Classroom design

I totally forgot to post yesterday. I've been working on a new design for my room for spring. If you have seen my board on pinterest you have seen it, I'm doing the one that says, "we beelong to Jesus." I'll post my version once it is complete. So far I have the bees, I'll put flowers and for Valentine's day I will put some hearts. I am also working on making a rainbow in my room for the ark. I just have to figure out where to put it. The way the room looks is very important for a class. It needs to change semiregular to keep the kids interested. I'll be posting a lot more pictures from my class to give some ideas. Follow my pinterest so you can repin them.

Classroom Management

So I might have talked about classroom management before but I think it is really important. People think it is crazy that I can get a 2 year old to sit an  listen to a story, and then I can have them listen to me when I say, "don't do that". It all comes down to how you manage the classroom. I only see my kids 1day a week, and yet my kids come in and know the rules. I treat every kid I work with like they are a year older then they really are. I know they can't do everything, but I do set high expectations for my kids. Then when my kids have their birthday, they already know how to act their age. I get kids who won't listen to their parents but are perfect for me. It literally comes down to how I manage them and the expectations I set for them. Don't be afraid of being a little mean. I'm told that I am not allowed to put the kids in timeout but if they are going crazy and not listening then they will be removed from the situation, no matter how much they cry. And that is why they listen to me and follow my rules.
Have a great day! Don't forget to follow for more helpful tips and tricks!

God made the birds and the fish

The STL rally was awesome. I will have the video up for you tomorrow. But a lot of people were really encouraging and came and talked to me! It was nice, and the speaker was really hyper which kept me awake.
This week we learned how God made the fish and the birds. As our craft the kids made fishing poles out of Popsicle sticks. I have to glue the fish on with hot glue cause there was no way for it to stick. But the kids loved them. They showed literally everyone they saw. I got the fish from my mom. Who knows where she got them from. But the kids got to pick out their fish and then I glued it to the yarn. Pretty easy and simple little craft of them. The one below is one I made, as you can tell.
My class is getting so much better! The sad part is most of them are leaving in May! =( But they have to move on, I can't keep them forever. I know some with move easier then others, but that is why transitioning is important. But I'll touch on that some more later.
Hope everyone had a great weekend, and have a great week!

Speed the Light

Today is one of my favorite times of the year. Tonight at my church is a Speed the Light Rally (STL). Churches in our district come and we gather to get pumped about raising money to help buy vehicles for missionaries over seas. As you know I am going to be a missionary so it is a very important part in my life. I will post the video of the rally on Monday and Tuesday I will talk about it more on here.
Also I was asked to speak for about 2-3 minutes about how I was called and how I am pursuing it. This is a big honor because many other amazing speakers are also going to be speaking tonight. I am super excited and can't wait to show you guys. I will talk to you more on Monday, have a great weekend!

Leading on Empty

I read this book a while ago called Leading on Empty. It basically talks about pushing yourself too far that you are so worn out you basically "snap". I recommend this book even if you aren't going to be in ministry. It really makes you think about how much you put on your plate. 

The real reason I've been thinking about this book is cause school is kicking my butt! But the book has helped me to know when to stop and think, "is this really that important?" I know what God has called me to do, and I need to make decisions that will positively effect my life instead of negatively or not at all. 

Seriously check this book out, it will help you in all aspects of your life. 

Giving

As some of you know I work with children but I also help out with my youth group. I find it important to know more than one aspect of the church. This Friday is our Speed the Light Rally (STL). It is a rally to get teens pumped about raising money to missions. Since I am going to be a missionary I know that this is important. I will be posting a video on youtube and I will post the link on here either Monday or Tuesday. But I wanted to let everyone know that missions doesn't only have to be a older kid thing. My 2-3 year old's get excited about giving money in offering, and I don't even say anything to them about it. If one kid brings money then they all run to their parents asking for money. To them it is the joy of bringing something that they can put in the jar.
I am thinking about having them find ways to earn money so that it has more meaning to them then just getting a dollar from their mom, if they earn it then they might realize that it is much more then that.
Have a great week, and let me know what you think.

Learn Everyday

As we all know it is very important to get an education. We go to school for years get a diploma and then start our lives. After that most of us stop learning. Well I know that in order to continuously teach we have to continuously learn. While, yes I am still in college, I am always learning. Even during summer I make it important to me to learn new ways to teach. Right now I have to read a book that I hope will help me for the future, it is called The Second Time We Met. My teacher told me that it is about cross cultures. Even if I am not reading books for school I find new ones for Children's ministry or just growing more with God in general. Life is full of learning opportunities. I heard someone once say, "You learn something new everyday of your life, and the only time you stop is when you are dead." Find something to learn, whether it is about the kids you are teaching or how you can teach them better. Have a wonderful week!