Back in the Saddle

In August, I was given the opportunity to return to the classroom.

I am now teaching the 3-5 year olds at church.

For months, it has been a group of  5 year olds,

but we have 2 joining us this month from the nursery.

I always enjoy the challenge of teaching and classroom control.

I love to see little people learn new things and assimilate facts.

I love to see how many different aspects of learning I can fit into the brief 30 minutes.

They are a great bunch and I am enjoying the class immensely.

I tried a new classroom trick with this bunch at the beginning to help with sitting nicely in class.

I gave each child one or two plastic coins.

I told them that they had to hide them under their feet.

If I saw them, I would take them.

Guess what?

Far less wiggles!

The idea was an adaptation of a trick that another teacher used for teaching girls to sit modestly.

She gave each girl a quarter to hold between their knees.

If the quarter did not fall,

the students could keep the quarter.

It worked for her girls,

and it worked for my wiggle worms! 

Winter Memory Verse

 Once each month,

I get to help in the bus kids' class during the morning worship service.

Typically, I teach the memory verse.

This week was no exception.

Since we were expecting some kind of winter weather,

I decided to build the verse review around snow, specifically snowman building.

Here is the verse:

I love my pocket chart.  It is great for memory work!

We recited the verse and then removed words of the verse.

This is nothing new.

But ... on the back of each piece is the name of a "part" of a snowman.

The boys and girls competed to build their snowmen.

They could earn an eye, a stick arm, a hat ...

If the boys were working harder,

they got to remove a word and get a snowman piece.

If the girls were more attentive,

they got to remove a word and get a snowman piece.

I could even let both teams go on the same turn - if they were working hard enough.

The idea worked great with full participation and good spirits.

The girls won, but not by too much.