~Sherry Sent Me~
One of my regrets as a teacher is the fact that I wish we had just one more hour in every school day. 60 minutes more, 5 extra hours in a week, a bonus 180 hours each year to teach, learn, and grow together would be awesome. Some folks might question that way of thinking and I have to admit that on a difficult and challenging day even I might question the sanity of anyone who felt the same way I did.
But I do wish we had more time.
So we do what we can to pack in a whole lot of learning in math, language arts, science, social studies and more each week. The thing I have learned to do of necessity is to make sure to the best of my ability that the tested state standards are covered and that kids are prepared to take their state assessment each spring. Every once in a while, I try to squeeze in something new just like I did yesterday morning with "Sherry Sent Me".
I believe in teaching traits of character and I put it into practice every single day of the school year. Our classroom community bulletin board reflects those important virtues for everyone to see. If we are having a problem within the classroom, I have been known to stop a math or reading lesson right where we are and direct the kids to head back to the bulletin board. Time away from the lesson we are on is well spent if it can bring the class back together in order for learning to proceed. It might be an issue that deals with reliability or a moment when kids are not getting along for one reason or another so we have to regroup and understand what respect looks like, sounds like, and is like. Whatever the reason is, as a class we stop and regroup. It's the best way I know and one that works for me as their teacher and I hope works for them as learners.
Yesterday we began to put into practice one of those character traits that I had only briefly talked about at the beginning of the year. Community service was a new idea to them and I'm not really sure if they understood until yesterday when they all became a member of our 5th grade service group that I lovingly call "Sherry Sent Me". It is named in the memory of my sweet sister, Sherry St. Clair, who died in June of 2017. The epitome of kindness, Sherry practiced what she preached and did for others all of the time. As a teacher, Sherry would always beg the principal at the beginning of the year to give her all of the kids that needed her help most. She gladly taught children who might have been a challenge to others and turned their way of thinking around to the good. I strive to be just like her and some day when I finally retire, I just want to be half as good as she was.
Our first act of community service was on the school level. After I finished with the kids on Thursday, I stopped off at the store and picked up cookies, mints, baggies, and colorful plates with napkins to match. I got to school by 6:00 am yesterday and began to assemble those items into small platefuls with enough for each staff member at Liberty. By the time the kids arrived at 8:00, I had them all arranged on the table. The only thing left was for the students to write a note of thanks to each person who would receive them. I explained to them that every single adult in the building is there for one purpose and that purpose is to help them learn what they need to know in order to be successful. As our act of community service that day we would be delivering these goody plates to them.
There was only one catch and that was this.
When they dropped off the plates they needed to smile and say.......
Was there a little more talking in the hallways as we passed through than I wanted? Yes there was, and I did have to stop a couple of times to get us all back together. Once we had regrouped it got better. I figure the only way kids will learn how to do something like this is to do it. If they are never given the opportunity to make that long trip to every single room, they will never learn how to do it properly. Yesterday we did learn how to do it properly simply because they were given the chance. For them I am happy.
After they went on to PE, I had a moment to give some time to reflect on what had just happened. As I cleaned up the mess in our room and put things back in order, it dawned on me what the real value of this community service lesson was. Its intrinsic value would not be beholden to the fact that two delicious cookies and a handful of mints might provide a nice snack for a teacher on a Friday. The real value and true worth of this act of service would be found in the hands that both delivered and received our very humble offering. To look outside of themselves and think of others first was the lesson I wanted to teach.
Yesterday I did.
But I do wish we had more time.
So we do what we can to pack in a whole lot of learning in math, language arts, science, social studies and more each week. The thing I have learned to do of necessity is to make sure to the best of my ability that the tested state standards are covered and that kids are prepared to take their state assessment each spring. Every once in a while, I try to squeeze in something new just like I did yesterday morning with "Sherry Sent Me".
I believe in teaching traits of character and I put it into practice every single day of the school year. Our classroom community bulletin board reflects those important virtues for everyone to see. If we are having a problem within the classroom, I have been known to stop a math or reading lesson right where we are and direct the kids to head back to the bulletin board. Time away from the lesson we are on is well spent if it can bring the class back together in order for learning to proceed. It might be an issue that deals with reliability or a moment when kids are not getting along for one reason or another so we have to regroup and understand what respect looks like, sounds like, and is like. Whatever the reason is, as a class we stop and regroup. It's the best way I know and one that works for me as their teacher and I hope works for them as learners.
Yesterday we began to put into practice one of those character traits that I had only briefly talked about at the beginning of the year. Community service was a new idea to them and I'm not really sure if they understood until yesterday when they all became a member of our 5th grade service group that I lovingly call "Sherry Sent Me". It is named in the memory of my sweet sister, Sherry St. Clair, who died in June of 2017. The epitome of kindness, Sherry practiced what she preached and did for others all of the time. As a teacher, Sherry would always beg the principal at the beginning of the year to give her all of the kids that needed her help most. She gladly taught children who might have been a challenge to others and turned their way of thinking around to the good. I strive to be just like her and some day when I finally retire, I just want to be half as good as she was.
Our first act of community service was on the school level. After I finished with the kids on Thursday, I stopped off at the store and picked up cookies, mints, baggies, and colorful plates with napkins to match. I got to school by 6:00 am yesterday and began to assemble those items into small platefuls with enough for each staff member at Liberty. By the time the kids arrived at 8:00, I had them all arranged on the table. The only thing left was for the students to write a note of thanks to each person who would receive them. I explained to them that every single adult in the building is there for one purpose and that purpose is to help them learn what they need to know in order to be successful. As our act of community service that day we would be delivering these goody plates to them.
There was only one catch and that was this.
When they dropped off the plates they needed to smile and say.......
"This is for you. Sherry sent me! Have a good day!"At the appointed hour of 9:00, off we went. As our very long line snaked down the halls, we would drop off the plates one by one. It was precious to see the kids interact with the different adults on the staff. Some actually gave theirs to teachers who once had them in class in the years prior. The looks on the faces of the recipients were equally precious to see. At first it was bewilderment and surprise until I told them that inside the baggie was a letter explaining why we had been there. Looks of not understanding gave way to big smiles and hugs for the kids. Our group didn't stay long because we truly did not want to interrupt their learning for more time than we needed. 30 minutes after we started, we were done.
Was there a little more talking in the hallways as we passed through than I wanted? Yes there was, and I did have to stop a couple of times to get us all back together. Once we had regrouped it got better. I figure the only way kids will learn how to do something like this is to do it. If they are never given the opportunity to make that long trip to every single room, they will never learn how to do it properly. Yesterday we did learn how to do it properly simply because they were given the chance. For them I am happy.
After they went on to PE, I had a moment to give some time to reflect on what had just happened. As I cleaned up the mess in our room and put things back in order, it dawned on me what the real value of this community service lesson was. Its intrinsic value would not be beholden to the fact that two delicious cookies and a handful of mints might provide a nice snack for a teacher on a Friday. The real value and true worth of this act of service would be found in the hands that both delivered and received our very humble offering. To look outside of themselves and think of others first was the lesson I wanted to teach.
Yesterday I did.
There were plenty of cookies and mints leftover, but none of the kids asked for them as a snack. I found that interesting because I know their bellies were probably on empty at that point in time. I decided to take it as a sign that they were beginning to get the "idea" of serving others and not wanting for themselves.
"Sherry Sent Me"
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