In This Issue |
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Dear Angie,
I can't believe the summer has almost arrived! In recognition of the end of the school year, May's newsletter is focusing on a couple of people our family has learned something from. The first one just last week shared some great words of wisdom (meant for kids but definitely applicable for adults, too!) The next is someone we've gotten to know over the last year that now holds a special place in our heart...
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Last-minute detour turns into one of our most memorable days
Last week after a t-ball game and dinner out we headed back home - my husband had our littlest one in his car, and I followed him with Henry in mine. As I left the parking lot, I noticed TV camera crews outside of the Barnes & Noble and wondered what was going on. Then I remembered that Newt Gingrich was going to be there speaking and promoting his latest book, Days of Infamy.
I looked at the clock, 8:53 p.m. and then at Henry in the back, pretty filthy and very exhausted. I ended up thinking, just maybe this could be a really neat thing for Henry... So, I did a u-turn, parked the car and quickly ran in with Henry. Mr. Gingrich was signing his last book, and I asked if he could sign one for Henry. He very kindly signed the book as Henry stood next to him. He told Henry that he was going to write in the inside cover his five rules he shares with young kids.
As we were leaving, several people who were standing close by, stopped us and asked if they could read what Mr. Gingrich wrote in Henry's book. Thought I'd pass them along to each of you as well...
1. Dream big
2. Work hard
3. Learn everyday
4. Enjoy life
5. Be true to yourself
Henry went to bed holding the book, and came into the kitchen the next morning holding it tight. A copy of this page along with the picture of Henry with Mr. Gingrich is definitely going into our family's DearBook!
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Monthly Spotlight: We Love Our Teachers!
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 This school year has flown by and, while I'm thrilled Henry had such a wonderful teacher for the first grade, I'm so sad to think that she's not going to be apart of his (our!) daily lives.
Our spotlight this month is on Henry's first grade teacher, Jen Edwards. Jen has an incredible style - not only her clothes, shoes (love them!), etc. but her attention to detail in the classroom. From the awesome bulletin boards to the fun pillows, the feeling you have from the moment you walk into her classroom exudes comfort and joy. This welcoming environment sure helped ease my nerves when dropping off our first grader that first day!
When I asked Jen if she would give her take on Order, Comfort, Style & Joy, she graciously shared the following with me...
Order and Comfort: To me, these things go hand in hand. In a classroom, there cannot be comfort if there is no order. Although I am very much a type B person and stay relaxed about most everything, I am a little over the top when it comes to having clean and linear lines in my home and classroom. It is not easy to keep this type of order in a first grade classroom, especially the first month or so. I like the desks to be parallel with one another, the posters to be hung straight, and the kids' handwriting to be perfect. (Okay, so you can't have it all!) Maintaining order and creating comfort in a classroom is all about setting boundaries. The children know the rules, but are also able to make their own choices. I feel this creates a sense of responsibility and therefore, forms a special and comfortable environment in which to spend the day. Once the children learn the system, it all works very smoothly. As soon as it's working almost perfectly, it's time for summer and a new class of students to train all over again.
Joy: I love the laughter and innocence of little children. As first graders, they are full of wonder and have a strong desire to learn as much as possible. I would not be able to wake up and drive 25 minutes to work every day if I didn't love my job. After spending some time alone in the morning preparing for the day, I open my classroom door and the little smiling faces that race inside remind me of why I am there. The part of my job that gives me the most joy is teaching something to struggling children and seeing their eyes widen when they finally "get it", just before saying, "This is SO easy". That is the most amazing feeling and a great reminder of the benefit of perseverance. After seven year of teaching, this joy remains and I look forward to many more years of working with children.
I'm so thankful to Jen for the support, dedication and encouragement she has provided Henry. While it's almost time to say goodbye to our kids' teachers this year, I know they'll always have a place in our kids' hearts and minds. Thank you Jen, and thank you Teachers! |
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DearBooks now available... |
 And just a reminder - we have a Special Edition Teacher DearBook so if you are looking for a way to say thank you to a teacher in your child's life, get some friends together, have all of the kids decorate their own pages to for the teacher - and you've got a gift that will help her remember her class and she can use it with her own family.
If you don't have a DearBook yet, now is a great time to start. With school wrapping up and things slowing down a bit, take the down time you have to give some thought to how you want to spend the summer and prepare for the most memorable fall and holiday season - fun and less stressed! DearBook is there to help you both create and preserve those special times for you and your family.
I'm putting together some that can go through May 2009 so let me know if you'd like one!
Thanks for reading and for the wonderful things you are saying - it's very much appreciated! And if you ever have ideas or suggestions, I'd love to hear.
Angie
P.S. If you have friends or family who you think may be interested in our products, or even just the newsletter - please forward this newsletter to them - Thank you so much! |
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Angie Hughes
The DearBook Company |
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