Approaching Year's End

We're closing in on the end of the school year (13 days left...but who's counting? ha!) I don't want to speak too soon, but I've been really impressed with my students' work ethic this close to the finish line. They are still soaking up everything I'm trying to cram into their brains before I send them on to 5th grade, and they've even gone so far as to cheer when I tell them our plans for the day. Who are these kids?!

Enjoy the following pics and videos :)

3 of my boys were having a hard time getting along, so I kept them in at recess one day and made them play some team-building activities. One of the boys asked, "Ms. Christine, did you make us do this so that we would become buddies?" Can't get anything past them!

The instructions were to write where you saw signs of weathering and erosion outside of the school.

"Ms. Christine, come look at what I can do with my hair today!"

Observe the student on the right. He's doing a pretty good impression of how I feel at the end of some days!

I told them they could decide the end-of-the-year classroom decorations. "We want a beach with a coconut tree and we'll each decorate a coconut!"

We just finished our Geology unit, and I taught them this song to help them remember the 3 types of rocks (shout out to Steph B. for the arm motion ideas!)

Please pray for continued focus so that we can finish strong!

My Students are Stinkin' Awesome

Here's what we've done the past 4 months in 4th grade:

Metamorphosis. Multiplication. Verbs. Classification. Division Facts. Adjectives. Endangered Species. Long Division. Possessive Nouns. Fossils. More Long Division. Spelling Words. Habitats. Long Division With Remainders. The Water Cycle. Multiplication Competition. CHRISTMAS BREAK!!! The 4 Types of Sentences. Fractions. Kinetic and Potential Energy. Fragments and Complete Sentences. More Fractions. Thermal Energy.

I had the chance to talk with many of you over the holidays, and it was exciting to share with you just how much I love teaching this year! At the end of (most) school days, I question whether or not I'm really doing my job because I'm having so much fun. I truly feel like I'm operating out of a core part in me that was formed by my Creator. He has been so gracious to place me in an environment where I can thrive as an educator and, in turn, help my students thrive as learners.     

I count it a blessing and also a great responsibility to be a part of molding them into people of character. Daily I am blown away by the decisions they make. I see them choose honesty over deceit, take responsibility for their actions, selflessly consider their classmates over themselves, and do their personal best not only because they want to make good grades, but because they have a passion to serve the Lord in all that they do.   

The Lord is also using them to teach, push, and grow me towards the woman I am to become. Here are some pics of a few specific kiddos along with a caption of what he/she has or is currently teaching me.

She teaches me to know what my personal best is and never give any less. She makes a 100 on almost EVERY assignment/quiz/exam!

He teaches me not to take myself too seriously. All he has to do is look at me like this and I crack up.

She teaches me to set the bar high and expect a lot from myself. Her hope for this year is to make an A+ in math!

He's teaching me to have patience. Lots and lots and LOTS of patience ;)

She's teaching me to love people well. She gives the BEST hugs and always has a fun story to share.

Long story short, they're all pretty stinkin' awesome!