Learning Through Life

Good Morning.   I'm sitting here, literally minutes away from getting dressed and starting my day as a teacher.  Every day when I walk through those classroom doors, I drop my baggage, my bad days, my worries and focus on my class. What many know and some don't is I also walk my own two kids through the doors and send them off to their own classrooms.  A place where I am now just a parent and no longer the sole protector of them. I don't think about it most days honestly. This morning I am though. I woke up to text messages from some of my parents, facebook posts and a pit in my stomach. Apparently on Tik Tok (which I don't have and don't know how to use) there is a nationwide threat of school violence for tomorrow, December 17th.   My first reaction was....not at my school.  We're a small Montessori school that attracts good families and our students are not like all of the "public" school kids.  But in reality, it could ...

  Hey There!  I'm over here living the dream during these next few "sandwich weeks."  For those who do not work in education, these are the 3 chaotic weeks that are "sandwiched" in between Thanksgiving and Christmas in which you spend most of your time answering questions about Santa, making glittery crafts and also trying to cram in assessments, lessons and everything else that could possibly be thrown your way. Oh yea, and most kids are staying up a little later, busy with holiday festivities and probably are eating waaaaayyyyy more sugar than usual.  Don't forget Halloween was right before this too!   I absolutely love the holidays as a teacher and as a parent. However, they can definitely feel like a whirlwind with a huge let down at the end of them. I often feel like I "ran out of time" with my students and there was so much more I wanted to do.   Today started out incredibly busy. I was like a firefighter putting out...

Hey There! I'll be honest, the past couple of weeks have been rough on my mental health.  There is a lot going on in the world right now and I feel like the walls are closing in on me daily in my state.  It's not a good feeling to be on the defense all of the time.   I've been living in this constant restless, anxious state for the past 18 months or so.  It's gotten old.  In fact, it's gotten real old.  It's so easy to get wrapped up in all that is bad in the world right now.  I certainly do.  Since November is the perfect month to share gratitude I thought I'd give it a try and throw some positive vibes out into the universe.   Here are a few of my favorite things to be grateful for.  (In no particular order) Of course I have to start with my mini's.  Oh how they drive me nuts some days!  However, I have two small humans who keep me on my toes, make me feel loved even when...

In both my home and my classroom I like to switch things up for the Fall. Whether that be decorations, foods or things we do, it's always fun to have something new around.  I love having little pumpkins and multi colored corn to decorate with.  I have put together this fun corn picking activity for my classroom the past couple of years and it's always a huge hit! I also would be lying if I said that my older kids and myself didn't also enjoy it.  For adults, this can be a great stress reliever and is oddly satisfying as you watch the corn kernels dwindle down.  This is a Montessori job that would be housed on the Practical Life Shelf.  The target of this particular activity would be concentration and fine motor skills. Additionally, all Montessori jobs promote cleanliness as the job isn't complete until it's neatly returned to the shelf in it's original condition.   Here's what you need :   Multi color corn-You can find some here on Amazon P...

  I'm a stubbornly independent woman who has a really hard time swallowing my pride. I don't admit that often but, for some reason it feels ok right now admitting that.  I, like many others, are feeling the soul crushing weight of the world right now and often feel like I'm about to drown in quicksand.  To be totally honest, I've hit my max for adulting at the moment.  I'm done holding it together for my class, my kids and myself.  (Don't worry, I'm not actually throwing in the towel but am definitely emotionally "over it.").  I'm tired of masks, I'm tired of having to put my best foot forward when I feel like I'm defending myself from all sides. I'm tired of having to protect my kids at every turn because the world is so cruel and unsafe right now that I feel like I can't let my guard down, like ever.  Honestly, right now-I really just need my mom. I called her this weekend. On Halloween actually and asked to me...

  Well Hello There! The weather has changed, it has been raining and Halloween is just around the corner. If you're a teacher or a parent you know that means just one thing....chaos!   Here are some simple and easy tips to help keep your kids on track during this upcoming holiday season.  They may make your life easier and your child's teacher will thank you as well.  :) Maintain a normal bedtime routine (even during the holiday breaks- as much as possible). Not only does this help ensure your sanity (somewhat) but it also prevents the complete meltdown once you are forced to reinstitute a regular schedule.  For example, during the Winter break I definitely let my kids stay up late some nights.  Key word being... some . The other nights they go to bed as close to their normal bedtime as possible. My kids are in bed typically around 8:00 on school nights. During breaks, I count anytime before 9 as close enough.   ...