I see you, I hear you, I'm praying for you

 

To say things are challenging is an understatement.

Maybe you're going through a debilitating health challenge, and you're whispering between the tears, "please God, help me."

Maybe you're going through a financial difficulty, you're drowning in bills, life is too expensive, and you need to buy a new stove with money that doesn't exist.

Perhaps you're managing your finances and health by the thinnest of hairs, but your job is toxic and draining, and you don't have options right now.

There's a family situation that feels impossible right now.  Sleepless nights, endless fights, responsibility for a sick loved one, children who need extra support and guidance.

You go on social media to distract and forget yourself, and yet, you feel worse because either people are living their best lives or there's someone who is dealing with a more horrible situation than you. Guilt and jealousy compound your situation.

Let's not even touch national and world events: apocalyptic wars, natural disasters, pain, suffering, and injustice.

At the end of each day, you ask yourself, "how did I get through today?" 

At night, you force yourself to pray.  Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner.

You try to find something to be grateful for.

You ask God to lighten your load, to grant you the strength to endure, to enlighten your darkness.

And then you wait.  You hope.  You want your suffering to have meaning.

I see you.  I hear you.  I'm praying that merciful Lord envelops you in His love.

Please DM me @workshopclassroom if you would like me to pray for you.

Back to School: Teaching is a Work of Heart

So, it's back to school season.  And I remember writing a post a few years ago about setting up my classroom, and I was secretly so proud of myself for having matching caddies and baskets for each table color.  I was impressed that I copied another colleague and used clothespins to hang up student work to save myself time when I need to change their work.  I even printed out my own signs.  On white cardstock.  I felt so cool with my classroom set up skills I was practically high-fiving myself creating the blog post.

Fast forward to 2017, and things have changed in the classroom set up department.  With the explosion of Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, teachers are taking this classroom set up thing to a whole new level.  I mean, I think Chip and Joanna Gaines should be inviting some of these talented educators onto their show to help them out with fixing up some houses.  I'm simply amazed and inspired by all you teachers out there who are decorating and color-coordinating champs.  I'm pinning your ideas, drooling over your pictures on Instagram, and following you on Facebook and Teachers Pay Teachers.  I know I am a better teacher because of you.

However...

Cleaning up and simplifying

I'm trying.

I'm trying so hard.

I'm trying so hard to make this blog prettier, more modern-looking, with a cleaner edge.  Just trying to clean up and simplify...

But, man, Blogger is just not fun to maneuver, and looking up HTML codes is no walk in the park either.

I can report with some satisfaction that I've changed some of the fonts and the colors a little bit and removed some extraneous stuff.  My TPT logo is much better, thanks to the LogoMaker app, and of course I used it on my Pinterest page.

I need some "Eye of the Tiger" music...I need to keep on going...

Courtesy of www.wpclipart.com

P.S. My Facebook page and I are also in a fight...the link does not consistently work...

It's never too late...to start your resolution...

Even though it's April, I'm still going to wish everybody a healthy and joyous, {rest of the} New Year, filled with creativity.  I think it's the spirit of creativity, this drive to create and mold and refine, that keeps us going as educators, especially to fight through the many obstacles and challenges in the world of teaching.

I have so many resolutions, so many facets of life that I want to grow and change and develop...one of which includes blogging.  It's such a wonderful privilege to be able to be part of a community of educators who shares its experiences, commiserates through the challenges, and congratulates each other's successes through blogging.  This year, I really want to re-join that community, in my own small way, because I know it will make me a better educator.  Here goes...

Oh, and of course, happy spring, the season of the renewal...

More teacher appreciating!

So, today I read my e-newsletter from Teachers.net, and it had this lovely, lovely quote.  I just had to make it pretty and share it with all of you:

Hope you are much appreciated today!!

(border by Ginger Snaps Clip Art, font by Jen Jones).

Explaining our profession

Imagine this:   you go to a dinner party, you're hanging out, meeting new people, talking about what you do for a living.


Me:  Yeah, I'm a teacher, I teach third and fourth grade academic support.
People who don't know anything about teaching:  Oh, wow, that's so nice.  They're so cute!

Later on in the conversation...

Me:  It's been a long week, I've had to stay after school because of meetings and all this paperwork I have to do...
People who don't know anything about teaching:  Really?  Aren't you done at like 3 o'clock?  What do you mean you have do work on the weekends??  Why do you need to spend so much time?

Um, can we say frustrating?

Mrs. Mimi has an awesomely hilarious chapter in her book about societal perceptions of teachers.  And until people teach themselves or live with a teacher (those lovely, supportive, patient husbands/wives), they probably will have a very difficult time sympathizing/empathizing/getting it.  That's why I was intrigued by this book Support Your School Teacher.  It provides a glimpse into the life a school teacher, but more importantly how to support the teacher at various times during the school year (ie report cards....ahhhhhhh).  I am definitely going to order it to see if I can use it to enlighten others about our profession.  Check out their website and let me know what you think!