A Trip to Bountiful

For most of the summer, I kept having friends tell me that they were praying for the class of first graders I would get this fall. I usually pray all summer for things like an instant love for my new students, a good relationship with their parents and a quick understanding of what each individual student needed. But this summer? After loosing D, I was lucky if I remembered to put toothpaste on my toothbrush. So those friends praying? Reminded me of the story in Exodus when Moses' friends Aaron and Hur stood on either side of him and held his arms up for him. I was in dire need of some assistance.

But those words, spoken by so many friends who did not even know each other, made me really pay close attention to the group of six year olds who filled my room (and my heart) on the first day of school. We are now on Day 28 in first grade. (FYI: We count the days on the way to The Hundredth Day of School, a celebration that is second only to Sports Day where you can eat snowcones while jumping on a bouncy ball on your way to the popcorn machine for a snack before the baton relay. That just exhausted me; I may need a sub for Sports Day.) Anywho, I really believe that there is something different about this class. Very different.

For starters, they were a cohesive group from the first moment. Every year, the kindergarten classes are shuffled like a deck of cards and re-dealt into five new classes. It usually takes a few weeks for the new combination to jell as the students find their place among new classmates. Not in my class. Even though we had five students who were new to the school among my 19 new best friends, they all got along immediately. They support each other. They clap when someone does something well. They share. They don't run with scissors. They put the lids back on the glue sticks. They work hard. They laugh at my lame jokes.

Anything I would change? Well, they could bring in more chocolate. With almonds.

But other than that? This group truly is a little Miracle Group for me. Tonight in my Grief Class the leader asked how I was coping with teaching. Are you kidding? I close the door and have 8 happy hours a day. Make that VERY happy hours. We were having so much fun the other day, they asked if they could just spend the night in the room. (We made a journal entry based on that idea. Let's just say there were some mighty creative uses of the school building suggested for after hours.)

Life is good in the first grade. And you know what? I think it is all the love of praying friends and six year olds that is making my life good in other areas as well.

(If you'd like to view this Magical Classroom, you can visit us at:

teachingtoucheschildrenforever.blogspot.com where we blog almost every day.)