Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Christmas for Me...and a math *freebie*

I *LOVE* Christmas vacation. I love relaxing, cooking, eating, reading, eating, spending time with family, eating, relaxing, cuddling with my fur babies, and celebrating the birth of my Savior which made the cross and my salvation possible. But it is also a time that my heart is filled with worries for my kiddos.

I teach children of poverty. Until I started teaching 12 years ago I never knew there were homeless people where I lived (I knew in a big city-YES but in my little community-NO!). Most of my kiddos come from single parent families and many from abusive homes. Many, many, many of our kiddos get the only meals they eat at school and some go home to houses with no electricity and running water...and even in my part of Texas, it gets very cold at night.

We try and help families that we know about but there are always some you just don't know the whole situation or the family is too proud to accept any help. So, as I enjoy my holiday, I count my blessings and lift up the little hearts in my room and all the other kiddos out there. I pray God watches over ALL of them a little bit closer. Please read this poem and remember all kiddos may not be richly blessed this Christmas BUT they have received a great gift: the gift of your love.


Here is a little *freebie*. If you have been by my blog before, you may have grabbed this game before. You can play this game by rolling the dice, adding the 2 numbers, and covering the pictures with the sum. We are going to play by subtracting when my kiddos come back in January. They will cover all 50 pictures first. They will roll the 2 dice and subtract. They will remove the difference. The first player to either add and cover all or subtract and remove all is the winner.



As always, please leave me a heart note if you grab this *freebie* or the poem touches your heart.

11 heart notes:

Kelly said...

Thanks for all of your great printables! When you say your children aren't supposed to learn their math facts in 1st, is that from your district, state, ...??? I've been working with my kids to learn them, but so far only the brightest are getting them to memory. I think your approach must be better, but I do have a 2nd grade teacher that always complains about what the kids don't know.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the freebie! My little guys will love it!! And for the poem, it seriously almost made me cry! Here's hoping that both you and all your students have a blessed Christmas. ~Heidi V.

Caitlin said...

I am a new follower!! Thanks for following me also!! :)

Caitlin
http://kindergartensmiles.blogspot.com

Brooke said...

Your blog is one of my very faves. You're so generous with your creativity and freebies, THANK YOU. Also, I teach at a school just like yours and your poems and thoughts really inspire me. It's a little more difficult to teach at the schools we teach, but it's definitely helping me to grow in my spiritual relationship because I can NOT handle all of the challenges on my own. God has shown me that I'm to act as His servant to these sweet, less fortunate kids and to always put their needs way before mine. Thanks again for sharing your heart and teaching activities ... they'll definitely help me to become a better and more Christlike teacher. Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

Love the Winter 50 Chips activity card! Thanks for sharing!

Jaime said...

Thanks for your freebies! I found you through a comment you left for me on my blog. : )

Jaime
http://whatsthebuzzinfirst.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the freebies!! My kids will love these activities!!

Unknown said...

Wow. I teach children of poverty too. It's such and eye opener and heart breaker. I really view it as a ministry as much as a job now. Thanks for sharing your heart and your freebies!