A Hundred Things To Be Thankful For

Today, I have a hundred things to be thankful for. 

But let me name just a few. 

I am thankful for the spiritual blessings and the grace to live out God's love and to share this love to others. 

I am thankful for the love and support of my countrymen who chose to lift their "kababayans" up rather than pulling them down. 

I am thankful for brothers and sisters in spiritual communities, who pray and intercede for one another unceasingly. 

I am thankful for General Managers who lead their companies with wisdom, kindness and integrity. 

He has  more of his employees respect and loyalty than of their tyrant counterparts' power. 

I am thankful for co-workers, who may be of different nationality and religion, encourage and pray for a co-worker in need. 

I am thankful for all husbands (especially mine) who strive to provide and build for his family's future. I am thankful for all parents, who are devoted to their children just as our God is. 

I am thankful for each person who unselfishly gives their time, utter a few words of encouragement, compliment and appreciate a person without asking anything in return.

The love and kindness you show has a profound impact on the way I teach. 

You inspire me to mold and motivate little children into becoming kind, compassionate, respectful, generous, positive and prayerful members of society.

I hope you enjoyed the cupcake!

If You Give A Teacher A Margarita

Inspired by the book If You give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff

A collaboration between Teachers Weena, Blue, Mai, Reena, Patty, Emei, Christine and Hazel

If you give a teacher a margarita, she'll want some nachos and guacamole with it. 

When she's finished with the nachos and guacamole, she'll be reminded of Mexico so she'll want to dance the salsa. Dancing the salsa will make her remember her dance classes when she was a kid which will make her homesick and want to call home. 

So she'll look for her mobile phone and call home. She will become a bit teary eyed and would want to blow her nose. Blowing her nose would remind her that she needs to replenish the box of tissues in her classroom. 

So she'll head to the nearest drug store to buy a few boxes. When she's in the drug store she'll want to take a basket in case she finds some more things she might need in her classroom. She'll probably find some cute Disney band aids to give her kids even when they don't have a boo-boo and some tongue depressors for crafts. Before she knows it, she'll have a basket full of stuff.  She'll look at her basket feeling satisfied with everything she was able to buy, and decide to grab a good snack. 

So she walks to Starbucks to order her favorite Chai Tea Latte and strawberry cheese cake. Drinking her tea made her want to finish reading her latest book about tea parties and vanilla ice cream. So she'll take her ipad from her bag and start reading. After reading a few chapters, she'll want to call her husband. 
While scrolling down the names on her phone, she'll see the names of her teacher friends and start texting them one by one. Then she'll decide to have a party (since its a Friday). And whenever there's a party, chances are....
They will all want a margarita!

Happy World Teachers' Day!

I Love You, No Matter What

I just want to share my conviction about loving children unconditionally....

This may be the answer to my colleagues' questions...

Who do the children love you so much?

The answer is simple.

Because....

I love children. 

Because its fun to be among them and their antics amuse me.

But, I also 'love' them.

I love them when they're crying, 

I love them when they don't cooperate, 

I love them when they hit or bite their friends. 

I  love them when they scream and whine or run around aimlessly. 

I love them unconditionally.

 Not because they made their artwork neat and pretty.

 Not because they just sit at look at me all day. And, not because they give me gifts.

I love them unconditionally.

Just because they are.

No matter what.....

And I tell them I love them.

I show them I love them.

Unconditionally.

They know.

Children know if you truly love them or not.

They just know.

We sing this song at Circle Time

And the children love it. We made our own actions.

I make sure I sing it sincerely with them.

How?

Maybe its the years of praying and reflection on how to do this task

(of loving children),

God has put upon my shoulders.

I honestly pray to God to give me the grace to love the children he entrusts to me.

That I may love them the way He loves me.

Unconditionally.
Or at least I'm trying to.

Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom. Look Who's In Our Room

This is our new attendance wall.

The coconut tree is made of green and brown  cartolina (colored tag board) and the coconuts are brown craft foam.

I cut out the beginning letters of each child's name from craft foam 

and glued them onto black paper.

Then I printed out their names with their pictures and laminated them.

I have been exposing the kids to their names and the names of their classmates.

And now, most of them know the beginning letters of their names 

- letter sounds and what it looks like.

Some recognize their names and are able to write some of the letters.

Some recognize even the names of their classmates!

On Field Trips And Falling In Line

Take a group of 3 to 4 year olds on a field trip (without their parents) and ask them to fall in line. 

It usually doesn't last very long - the line, not the field trip. Because it also takes so much effort making them fall in line, I don't ask them to fall in line for the rest of the trip. 

I want them to enjoy seeing, hearing, touching, smelling (and maybe tasting) everything about the field trip but also keeping them in view.

Trips in restaurants, fire stations and play areas are usually better (in terms of keeping them all together) 

than wide parks.

The first time we went to Aspire Park, Doha, 

I felt a bit nervous.

And so when we went to Aspire Park the 

second time around 

(with totally different batch of kids in tow),

I was more confident and ready.

Because I already knew quite a few things about field trips:

When you have to walk as a group, ask them to hold hands.

Hold the hand of two kids (take the most active ones)

and ask the others to hold on to them.

We sang "Walking, Walking" by Super Simple Songs the entire time.

If they do wander, they usually don't go too far.

If you follow running after them though, they tend to run farther away because they will feel more confident with someone behind them.

I usually stop and wait for one child to turn and look back then start walking again.

I talk to the kids who remained with me and tell them what's happening. They're the ones who usually call back their other friends.

"(friends' names), taal! come!"

And when they turn to look back, I say, 

"We're going this way."

Then then join the group again.

We had a great time.

The kids ran freely (in all the different directions)

And, at the end of the trip, none of them got lost.

If You Take A Teacher To The Zoo

Handsome Hubby and I went on a Valentine date at Doha Zoo.

At 8:20 am, we were the only guests there. For a couple of hours, we had the zoo for ourselves. We held hands while walking (HHWW) and we got to give each other sneaky kisses.

We had so much fun and it was sweet and romantic too.

But if you take a preschool teacher to the zoo, here's what she'll do.

The night before she goes, Raffi's song, Going To The Zoo keeps playing in her head.

She may even sing it out loud.

And sing the song on the way to the zoo.

She'll sing a song about every animal she sees.

"...do the elephant (prrrwww),

do the elephant (prrrwww),

do the elephant (prrrwww),

that's alright...."

And wishes she knew more songs about the other animals.

In that case she'll just hum a tune related to that animal like Disney's Fantasia 2000 - Flamingo

She remembers every Disney or non-Disney movie about each animal.

And names the animals after a Disney or non-Disney movie character.

Nigel in Rio

Timone in Lion King - and friend

Or after a children's story book character.

Chester Raccoon - The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

Is Your Mama A Llama by Deborah Guarino

And would find an animal whose name begins with each letter of the alphabet.

What else might a teacher do if you take her to the zoo?

Its A Blog Hop!

I joined Jenny's blog hop over at Kreative Resources  and found more wonderful blogs!

Come and join the fun!