2 Pounds

As a school with a summer program,
sometimes students who have left in previous years
               come back for the summer.

As a second year teacher
          I love this!

I had many students who left after my first year of teaching.
         They were my first class
               and because of that, they will
FOREVER
         hold a special place in my heart.
And  I miss those children more than words can express.

Yesterday was the first day of summer program.
So yesterday was the first time I had seen some of these children
           in a year.

I had a, now, tall young girl give me a hug yesterday.

And then told me this story, that touched my heart.

She said to me,

"Miss Crazy Young Preschool Teacher,
       I loved kindergarten, but I missed you.
            When I got to kindergarten
and found out you weren't my teacher,
      I cried so hard I lost 2 pounds.
               2 pounds Miss Crazy Young Preschool Teacher,
2 POUNDS!"

As crazy as this story is,
       it brought tears to my eyes,
because I miss those kids too,

EVERY day!

Cornucopia

Anyone who has read The Hunger Games series will understand this reference...
     And yes,
          I am about to make a correlation
              to my classroom
     in regards to The Hunger Games.


In the series, the tributes (fancy word for participants)
      are brought up into the arena where the hunger games will take place.
When brought up, the contestants surround what is called

          The Cornucopia

Which is a metal structure,
      full of different weapons, supplies, food,
          anything and everything the tributes could want.

   They are given a few moments to hear the directions
          and then the alarm sounds.

And when the alarm sounds, the tributes bolt,
         either away from the group
or into the middle
               towards the cornucopia
     where they have spotted "their item"
           the one they feel was placed in the cornucopia
   specifically for them.
         They fight to the death for their item
     and once it is theirs, they feel great, confident,
             and now they are free to run away from the others.

Well, in preschool, large motor in the gym is just like this.

The students line up against the wall,
          waiting "patiently"
    while the teachers throw miscellaneous toys
around the perimeter of the gym.

Once all the toys are out,
     let the alarm sound.
(In preschool this means, a teacher yells "GO!!!")

And off they go.

Bolting with all their might,
     pushing,
         shoving,
             kicking,
                   fighting to the death,
For that item in the "cornucopia"
    That item that was brought out just for THEM.

And once it is theirs,
       life is great.

We have won the hunger games!

Let the playing begin.

Oh....

And may the odds be ever in your favor.