No More Teachers, No More Books...

One of my childhood chants at the end of each school year was, "No more teachers, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks." Like a great many kids, I had a strong dislike for school. It wasn't until many years later that I had a change of heart. I just loved this chant...mainly because it meant spending the entire summer vacation up to our camp on Sebago Lake. I have sweet, fond, and strong memories of my summers there and was probably the only member of my family who loved it the way I did.

When my twins were young...probably as far back as when they were five or six, they played school every afternoon after they got home from school. By the time their little sister was able to walk and sit at a make-shift desk, they were excited that they had a "student" they could teach! I remember the days when I would be getting dinner ready, listening to them play school...no TV...just good clean fun teaching their student, who might not have always been cooperative, but that's another topic for another blog. ;o)

As time passed, their "playing school" turned into a real calling. Donna graduated from UNCW with her teaching degree in elementary and special education. Today she is a middle school special education teacher. Debra is working on completing her degree so she can focus on the social work side of education. She has been very active in assisting in her children's classrooms and directing children's ministry for several years. Yes, I am a very proud Momma.

So, this gives you a little more insight as to why I have changed my childhood chant into a grown-up cheer for our teachers! Now, I know my children didn't always have good experiences with all of their teachers, and we had some battles throughout the years. But the majority of their teachers had a heart for kids, academics, and growth on both an intellectual and social level.

Last week, I decided to give two of my grandgirl's teachers a custom-made bracelet from the C J Collection as a thank-you gift for their hard work. Since I don't like to give random gifts, I quizzed the girls about their teachers...what colors do they like, what do they wear for jewelry, and so forth. It helps give me inspiration so it's not just another gift that they throw in a drawer somewhere. (I've got some inside scoop as to what teachers like for gifts and what they don't like!) So, after we talked about their teachers, here's what I came up with:

This fifth grade teacher likes neutral colors and loves jewelry...freshwater pearls and illusion crystals with silver shepherd's hook clasp and chain to make it adjustable.

This third grade teacher loves purple...made with light purple quartz, variegated square glass beads, and darker purple illusion crystals, with silver shepherd's hook clasp and chain to make it adjustable.

It might be time for me to come up with a new chant I can teach my grandkids...maybe it will be as "catchy" as the old one. Any ideas? Teachers rule, students drool...oh wait...I think I'm confused with another "chant."

Okay, so I'm off to create something more original!
Carole