Once a word leaves the lips, it can't be retracted.  Sometimes, we realize as soon as the letters go zinging out of our mouth that they should never have been uttered, and other times we don't realize it until they have hit their mark.

I'm an expert in this field.  I should invent a lock system for the mouth.  I'm sure I could earn a fortune.  I certainly have all the expertise needed to refine my product.  Words either come out wrong, with too much intensity, passion, or tone. Or the ones that need saying don't make it past my throat.   I pray about this and I try, really I do, but.... well, let's just say that you will always know exactly what I'm thinking by the look on my face or the words that leave my lips.  I don't leave much room for guessing.  While being honest is a good thing, being brutally honest is not.

This is the same with children. I'm a firm believer that they need to hear the truth and be corrected when they are misbehaving. They need to be taught the difference between right and wrong. They need to be taught boundaries and expectations. But they need to be taught using the language of love.

There is a kind way to teach a child and there is a cruel, damaging way. Nothing makes me angrier than to hear an adult calling a child hideous names.   Remember the old adage: If you hear it enough, you believe it.   I've heard a five year old child tell me what his parents call him. Something that can't be repeated here. Something that broke my heart. Something the child was beginning to believe. Something the child thought was a normal thing for parents to call their children.

What will these children grow up to become if they are called profanities when they are young? What will they do if they are told that they are failures or stupid?   Sadly, many will give up and live the lie because they believe that they will never learn or never be successful.

This year, I'm going to make an extra effort to control the things that come out of my mouth. I'm going to pray for a little more for guidance and control.  And, I'm going to speak words of encouragement and kindness to those around me, especially the little ones.


Happy New Year!


The Power of the Written Word! 

2nd grade daily work 

3rd grade daily work

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Primary teachers should be paid more.  They are not paid nearly enough.  One of them and at least 25 squirmy little 5 year olds asking you to tie their shoes. All day long.  They only know some of their letters.  Q's aren't even in their alphabet.  R's are backwards and B's and D's are reversible.   Same with numbers 3, 5, and 7.  I used to think that it took talent to write backwards. No, it does not. You only have to be a five year old. Then,  it comes naturally.

Why is it that the kid picking their nose wants to hold your hand?  Or the one that wants a hug has their lunch smeared all over their face?    Wear plastic.  Wear gloves and a plastic shower cap and you should be good.  At the end of the day just power wash yourself.  Don't forget steal toed boots. Your feet will be stepped on repeatedly throughout the day.

Nerves. Primary teachers have nerves of steel. Literally.  They can calmly, quietly, in a sing-song voice answer the same question over and over and over and over.  They ask questions softly about making good choices, having nice hands, and being kind.  And then there's tattling.  Anyone who breaths on anyone, touches anyone, or looks at anyone wrong will be reported.  There are twenty-five pairs of eyes and ears that can't wait to report to the only person in the room that is over 4 foot.  They embellish and exaggerate as only the very young can do.   It is their personal duty to put their errant classmate back on the right path. This is not tattling. This is reform.  The one who strays will be held up as an example. The one who is the self-designated reporter gives themselves a pat on the back for a job well-done.  That is until the teacher shames the reporter and makes them feel like they did something wrong. Don't lose heart. The little police will have their confidence restored shortly, and return to duty.

Patience. Primary teachers have more patience than all other grade levels combined. Everything takes at least twice as long.  Everything has a why? attached to it. You can't get ready for the bus in 3 minutes. Plan on 30 minutes.   Snack time lasts at least 20 minutes when most school lunch times don't come close to that length of time.   Recess, on the other hand,  can't be long enough. They need to run and scream and wear themselves out.

Shoulder pads. Every primary teacher should be handed a set of shoulder pads on the first day of school. They're going to need them.  There is at least one impatient little person that will be  drilling a hole in your arm the size of the Grand Canyon. And what they want to tell you is earth shattering.  The last one to put a crater in my arm kept calling me Mrs. Frankenstein. She had a headache that only recess could cure.  She had a headache?? I told her to take a good look at me and see just what a real headache looked like. Never once did I correct her mispronunciation of my name. Somehow I felt like a Frankenstein.  Or a Grinch.  Or maybe Scrooge.

Primary teachers have the opportunity to dress in silly costumes and participate in childish games. Sometimes this is fun but that's not always the case.  Which brings me to the elf. That stupid Elf-on-the-Shelf.  I would like to send him back to the North Pole where he can disrupt the other elves. Let's see what Santa thinks about that!

In my opinion there isn't enough money in the world to pay primary teachers. They are on the front lines. Cleaning up snot and every other unmentionable while wearing a smile and singing a song. There just isn't enough money for that.


Boom Cards can make learning fun for kids and easier for teachers!  

Transition Words

Parts of Speech

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This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Wouldn't you like to know?!!
It is actually a big secret. We don't want anyone to know how we spend our days off.
Finding out would change your perspective.  You might form a different opinion of your teacher.

So... Okay, I'll share a few secrets.

We like to sleep in.  Teachers, most of us, are night owls. We stay up grading papers, writing & creating lessons, and worrying. Mornings are not our friend.  Neither are alarm clocks.  So, on breaks we shut off alarm clocks, close the blinds, and crash. We also do naps. Naps early in the day, after lunch, and afternoon. It takes a lot of dream-time to recharge a teacher!

We don't do school. Really.  We don't grade papers or look at lessons or check email... until the night before school starts again.  Then we think about how we should have worked on lessons or checked email sooner or finished grading pre-Christmas assignments. But....  Well, we have good intentions, really we do.

We spend time with friends and we tell funny stories and laugh - loudly- and stay up late and eat too much and act like we're goofy kids.  People look at us funny and wonder what we're saying. They look at our clothing - very casual and comfy- and wonder what we do and why we're not dressed for work.  

On break teachers don't care. We don't care what we look like. We don't care what people think or say. We don't care what work is done or not done.  We don't care about diets or exercise.  We just mentally go on vacation and enjoy our vacation as much (or more) than our students.

Get ready for snow!

Nonfiction Book Companion

Here's another great give-away! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

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Co-hosts:   An Apple for the Teacher, 180 Days of Reading, Mrs Wenning's Classroom, Chocolate 4 Teachers, Kamp Kindergarten, TheBeezyTeacher, A Plus Kids, Coast 2 Coast Teacher, KB3Teach, The Chocolate Teacher, It's Kinder Time, and It's a Teacher Thing. 

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  Giveaway ends 12/13/18 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on June 5, 2015. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

Read more »

Chocolate 4 Teachers