Sweet First Grade

I still can't believe how much my first graders teach me every day. 

I have a few children this year, and every year, that are a bit more difficult to love.  All of them are individuals with unique personalities and characteristics.  All of them are little, and want approval and acceptance, and love.  And I can say that I do honestly adore all of them.  Sometimes it is just difficult to remember that every day.  Some are easy-going, happy, clean, and learning comes easy.  Some are excited, talkative, playful, and creative.  Some are shy, nervous, struggle with academics, and lose interest easily.  Some are rough around the edges, noisy, impulsive, and emotional.  But we are all in this together every year.  And it surprises me how much I depend on some of my sweet kids to help all of us get through and thrive as a complete class.  We are all in this together.

A few days ago I decided that I really did need help with one of my students.  I had tried various techniques to try to reach him.  Some would label him as aggressive, impulsive, loud, and difficult.  Desperate for some help, I pulled aside a few of my more centered and well-adjusted kids.  I asked them individually to be a friend to the this boy.  I told them he needs to learn how to be a good friend and a good student and I told them that I needed their help.

Just as I expected, they were eager to do whatever they could.  For no other reason then me just asking them.  I saw them helping him to follow rules, playing with him at recess.  Explaining assignments during independant time, and re-explaining our class policies with kindness to him when he forgot.

One of the sweet girls I asked to help noticed immediately when he was on task during singing time and made sure he got the chance to go up to the front and be the leader right away.  I was so impressed with her for looking out for him that I pulled her aside again to thank her and tell her how proud I was of here for being such a good friend.  I don't always give rewards, but I gave her a sucker to just really let her know the depth of my appreciation.

Right before lunch while we were I line, I noticed her quietly going up to this same boy, and giving him that sucker.

I try very hard not to cry in front of my students, but the level of compassion was just so strong from this beautiful little girl that I just lost it.  The rest of the class started worrying to make sure they were happy tears.  I just told them all its because I have the best class in the world and I really do appreciate each one of them so much.

It is just amazing how those sweet little kids can solve problems and come up with their own ideas of how to make the world a better place.  Our classroom becomes more beautiful every day.  Even though we all continue to make mistakes, and there are still tears sometimes, and tempers flare, we really care about each other.  How could we not with such amazing kids.  I feel so lucky to be where I am and to do what I do.  There are times, especially at the beginning of the year when I feel so overwhelmed and stretched so thin.  I have so many goals to complete and things I would like to do but just cant fit in.  My home and personal life are scaled back to the bare minimum.  I find myself constantly apologizing to my own family for falling short in so many ways.  But  they believe in what I am doing.  And I love them for it.  And I love my sweet little class more and more every single day.

Frozen

Lately I just feel like walking away from everything and going to build my own ice castle.  I know Elsa.  I know.
Post by Frozen.

Post by Frozen.

Girls Camp 2013 and a Bag of Dirt

Girls Camp was amazing this year.  I feel so blessed to know some of the most amazing and beautiful girls.

It was a hard camp.  It was really primative, and I had been battling kidney infections all summer that turned into something more serious.  I didn't want to deal with it.  I wanted to fulfill my responsibilities and get on with life.

I got a shot from my Dr. and promised I would have the CT scan when I got back.   I am so glad I did.

We went high up into the mountains, and it was beautiful.  Wildflowers were everywhere. It rained a lot, but that helped out with the flies, so it was a blessing in it's own way.

On the second day, we participated in the 3 mile hike.  The Stake leaders made it into a treasure hunt where we recieved tokens at different stops that represented each of theYW values. It was very creative and meaningful.  The only rules during the hike were to stay on the trails, ask for help if we needed it, and to help each other. 

We walked along, enjoying the activity and each other.  It was hot and some of the girls were struggling.  There were 2 guys on 4-wheelers just off the trail who were offering the girls treats and drinks to get them to step off the path.  I didn't really realize what was going on at the time.  But I needed help for one of my girls who was not going to make it unless she got something from the tent that we had left at the campsite.  I asked the guys if they were mobile, and if they could go to the campsite to get an item from the tent. 

As one of the guys was packing up to help me, the other guy shoved a snickers in my hand.  At that point I felt like it would be rude not to take it.  So I did, and then they handed me a bag of dirt!  I asked why I needed it.  They told me I would find out soon.

It wasn't long before I figured out that the bag meant I had screwed up.  I didn't mean to, and I was mad.  I was just thinking of someone else and trying to help them, and now I had this bag of dirt I had to carry around.  I felt like people were looking at me and judging me.  Whether they actually were or not I don't know, but I felt it.  And I didn't want to carry around that stupid bag of dirt.

I did for awhile.  I even tried to hide it sometimes.  I let people know I was just trying to help!  I saw the camp director as we were walking down a trail.  A few other girls had bags of dirt too.  I told her I had a problem with my dirt.

She smiled and asked me why I was carrying it.  I told her the guys told me I had to.  She asked me if I wanted to carry it.  I said no.  Then she said, "well then give it to me."

Was it really that easy?

It was.  I asked if the other girls in my group could give her theirs as well.  They all gave it away.   She took it from us and all we had to do was to give it up.

Never in my life has The Atonement made more sense.

The director then told me that my journey was over, and that I had to leave the girls and come with her.  It took me a moment to realize what she meant.  I said goodbye to the girls, and walked with the director to the top of the highest peak in the camp.  It was beautiful there.  I waited with the other leaders for our girls to finish the hike and join us.

 I was so happy and excited when I saw my group of girls making their way up the mountain.  And I noticed that no one was carrying bags of dirt, and in all honesty, I couldn't remember who had even had them to begin with.  It didn't matter.

I gave letters that we, the YW's presidency and I had written to each girl.  They found a quite spot among the wildflowers to read all about how wonderful and they are.  Then we took a few minutes to look at the view below. 









It would be difficult in this place to doubt the love that Jesus Christ has for us all.  It would be impossible in this moment to not feel his love.

 I was not able to finish the entire week.  I ended up in the ER the following day to deal with my neglected health problems.  But I am so grateful for my experience there.  And I will never forget that moment when I realized I don't have to carry any dirt around with me. All I have to do is give it away.

And I love these girls!

War Horse

So I have not done a public post for a long long time.  I still  blog, but started just keeping things more private, just for myself.  I have changed a lot in the past 2 years.  And I have realized one thing that I know for certain.  Life is hard.  But no matter how dark things get, something will come to help us get through it. 

I read somewhere that people who can lose themselves in movies do not have a firm grip on reality and are somewhat neurotic.  Knowing that everyone falls into some kind of spectrum in some kind of mental illness, I will accept that as I write how I feel about the movie War Horse.

I thought about this movie all throughout the last year.  How during a time of War, when people were suffering all kinds of physical, emotional and spiritual anguish, this horse would come into their lives for a short time.  He was always there.  Even though he didn't lift the burden,  he was a beautiful presence in their lives.  I also noticed that the people who found this horse were all good, decent people just trying to do what was right.  It was a beautiful message, and one I have thought about over and over again. 

My life has not turned out the way I have planned.  But in some ways, it is even better.  I see improvements I need to make in many areas.  I need to take better care of myself and my body.  I need to be more patient with the sweet children that are in my care everyday.

I have taken to say that I love my job, but hate working.  Only because so many things have gone to the wayside at home.  I used to feel like I was a really great mom.  Now, I am just a tired mom.  Entering into the adolescent phase partnered with a full time consuming job has made me feel like I pretty much fall short every single day. 

I have watched many other friends struggle with life changing events and feel like I need to be more helpful and supportive to them.  But I feel like I am functioning at full capacity, and sometimes I just feel like I want to lock myself in my room and sleep for days at a time.  During this past winter, there were several Saturdays I did do just that.  Winter has been long, dark and cold.  But on days like today, when the sun is out, I work in the yard with Jeff, and plan out an herb garden, my heart feels happy.  Summer is coming.  It is almost here!

The light

I was just having a typical afternoon of art at school. Working on projects, singing along to beautiful kids music, soaking in all of the creativity and gentle compliments of encouragement my kids were giving to each other. Feeling overcome with peace, happiness and love for all of them. And knowing I was where I was suppose to be. Like the song says, "the world has shifted" Realizing that my world has shifted into something else I did not expect it to be. There has been a price that has been paid, and I am grateful that Jeff is available to pay it for me at home while I am here...But I felt like at that moment all of the words of the song came so powerfully...and I have been led here. It is just a small part to play in the grand scheme of things. No more important than so many other things that so many others are doing...but it is my part. And it is messy, difficult, wonderful, exhausting, exhilarating, challenging, and perfect. This is my life. "now that I see you".

Understood

Jeff came up last night from his office and told me he just sent me a link I had to watch. He knows me really well. He knows what my type of music is and knew I would absolutly love this song and the video. He was right. He knows me. It is a rare thing to really be understood. I am thankful everyday for my relationship with him. I feel lucky. And I love him too!


High Def Version: http://www.kinagrannis.com/

This week

This week I finished my first report cards and had my first parent/teacher conferences. I have amazing parents. I was a little nervous at first. And I was nervous about my report cards too. But it's over now, and I feel pretty good about the entire thing.

After conferences, and working four 12 hour days back to back, I got my first "comp" day. Something I never got working at Private School. And as much as I loved working at my first school, which happened to be private, I love my new, public school about 100 times more. I have always absolutely adored my students, in every school I have ever taught in. That is not the issue. It is more that I have an amazingly supportive principal who seems me more as a professional, and not as someone who needs to be taught how to teach in a certain way.

I am grateful for my experience in private school. In many ways, that is how I learned to be a good teacher. But it was painful and exhausting at times. And kind of bad for my self-esteem.

I am learning now that there are several methods that can be used to teach the same thing. All can be equally effective. I strongly believe the main factor for any child to be able to learn is to just be in a compassionate classroom where students can safely take risks and not be afraid to learn. A happy place where learning happens because you are immersed in it. Where there is more to evaluating you students than just giving them tests. Where they can learn at their own pace, and be the very best that they can be.

I am still working out the kinks in how my classroom works, but it is moving along nicely, and I am loving every day.

Teaching is a hard job mostly because you are "on" every day. Every minute. Performing in front of the class. The hardest thing for me is just getting ready and starting. Then once I am in it, I'm there. And it's kind of like a high. The day zooms past, and the time is always short. I always run out of time. Which really is a good thing.

At first, I was trying to walk with one foot in both of my 2 worlds. Trying to hold on to everything I have built up over the past 6 years until everything changed. It was awful when Jeff lost his job. And the uncertainty of everything. Looking back, it is amazing how everything has slowly fallen into place. And I feel so thankful to Heavenly Father who knew where I should be headed all along. But I couldn't keep up with everything in both worlds. My home life has been stripped down to the bare minimum. My Martha Stewart experiments and neighborhood parties have been put on the back burner for now. My house will get clean maybe once every 2 weeks...but the upside is that no one is really here anymore to mess it up.

This long weekend, which included my "comp" day allowed me to re-connect with some of my old hobbies...spending a few hours on Facebook and Pinterest, watching the kids play in the snow and taking tons of pictures...staying in my sweats all day and not doing my hair and make-up was so nice. I looked awful when I went to Target, but just really didn't care. But most of my free-time was spent researching how to help some of my kids read better and understand money. Figuring out what kind of party I can have when we study fairy tales in February...thinking of what I am getting all of the sweet kids in my class for Christmas...finding music for our holiday program...and cutting out patterns for our next art project. I am now almost "in" with both feet!Oh yeah, it was Halloween too! It's been 15 years since I actually bought a Halloween costume for myself. Clint was The Riddler, and pretty much put that whole costume together himself. Pretty cool. Derek had an assortment of superhero costumes to wear and decided to go with Iron Man...he is my personal favorite, after all.