Letters on a Sunday Morning

What I'm thinking on this Sunday morning...

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I treasure our time together. Both now and the past. Thanks for teaching me what you are learning. I have your hula hoop in my van that I was supposed to give to you, but I was so involved in our conversation, that I forgot. It'll be waiting until our next lunch together...

Love always,

Mrs. Bartel

Dear Lesson Plan Book,

I will be waving a magic wand over you later this morning. I would appreciate it if you would fill yourself in... 

Fondly,

A Teacher Who Wants to be Prepared

Dear Magic Wand,

When you have completed the lesson plans, please do the vacuuming.

Thanks,

I've been busy with other stuff

Dear Donor's Choose,

Thank you so much for existing! The Hokki stools arrived this week. The kids are loving the wiggle ability and I love that they are red. Be on the look out for the "Thank You Package" soon, and another project...

Sincerely,

A Very Grateful Teacher

Dear Big Time Literacy,

I love this linky! I love what I learn from you on all your blog posts. Thanks for reaching out to teachers in your district and all over the world. I wish you the very best school year ever!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bartel

Time to link up or hop over to Big Time Literacy to read more letters.

Monday Letters

Many of us teachers are on a Winter Break.

That means no alarms. Lazy days.

And plainly deciding what to do and WHEN to do it.

Dear Michelle @ Big Time Literacy, 

Thank you so much for taking life slow, for allowing me to be lazy yesterday, and still have an opportunity to write today. I hope you have a wonderful Break, do fun things, relax a little and read (if you want to).

Sincerely, Alyce

Dear House,

I would really like to declutter you this break. Do not feel offended if you find some breathing room as I slowly toss or upcycle some of your possessions. 

Love, The Homeowner

Dear Husband and Children,

Do Not Panic. I will not touch your possessions as I declutter (even though I have dreamt about it), but I may move things around...

Fondly, Wife and Mother

Dear Winter Break,

Please be kind to me. Help me to keep my identity (teacher) even as I try out secret identities. Guide me to times of productivity, times of rest, times of people and times alone. Allow me to be present in each moment.

Gratefully yours, Alyce

That's it. Write your own letters and link up with--

Sunday Letters

Tis the Season (or day) for letter writing!!

Dear Coffee Friend,

I had such a great time with you yesterday. It is so good to talk for 2 1/2 hours and be understood. About families, parenting, school, jobs, and everything else! When are we meeting next?

Love,

A Grateful Heart

Dear Daily Schedule,

Get ready. I'm in the mood to change. Again. But do not worry--the time frames will be the same, however, in order to meet the needs of this class, we must be flexible and allow for us to play and learn. I'm thinking--shorter periods of direct instruction and a bit more time for practicing and applying the new learning. We will need to be creative so that the standards are taught (and learned) and remember that the students are 6 and 7 years old and can "listen" for 7-10 minutes at a time. I know that You (the schedule) are important. And I know that You know that we are doing this (educating) for the students. So, let's get together, brainstorm and figure this out! Thanks for understanding.

Sincerely,

A Reflective Teacher

Do you have a letter to write? You can join Michelle @ Big Time Literacy and add your letter, or read other Sunday Letters. 

Have a great day!

Sunday Morning Letter

Dear Becky Bailey,

Thank you so much for wanting to find a better way. For finding it. For writing about it. For creating opportunities for others to learn about what you had learned.

Your book, Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline has shaped me, and my interactions with others like no other book has.

I talked to people about your book. My family started living in Unity Village (and when we weren't we yelled--UNITY VILAGE--think SERENITY NOW). I took classes on the book, and ended up with two personal copies.

I have had countless opportunities to practice the skills (at home and at school), screw up, practice more, apologize for screwing up, and try again. 

This past week the rubber met the road. And because of what I learned about the brain states, ways to calm myself and choices, I was able to DO IT, and IT FELT GREAT!

After a very difficult situation in my classroom I reflected on what happened: What did I do that worked? What did not work? Why did it work?

Here's is what I came to (I bet you, Becky Bailey, and my CD friends have said it a lot, but now I get it):

It's about relationships, people!

In my classroom, when a particular friend is not cooperating with me, he is calling for love, connection and understanding. When I offered that to him, he flipped his behavior and we ended the day on a positive note.

Becky, because of your work (and my work at learning it) I am so excited to go back tomorrow and make a difference in my friend's life. 

And wouldn't it be fantastic if I got to come to CD1 this summer? I'm pretty sure that my brain would be overloaded, but it would be good for me.

Hope to see you in June.

I Wish You Well,

A Friend in Kansas

Thanks, Michelle, for another opportunity to write.

Really Going This Time

Remember last Sunday? When I was shy about going to a party?

Well, I got all dressed up (aka wrote a blog post) and waited around all day to go in (aka link up) and... I was a week early!!!!!

That's ok. I still had fun. But today, I really am going to this party.

Michelle @ Big Time Literacy is our lovely hostess. Be sure to check out her letters and the others' as well.

Dear Jillian Michaels,

I know it's been a while. And I've got reasons (aka excuses), but now I'm back. This morning was hard, but I feel better for it. See you tomorrow!

Sincerely, Time to get in shape (again)

Dear Sister,

Glad we are closer together and can talk more frequently. I'm eager to do stuff with you during Christmas vacation, make you laugh in person and watch our favorite movies.

Love, Your Sister

Dear Blooming Stuff,

It's time for you to go away. I'm done with a runny, stuffy nose and not feeling the best. I know a lot of people at my school feel the same way. We do not love what you do to us. Please go away, do not pester other people, and do not come back.

Sincerely, A Wishful Thinker

Dear Sons,

It makes me happy to see you participate in fall sports. Good luck this season!!

Love, Your Mom

Dear Husband,

Thank you so much for making lunch and supper yesterday while I waded through a HUGE list of blogs to read and worked on school plans. I loved the ribs and steaks.

Love, Wife

Dear Week Ahead,

Let's rock this!

--An Excited Teacher

Sunday Morning Letters

Sometimes I'm shy. Sometimes I am not.

Today I am going to a party and will mingle with some people, instead of standing by the wall and waiting for someone to talk to me.

I already know some people that will be there... My good friend Michelle at Big Time Literacy (don't you just love her blog name?) is the hostess. And my friend Em from Curious Firsties is already there.

So, here goes...

Dear First Graders,

This week I will do a better job of practicing the "stuff" that drove me crazy last week. Your smiles and hugs are fantastic and I already feel like we are in this together. Hopefully you will get over your fevers and be up to full speed soon. Can't wait for tomorrow!!

Love,

Your Teacher

Dear Mrs. Jones,

Thank you for working up the garden so that the kids can plant the fall garden seeds tomorrow. I love that you do the hard work while I get to sit around and find lessons on the Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation website to use this week.

Thankfully yours,

Mrs. Bartel

Dear Sons,

I am so lucky that you are old enough to take care of yourselves. It's not easy to have a mom that crashes on the couch at 7 pm, and I thank you that you let me sleep off my exhaustion. This week will be better????

Love,

Your Mom

Dear Guitar,

I have neglected you. I'm sorry. We need to find someone who will work with us, someone who can differentiate the instruction so that we can be successful. 

Sincerely,

A Music Wan-a-be

Do you have letters to write this morning?????