Back to School

In case some of you may not know, I am a teacher. I have been a teacher since 1997, and have taught first grade for ten years. Although it seems I have trouble staying in one place for long, I desperately long to be rooted and anchored. Despite the winds that blow and the storms that rage, I am firmly rooted and blessed beyond measure in my faith, my family, my friends and my work with my students. Where some people think in my profession that it is important to keep up that professional wall, I have definitely crossed that line time and time again to help my students as learners, thinkers, and just as human beings. How? By showing them I too, am human, imperfect, and that I love them just as they are. Even the hardest to love.
That brings me to my project. I am intrigued and horrified by bees. I think they help the world to be a beautiful place in their diligence to travel from flower to flower, leaving their mark for the benefit of their hive, all the while serving their master queen. They also scare the "Bejeezy" out of me because when they sting, boy they smart! Not long ago, my five year old "Beat" (short for My HeartBeat) was stung in the head by a bee. How awful and tragic. For days he wouldn't go outside afraid that another bee would "get him." His little brother, Mo-Zilla (we just call him MO for Mo Love, Mo Hugs and MO squishes), rushed outside and not only squished the dying bee (see photo), but then proceeded to shred him to pieces in the name of brotherly love.

This entire display of familial chivalry inspired to make bees my theme for my classroom this year. It works on so many levels. My students will be learning to become a part of their "hive" or class community. They will work together like the workers in the hive, and they will then grow to help the world (hopefully) become a more beautiful place.

Here is one "new" project I made for our helpers display. I used solid black, white, cobalt blue, and yellow paper. I used the DON JUAN font and shadow feature for the title cut at 4 inches. The bees were from Create a Critter. I also embellished with a SIGNO white roller pen.