buying school supplies this year, please consider buying extra for the Teacher! Thank you!

Sacrifices Teachers Make

Sacrifice means to give up (something important or valued) for the sake of other considerations. (Google) Teachers sacrifice every July by buying school supplies for their classrooms.  Not the pretty/handsome/colorful things (letters, borders, paper, wall hangings), they are buying paper, glue sticks, pencils, crayons, markers, kleenex, hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies, paperclips, tape, staples, post-its, notebooks, pens, etc.……school supplies for 30+kids.

Teachers don’t make a lot of money and they never will.  Some people laugh when they find out I’m a Teacher because they know I make very little for doing a very intense, highly criticized job.   But I wouldn’t change it for anything. It is my purpose and I love changing the world, one kid at a time.

Anyway, with this little money, teachers all over the country are buying school supplies because it isn’t mandatory for parents to supply these for their children.  It is only suggested. We do give out supply lists in hopes that parents will supply their classroom or children with these much needed supplies. But we know that some parents cannot afford these supplies.  So we take it upon ourselves to buy them.

I have some people in my family who donate year-round school supplies to my classroom. I am very grateful for their sacrifice. This year, I ran out of glue sticks, erasers, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, paper, bandaids, sandwich bags and crayons by the last month of school.  So I had to buy these. I also buy snacks and candy to reward my students, cardstock to make certificates and bookmarks, lamination to cover them and make them last, cupcakes and juices to celebrate their birthdays and things needed to celebrate different holidays because my students matter.

Since July has begun and school supply sales are hot, please consider buying school supplies for your children and/or donating them to a school, classroom, church or a Teacher who can use them during the school year.  I know that they will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support of our children and our future! We work better together!

Ending Freedom

Only a Teacher would know these words.  Summer has finally come to a close for us and we will head back in the classroom.  

The freedom of summer gives us a replenishment of self-control.  During the school year, we are pulled in different directions from different  sources trying to complete all tasks, serve the students and show growth. We need a break by summer!

Having summers off allows us the spend quality time with ourselves, our families, our friends and some of us even work.  During the school year, we work 24/7. We work at school, at home, on weekends, and during breaks. We are thinking about our students when we go to bed, when we wake up and during the day.  Because we care!

I am excited about going back tomorrow and getting my room ready for new students.  I love teaching and being a Teacher. I cannot see myself doing a different profession.  I know I will be pulled in every direction this coming year, but knowing that I am making a difference in them and they are making a difference in me is worth it.  I want them to notice how successful they are and that trying is succeeding.

Parents, know that it’s not the decorated room or the trainings that we must endure that makes us love our purpose.  It’s your children who come to us like sponges; soaking up everything they can learn and use to further their education.  It’s your support of your child and our purpose that makes the year so successful. And we thank you!

As the summer comes to a close for Teachers, we know that it will come again and we will be ready!!