4-11-12

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To My Kindergarten Class...

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Dear Class,

You should not read this blog because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten, but there are some things I want to say and this is the place I always come to when I need to work out my thoughts.

There are just some things people shouldn't know about their kindergarten teachers. Things you shouldn't know about me. The day you stop believing that I live in our class room, have Santa on speed dial and am close personal friends with Zero the Hero is the day the world begins to lose some of it's magic and you start to believe stupid things like standardized test scores being more important than fairy tales and daydreams.

There are a few things that are more important than fairy tales and daydreams. A standardized test score isn't one of those things.

I want you to know that I am sorry. I am sorry that in around 9 hours I'll be responsible for giving you a standardized test. I am sorry that from this day forward you will be constantly bombarded with standardized test in school. I am sorry that someone somewhere, someone who doesn't know you and hasn't met you will draw conclusions about who you are and how successful you'll be in life based on how well you score on these standardized tests. I am sorry because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you should be playing instead of testing.

You were sent home from school on Monday and told to get a good nights sleep and to eat a good breakfast before coming back to class. You should be sleeping now. I should be sleeping now.

I can't sleep because I'm worried about you. I've thought all night about what I can say to encourage you; to remind you of just how wonderful you are. Right now, it feels important for me to say that while you are, can and will be lots of things it is the thing that you aren't that matters most.

You are not a test score!

Through the years you will be forced to sit through more of these tests than anyone can count and you will have teachers who will handle them differently. Some teachers will try to make you believe that the future of the entire world depends on how well you score, others will simply tell you to do your best and trust that you will. I hope that I have been like the latter, but fear that I have probably jumped back and forth between the extremes. I am sorry if I have made you feel pressured to do well. I am sorry because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.

There will be questions on this test that you can't answer. I know that you will look at me with pleading eyes expecting help. I am sorry that I won't be able to offer that help. Please understand that it makes me as sad as it will make you. It makes me sad because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.

You will take lots of test during your educational career. Some will be long, others short. Some will take forever to finish and others will go quickly. Some tests you will enjoy and find easy; others ~ not so much. Just remember that there is more to you than any test score can ever reveal.

Through the years you will take some important tests too. Your courage will be tested. Your faith, loyalty, honesty, willpower, integrity and patience will all be tested. These are the only tests that really matter. The only tests I truly hope you never have to say you've failed.

I am tired now so I am going to try to sleep. When I see you in class I will smile and remind you to go to the bathroom, to listen carefully to the directions, to think about your answers and to do your best.

That's all you need to do. Nothing more and nothing less. Leave all the worrying to me because you are five or six and you are in kindergarten and you are not a test score.

Family Tree by Nibbles Skribbles

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Someday, I should tell you the true story of my great,great grandfather who stowed away on a ship from Ireland and settled in the mountains of North Carolina where he took seven---yes, I said seven---wives.

I'll save that story for another time and show you the new kit by Nibbles Skribbles that I should use to scrap pictures of him, his wives and his 30 something children. The new kit is called Family Tree. Take a look at the preview...

Here's a layout I made...

Check out the Nibbles Skribbles blog for more layout inspiration and check out her store at The Studio to buy Family Tree.

4-9-12

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Happy Easter!

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I'm sorry!

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I have no idea what is going on with box lately, but you know that you can always email me anytime you have a hard time downloading something.

The Story of Me part 34

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Back by popular demand! LOL!

Last week was a long one for me and I completely forgot to post another installment of The Story of Me. Seriously, I can't believe you guys are still reading this, but it sure does my ego some good! So, keep reading! lol!

Thanks for the emails encouraging me to share more! Now, here you go...

Harmony had sat alone in the lunchroom eating. She spoke to no one and no one spoke to her. When it was time, she threw her trash away and followed the other third graders onto the playground. Harmony found a bench by the basketball court and had a seat to watch the other kids play. She could see the three pretty girls from class talking to a small group of boys and pointing in her direction.

The boys walked across the basketball court pointing at Harmony and chanting, ’You ain’t got no daddy.’ over and over again while the girls stayed behind and giggled. Harmony lowered her head and looked at her lap without saying a word while the boys continued to taunt her. Their chants were getting louder and crueler until Harmony felt someone sit on the bench beside her and the taunts suddenly stopped. The girls across the playground stopped laughing and the mean boys walked away.

Harmony kept her head lowered so that no one would see her tears until she heard a voice beside her say, “My name is Leo. I won’t let them bother you any more.”

Harmony looked up into the smiling face of a tall but skinny boy with missing and crooked teeth. His pants were too short. His shirt was too baggy and wrinkled. Leo had dark hair that was shaved close to his scalp and brown eyes that looked almost too big for his face. He reached over and touched one of the tears on her cheek. “Pretty girls like you should never cry. Why don’t you come play with me?”

Harmony smiled as she instantly fell in love with the boy who had come to her rescue. She nodded her head to let him know she was glad he was there and wanted to accept his invitation to play. Leo stood up and extended his hand for Harmony. She accepted it and spent the rest of playtime walking hand in hand and getting to know her new friend.

Once the students were back in class Harmony stopped at the door because she didn’t want to leave Leo. She didn’t want to sit at the table with the girls who had teased and made fun of her. “There’s an empty chair beside me.” Leo told her before he gave the mean girls a look daring them to say anything. Then he picked up Harmony’s supplies and led her to the back of the room where he had been sitting at a table by himself.

“This is my second time in third grade. I failed last year because I didn’t do enough of my work. Nobody messes with me and now you’re my girl so nobody will mess with you either.” Leo announced proudly as he pulled out a chair for Harmony to sit in.

“I’ll help you do your work. I’m shy but I’m kind of smart. Harmony said as she sat in the chair Leo offered her.