How I Organize my Ballet Class

It's been two weeks since I started back teaching ballet. I only have three students, and so far it's been fun. I'm really excited to have the opportunity to get to spend more one-on-one time with these precious students. They all have such different personalities. I am excited to see them grow in abilities and encourage each other! In order for these things to happen, I have to be organized, though. So here's how I organize my class.

First over the summer, I sat down and made a list of what we were going to learn each week. This is always tentative and more than likely to changes. Most of the time, I'll run out of time and occasionally I'll have extra time to fill. It's just a guide line of what I hope my students will learn. It also depends on the ability of the students in the class to how much we are able to learn. So far, my students have been learning rather quickly!

Each year I teach ballet it is a little different. This year I have a "Book of Accomplishments" for each student. The book (as you probably guessed) contains the student's accomplishments. I wanted something where they could visually see how much they have learned. They get to put a sticker by movements and ideas once they learn or do them. I'm excited to see how it works out!

Since I have my week to week agenda already planned out I don't have much preparation to do. Usually, Thursday night I pick out music and come up with combinations for class. If we're reading a book, then I'll pack that up in my bag. I try and keep preparation minimum, but I also like to do exciting things for the kids. For example, I plan to have one day where the students get to make up the combinations for the class for fun. I want my students to learn and have fun. We almost always close with a fun game that they can incorporate their dance moves into.

Overall, I'm really excited about this new school year with these precious students! I think it's going to be fun!

You {Doughnut} Want to Miss This Story

The other day my sister and I went to Krispy Kreme with a few friends. The case was full of delicious looking donuts. Of course, I got one with colorful sprinkles on it. There were not many people in Krispy Kreme except for a father and his six young kids. After eating my doughnut, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. However, the little girls (there was either three or four of them) who were there with their father beat me to the restroom to wash their hands. They struggled with opening the heavy door, so I helped them open it. Also, the light was difficult to turn on so I helped with that, too. I don't think they said anything to me. I don't remember a "thank you", but I do remember appreciative smiling faces. As they washed their hands, I waited outside the restroom. Their father apologized. Why did he apologize? I have no idea. They were there before me, so they have the right to wash their hands before I do. They didn't cut in line. They weren't rude or rowdy children either; in fact, they were quite the opposite. After they had left and I washed my hands, I passed by them to go back to my table and they smiled at me. Later, after we left, my sister forgot her bottled water so I went back inside to grab it for her. As I grabbed it, one of the little girls waved to me. I thought it was so sweet. They seemed overly grateful for my tiny act of kindness. It gave me so much joy that I could help them in a small way. I was only with them for one minute, but I kind of grew to love them and how sweet they were. As the day went on and I thought about our encounter, I actually missed them because it was such a joy to help them. So I prayed that God would bless and protect them. Helping these children also made me realize the amount of joy I receive when I have opportunities to help children. I love working with kids, and it's always a blessing to be able to help children or invest in their lives. Becoming a teacher, means that is the kind of stuff I will be doing every day! Thank you to the little girls at Krispy Kreme for filling my heart with joy. Thank you for reminding me how much I love helping children. Thank you for reminding me why I am studying to be a teacher. I need those reminders.

Thank you for reading my little story.

Little Things in Life

As a child, I read inspiring stories of missionaries, people who were brave, and people who were remembered. I liked those stories. I always wanted to do something big, something that would be remembered, or written in books for future generations to read. I used to think you had to do something big to be important, but you don't.

Each and everyone in God's family plays an important role. I needed to stop waiting for the big amazing thing I hoped to do later in life and start doing the little things that are important, too. Things like helping a stranger, encouraging a friend, praying with the hurting, and loving the friendless. Maybe those things aren't going to be remembered years afterwards like the stories of brave missionaries, but they are important.

As I embraced this mentality, I think this is why I liked the idea of being an elementary teacher. Teachers can play important roles in children's lives. They help the child build a foundation on which to grow and learn. They teach and nurture individuals that will be our future leaders. It's a big job, but it takes the little things to get there. Things like helping students succeed, encouraging struggling students, and praying for and with students. These small actions may not be recognized by the public or make the front page of the paper, but they are shaping the lives of children, and that's big.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is Sunday, so this week's post is in honor of my mother.
My mom probably remembers me reading her some poems I made up when I was about ten. Quite honestly, they were terrible poems. Ten years hasn't changed much. I'm not a poet, nor do not have much experience writing poems. This poem below is far from professional, but it comes from the heart. So here's a poem for my lovely mom.

From diapers to college, you've watched me grow.
A childhood full of laughter,
Where did the time go?

You've bandaged scrapped knees,
and sympathetically wiped tears.
Being mom isn't always a breeze.

You've driven us thousands of miles,
for dance class, basketball, or friends.
So your day deserves to be full of smiles.

You patiently taught and home schooled me.
For over twelve years we learned together;
home schooling turned out to be a great academy.

I wanted to be just like you.
You were my inspiration.
I wanted to be a school teacher, too.

Two years of college behind me,
With your encouragement,
soon I'll have my teaching degree.

There's so much more to thank you for,
but I've ran out of words.
I hope this hasn't been a bore.

Thank you, that's all I have to say.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your
Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you for everything have done and still do for me! I love you!

10 Lessons from Ballet

I teach ballet. It's something I enjoy doing, but also something I hope my student will reap from. These are 10 things I hope my students will learn from dance.

1. Confidence: I've seen students struggle with this. They look at the floor and try not to be seen. I love to see them grow in confidence as they begin to learn and understand. This semester, I have seen a sweet girl grow and become more confident in ballet. It makes me proud. Having confidence will help in life whether it's a book report, a speech, or a job interview.

2. Determination: "That's hard!" I've heard them say it so many times. Yes, it is difficult. Ballet is hard work, but with focus, practice, and determination it'll come. I have so many smart kids in my class, and they usually catch on quickly. Ballet is hard, but also enjoyable. It's good for them to learn to work hard and enjoy something at the same time.

3. Self discipline: Contrary to many little ballerina's ideas of ballet, ballet is structured and disciplined. It takes much self control. We've all dreamed of flying through the air and doing multiple twirls on end, but it takes much practice to get there. One of my students told me that it's hard for her to do ballet because she's so wild. I love her energy, but in ballet that energy needs to be channeled  in a different way. I hope my students will learn self discipline through ballet.

4. Be responsible: Keeping track of ballet shoes, tights, and leotards can be hard. The older kids are usually very responsible, but some of my younger ballerinas are still getting the hang of always making sure they have everything.

5. Memory: Ballet consists of many weird French words, and many dance movements. Remembering exercises, dances, French words, and movements. . . .  it takes a lot of memory for the young ballerina's brain. I love that my ballerinas are generally ready to learn and have excellent memories. They've stared learning their dance, and I love to see how quickly they remember and recall what they have learned.

6. Music: As I mentioned before I have many smart kids in my class. When they know the combination well, they rush. Instead of learning to stay with the music, they speed through the combination. Nevertheless, I'm proud they know the combination so well. I also hope they learn to appreciate classical ballet music because it really is beautiful.

7. Gracefulness: Parents everywhere are putting their clumsy kids in ballet in hopes they will become graceful. I've actually found that ballerinas are prone to trip more because they are taught to never look down. Anyway, I do hope my students will learn posture and poise. I hope they'll learn to hold their shoulders back, head up, and walk with grace (and hopefully pointed toes, too).

8. Encouragement: There's nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition, but I hope that my students will learn to encourage each other. There are days they get on each other's nerves, so this is always a work in progress. However, I've watched them help each other learn. I've watched them build each other up. There's nothing more encouraging to a teacher than seeing that.

9. Working with others: I occasionally have the kids get a partner and have them work together on a movement we are learning. This helps them encourage their classmates, as well as learn to be patient with each other. Another thing I learned from my own ballet teacher is to divide the kids up into two groups to watch each other perform the dance they are learning. Afterwards, they are supposed to tell each other 2-3 things they did well and 2-3 things they can perfect.

10. They're beautiful: I want my ballerinas to feel beautiful. They are made in the image of God and every single one of them is gorgeous. When performance day comes, I hope they feel pretty in their tutu, confident with their dance, and thankful to God for giving them the ability to leap across the stage.

Back to School Organizational Ideas

Well it's time to go back to school. I don't know about you, but the idea of having homework and tests doesn't sound appealing. However, cute school supplies makes it a bit more fun. So today I'm going to tell you how I organize my school supplies.

First, I color code. I assign each class a color. For instance, I am taking four classes this semester. Sociology is orange, science is blue, English is pink, and psychology is green.


I then order planner stickers from Etsy (click here). I love these stickers because they are customizable. You can choose whatever color and text you want. I choose the colors based on the colors of my classes as I mentioned above. For example, a pink sticker that reads "test" means I have an English test that day. It makes it easier to scan over your planner and know what is coming up.

Next, I find spiral notebooks in the colors that I have chosen. My binders don't always match because they are patterned, but occasionally they will somewhat match.

The binders that I own have no pockets for papers. Handouts never seem to be hole punched, which means those loose papers full of important information are apt to be lost and crumpled in the bottom of your backpack. So to fix the problem I made my own. I picked out some scrapbook paper. The fun part is you can choose exactly what paper you want. With a bit of cutting, folding, packing tape, and hole punching, you'll soon have a sturdy pocket ready to hold important papers.

Don't be that person who shows up only on tests days and asks to borrow a pencil. You're smarter than that. What might help though is some cute school supplies. I just couldn't pass up this cute pencil case. I ordered mine from Nordstrom because it was 40% off  (plus free shipping), but they are now sold out. You can get one (full price) for $14 at Bando. Of course, I now need pencils to go in the pencil case. I bought these cute pencils at Home Goods. It was my first time to go to Home Goods, and I fell in love. They have so many cute items for low prices! I love the gold print on the ends of these pencils.

Well looks like you're now ready for classes to start back up. Just make sure you've got your textbooks, and you should be ready to ace this semester. Thanks for reading! I wish you the very best as you head back to school!

Why a Teacher?

The first response I get when I tell people I want to be a kindergarten or first grade teacher is, "oh my, you must have a lot of patience!" I can't tell you how many times I have heard that. What's ironic is that I am generally not a patient person. God has definitely grown me in patience, but he is still at work. So why do I teach? It's definitely not because I have patience, because occasionally there are days I do not have patience. Here are four reasons why I teach:

1) Children seem to have a very genuine love and are eager to learn. Children speak their minds. If a child says your shirt needs to be lint rolled, it probably does. If a child says he loves you, he probably does. I find young children are generally more accepting, open, and trusting. Generally, they also are more willing and ready to learn.

2) I love to watch the progress children make. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a student understand. Progress in students is encouraging and makes the job of a teacher worth while!

3) One of my favorite things to do is to get to know each child's personality. I laugh at the outgoing one who makes a funny comment, or I watch as the shy one slowly starts to feel more comfortable in the classroom. Every child is different, and it's so much fun to see that!

4) I learn things from my students. I'm the one who is supposed to be teaching, but I usually end up learning something new, too! It's funny how that works! They unknowingly teach me classroom management skills. Other times, they help me teach the lesson by giving me clever examples.

 I love working with kids! Every day is a surprise! It has taught me a balance of flexibility and preparedness. It has also taught me patience. Maybe I'm not always a patient person, but maybe that is what God is molding me into.

The Doubts of a Future Teacher

At some point in life, everyone has doubts. Some days I doubt. I doubt whether I should be studying to become teacher. I doubt that I'll have the energy to get up every morning and teach kids. I doubt that I have the knowledge and wisdom to be a teacher. When moments like these overwhelm me, I step back and look at the lessons I have learned in life.

Everyone is asked the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" multiple times in their life. Kindergartners are asked. High school graduates are asked. It's a tough decision. For me, it has always been clear. Ever since I was a little girl, I told people I wanted to be a teacher. As I grew older, it became even more clear. God has given me a passion for teaching little kids. I enjoy getting to know children and their personalities.

Although fun, working with kids can be exhausting and energy draining. If it is God's will for me to teach, he will give me the energy I need. I know this from experience. Let me tell you a story. During my senior year in high school, the role I wanted most in the Nutcracker Ballet was the Sugar Plum Fairy. I was thrilled and surprised to be given the part. However, what concerned me most was the level of stamina it takes to dance Sugar Plum. I wondered if I was really cut-out for the part. I prayed that God would give me the strength and stamina to dance my part well. God gave me the strength I needed, and I made wonderful lifetime memories dancing that coveted part. All that goes to show, that God will provide.

There is so much I don't know about teaching. Some days I doubt that I have the knowledge to explain well. Others, I doubt I have the wisdom to know how do handle difficult or emergency situations. I have learned a lot in my first year of teaching ballet classes, but I know I still have a lot to learn about teaching. I must apply myself and ask God for wisdom.
I believe doubting oneself is not uncommon. Everyone at some point in life experiences it. Sometimes a little bit of doubt can be good. When I doubt my choice to be a teacher, I pray. When I doubt that I will have the energy needed to be a teacher, I am reminded how God provides. When I doubt my abilities and wisdom, I think of ways to improve and gain knowledge. What things in life do you doubt? How do you handle doubt? When in doubt do you turn to God and know that He has a plan for each one of His children?

Thanks for reading the doubts and thoughts of a future teacher.

Six Lessons Learned for Teachers

This was my first semester to teach a class! I learned so much! I want to thank each one of my sweet students for teaching me these six important lessons.  This is for any of you future teachers out there or any of you who enjoy young children. I'm sure other teachers and even mommas can relate to this. Hope you enjoy.

1) Very few things go as planned. It's true, things will run a whole lot smother if you are prepared, and preparing is vitally important. However, don't expect things to go exactly like you planned, because I guarantee they won't. I hate to burst your bubble of joy, but be ready to be flexible.

2) You will learn to think on your feet. Children have a way of throwing the unexpected at a teacher. Be ready to make quick decisions. 

3) Prayer time will turn into story time. In my K-2nd class I have 12 students. On a normal day we probably have about 8 to 10 prayer requests and before I know it they all have stories to tell me. I love hearing all their prayer requests and stories, but it takes up way too much class time. I finally found a solution. Every week I take only 5 prayer requests at the beginning of class, and I write them down. Then, we say a prayer and start class. Writing them down helps if one of the students would like to pray, but has trouble remembering the prayer requests. Then after class as they leave the classroom, the children that were not called on tell me their prayer request and I write them down in my book. This way I can pray for them over the week.

4) Don't be afraid of correcting misbehavior. I want to be their friend as well as their teacher. So when I had to correct a child it was sometimes difficult. I initially thought they may not like me as a teacher anymore since I had to correct their behavior. However, I learned that this is not the case. Generally, the children want to please the teacher and they will improve their behavior. If that doesn't work they will straighten up if something they enjoy is on the line. 

5) Consistency is key. Don't be discouraged if  your students don't understand what is required of them immediately. I remember trying to get my 12 twirling students into two straight lines facing the mirror. As I tried to give them instruction they would either make a line perpendicular to the mirror or face the wrong way. It was frustrating for me. I tried so many different ways. You see that was the problem. Since I tried so many things, they didn't know what to expect. I soon discovered that if I used the same technique over and over they soon knew exactly what to do. 

6) Stay firm in what you say. Don't let your students persuade you into something you told them not to do. One of the little girls in my class has really taught me to stay firm in what I say. It's difficult when she asks over and over and over again. Many times I just wanted to give in so she would stop asking. However, I didn't. I knew that if did, she would most likely end up questioning my authority more often. I didn't want to make that mistake. 

The Unlucky Box of Lucky Charms

It's Thanksgiving! It's time to eat turkey and enjoy family and friend's fellowship. On this thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things, but I am extremely thankful for my little students! This is my first year teaching and I love it! So today I will include a story that is about one of my students and her box of Lucky Charms.

Once upon a time there was a box of Lucky Charms that went to ballet class two weeks in a row. It all started when one of the cute little girls in Miss Caroline’s ballet class, brought a box of Lucky Charms with her to school. Why she brought a box of Lucky Charms, is still a mystery to many. As Miss Caroline talked to the little girl at lunch, the little girl tried to shove the big box of Lucky Charms in her backpack. Miss Caroline offered to take the box of Lucky Charms to the classroom so she would not have to carry it around. Miss Caroline thought this would reduce the risk of the little girl forgetting the box somewhere. As the class began, everyone asked why Lucky Charms were in the class room and the box of Lucky Charms was given much attention. After class, however, the little girl was rushed out the door because she needed to get to the pickup line. Unfortunately, the box of Lucky Charms was forgotten. Now fast forward to the next week. At lunch the little girl waves and exclaims to her teacher, “Hi, Miss Caroline!” So the teacher walks over and sits in the seat next to her. They talk about her food. She opens her mouth and shows Miss Caroline her dessert. Then the little girl looks at the lost and found, which is located in front of us, and shockingly screams “My Lucky Charms!” So Miss Caroline asks the little girl if she would like for her to go get it. Of course, the little girl says “yes”. Now, Miss Caroline isn't very tall and it’s up high. So Miss Caroline asks, “Do you think I can reach it?” The little girl answers “yes,” again. As Miss Caroline walks over to the lost and found, sure enough, she could reach the box!  As Miss Caroline walked back towards the little girl, she exclaimed “I reached it!” In her confident, matter of fact little voice, the little girl excitedly proclaims, “I told you so!”  Then Miss Caroline leaves the little girl to check on some other students. However, the little girl approaches Miss Caroline a little later, asking if she’ll take her Lucky Charms to the classroom. So Miss Caroline takes it and tells her she will put it in a different spot where it’ll be easier for her to remember. At this point you should start seeing a pattern here. Yes, the Lucky Charms box was forgotten again! It is now sitting lonely on the top of the lost and found until after Thanksgiving Break. And that concludes the story of the unlucky box of Lucky Charms!