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Ideas for Teaching About September 11th {Upper Elementary}

On September 11, 2001 the world changed forever. The country came together in the face of terrorism and tragedy. It…
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Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teachin

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teaching Journey! Today let's pray for AVAILABILITY!
-Pray that the Holy Spirit would prick your conscience and help you discern which matters to dismiss and which to look into. No matter how the Lord is guiding you, pray that He would give you an opportunity to lend an ear, a hand or a hug, depending on your student’s needs.
-Pray that the Lord would give you the peace and wisdom to set your work down and help a student feel heard and loved. Even if it seems petty to you, every little thing that happens to our students means the world to them. Pray that the Lord would give you guidance in each circumstance and situation.
-Pray that the Lord would give you grace when you make mistakes. Pray that He would give you the humility to apologize to when they deserve one and to ask for forgiveness. Pray that He would give you assurance that each new day presents a new opportunity to do your best for your students and give all the glory to God.

This week’s verse is from Philemon 2:20: “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.”

Teaching multiple students is not easy! Most teachers have 18-25 students, which means there are a plethora of things that can go wrong at any given moment. But God is good and faithful, and you are not alone. He will give you the grace you need for each day as you strive to give your students the emotional availability they need!

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teachin

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teaching Journey! Today let's pray for JOYFULNESS!

Like a bad cold or a bad case of the giggles, joy is contagious. You know what else is contagious, though? A bad attitude. I know we’ve all seen it time and time again. One student complains about the boring snack, homework for next week or the monotonous task on their desk and next thing you know, everyone is complaining! How can we, as teachers, foster a spirit of joyfulness in our classrooms? Well, I’m going to be really honest with you for a second. As much as students are capable of complaining, we are, too! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen a teacher’s attitude affect the dynamic of her classroom - in good and bad ways. But I’m not going to pretend I’m not also guilty of this. There have been many times I’ve walked into school, distracted, discouraged or maybe even angry! That attitude permeates throughout my classroom quicker than food coloring in water. If I want my students to have a joyful attitude, I need to start with my own heart first! Then I can help redirect their young hearts and minds toward the things of God.

-Pray that the Lord would show you the log in your own eye before the speck in your students. Pray that He would convict you of areas where you may be holding onto selfishness or bitterness and surrender those aspects of your life to God.
-Pray that the Lord would give you wisdom in redirecting your student’s bad attitude to one of joy. Pray that He would give you discernment in which student may require more attention from you today. Pray that He would help you have compassion on your students when they don’t show any to you.
-Pray that the Lord would let your joy be infectious in your classroom - that your students would detect your joy and be unable to resist mirroring it! Pray that He would fill your classroom with smiles and laughter.

This week’s verse comes from Proverbs 15:13: “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.”

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teachin

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teaching Journey! Today let's pray for DECISIVENESS!

I don’t know about you, but I know I can struggle with decisiveness in my classroom. Our students may be younger than us (sometimes much younger - and littler!), but they can still be so persuasive. “Can I do this instead of that?” “Can I just do half of it?” “Can we go outside now instead of later?” Sometimes we, as teachers, get so overwhelmed with all the questions, we figure saying “yes” will make them stop so we can have a minute to think straight. But as teachers, it’s our job to educate our students and make sure their minds are ready for what’s coming next, not to please or entertain them at any given moment. Of course, we want to be kind, and compromise is a wonderful tool that can (and should!) be used in certain situations and with certain students. However, it’s ultimately our job as teachers to decide each day’s schedule or student’s standard. It’s our job to make sure our students get what they need long-term, rather than receive what they want in the short-term.

-Pray that God would remind you that He has given you authority in your students’ lives this school year. Whether they like it or not, He has appointed you as their teacher. Pray that you would have confidence in your own decision-making and not let other voices dictate how the day should run.
-Pray that God would give you a sense of assurance and security in your own ability to make decisions. It can be so easy to feel insecure as a teacher, especially if you’re new, and wonder if you actually know what’s best for your students. Trust that God gave you these students for a reason and that yes, you do know what’s best for them - because He will guide you.

This week’s verse is from James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Don’t be afraid, sweet teachers, to stand your ground or make those hard decisions in the midst of a busy day! God will give you peace and confidence to know which decisions are the best ones to make. And there is always, always grace for mistakes. You’ve got this!

Our dishwasher died a week ago, and while we have

Our dishwasher died a week ago, and while we have been waiting for a new motor to come in, I have been washing dishes the good old fashion way :-). And while my initial reaction was annoyance at this inconvenience in my busy days, the Lord burdened my heart to intentionally slow down and pray while I wash, rinse, and dry each dish. This practice of forced stillness where my feet have to be firmly planted in one place has nourished my soul this week ❤️. When was the last time you slowed down and prayed/meditated on Scripture/were still before the Lord?

Have you ever wondered how to incorporate more Chr

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teachin

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teaching Journey! Today let's pray for ALERTNESS!

No matter where you’re at in the process of beginning this school year, you are probably overwhelmed! And that’s okay. When a school year starts, there are so many thoughts flooding through your mind. You’re thinking about your lesson plans, new students, different classroom dynamics, etc. It can be so easy to get swept up in all the little details and become unaware of the children’s individual needs. This is why I want to pray for alertness for all of you this week. I know I have definitely overlooked or neglected a child’s needs before (unintentionally!) because I was so focused on getting through my plan/schedule for the day. Let’s pray that God gives us extra focus and attention to detail so our students receive all the love and care we can humanly give them this week!

-Pray that the Lord would make it clear what each child requires of us today. Whether the child needs a hug, some words of encouragement or help standing up for themselves, pray that He would give us the time to dedicate to making sure each child feels loved and safe.
-Pray that you would not be caught unaware when a child is hurting, physically or emotionally. Pray that the Lord would give you eyes to see when a child needs help and the ability to help them as much as we humanly can in any given moment.
-Pray that the Lord would give us grace in our shortcomings. He knows we are not all-knowing and all-powerful the way He is. He knows we aren’t perfect. Pray that the Lord would show us mercy when we mess up and the humility to accept our limitations.

This week’s verse is from Ephesians 6:18-19a: “To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.”

I’m praying for all you teachers this week as you strive to be alert and aware of the needs of your classroom and I know our loving Lord will give you grace and strength for every moment!

A prayer for my sweet girl on her first day of kin

A prayer for my sweet girl on her first day of kindergarten:
Father, we thank You for the promise that You go before us and never leave our side. We trust in You. God, I pray for my little one today - flood her heart with the peace that passes understanding, that only comes from you. Help her to be an attentive listener and develop a love of learning. I pray she remembers she was designed to learn and create, as she was made in your image. Help her to shine the light of Jesus through her words, actions, and attitude. Give her eyes to see kids who need a friend - and prompt her to meet that need. I pray that she would celebrate when she is successful, and also when she fails, because that is how we all learn. Give her a resiliency and perseverance that glorifies You. Keep her safe. May she become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then she will shine among them like stars in the sky. (Philippians 2:15)
Be brave, sweet girl. Show love and compassion. Never be ashamed of the Gospel. Speak the Truth. Walk with the King today. ❤️

Teacher gifts for Open House tonight! 😍 My kidd

Teacher gifts for Open House tonight! 😍 My kiddos attend a university model school - ever heard of it? A UM school schedule means they attend school two days a week (teacher, classmates, art, music, gym, languages, etc.) and then I partner with the teacher to homeschool them the other three days each week. I follow the lesson plans set by the teacher, but we also have the freedom to add things they’re interested in and I get so much more time to intentionally invest in my kiddos, with the support and accountability of an amazing community. It’s been a great blend for our family! Do you have a university model school in your area? They’re popping up all over the country!
#universitymodel #universitymodelschool #homeschool #momlife #lifewithkids #teach #openhouse

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teachin

Welcome to another week of Prayers for the Teaching Journey! Today let's pray for CONTENTMENT!

As teachers, it’s easy to start playing the comparison game. I know I have fallen prey to it many times before. Thoughts start spiraling in your head. They often look something like: “Her bulletin board is more creative than mine”, “she does better crafts with the students”, “her holiday parties are more fun”. Sometimes it’s as simple as “her students behave better than mine!” And in my mind these thoughts usually end with “I wish my classroom looked like hers.” There are so many things we could be envious of in our schools, but the Lord calls us to stop thinking about what we don’t have. He calls us to look at what we do - because every good thing we have was given to us by our Lord. Let’s approach this school year with a spirit of contentment.
-Pray for eyes that look inward instead of outward. Eyes that take in all of the Lord’s blessings in our classrooms, our students, our lesson prep, etc. As teachers, the Lord has gone before us in our school years and given us everything we need to get through each day.
-Pray for hearts of gratitude. Hearts that would count all our blessings and thank God for each one. The obvious ones and the subtle ones. The big ones and the small ones. Thank Him for the money and time to dedicate to our classrooms. Thank Him for the sunlight pouring through our windows. Thank Him for the smiles and hugs we receive each morning.
-Pray for minds that would dwell on God’s gifts of grace and mercy rather than our Amazon wishlist. There is always more that we can buy for our classes, but God has already paid the price for our sins and offered the gift of reconciliation - to teachers and students! How much better to give our children the opportunity to hear about the gift of salvation rather than the best school supplies or a perfectly decorated classroom.

This week’s verse is from Philippians 4:11: “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.”

I am praying for you, sweet teachers! May the Lord bless you in all your endeavors and give you strength and contentment to meet each new day!

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