Guest Blogger

Our last day of Carpe Diem for this school year will be Thursday, May 3rd. I still plan on blogging on a daily basis, but you must be getting sick of hearing from me! 

So.....I invited the staff to be, "guest bloggers". They each have a story.....whether it's a story of success, frustration, wonderment, etc,.....it is their story......and they should have the opportunity to share their story.

Our first guest blogger is Meghan Farrell. I will let you read her story to hear what she has to say. So....make a cup of tea....sit down and get comfy.....and read Meaghan's story....it's a good one!

            My name is Meaghan Farrell and I am one of the grad assistants and lead teachers at the Carpe Diem Academy. Amy asked me to write a post about an experience with my kindergarteners this week that went particularly well.

            We learned about manners this week in my classroom. We read books about manners, acted out “good manners” scenarios, completed journal entries and learned songs about manners in sign language. All of these activities were leading up to Thursdays “Fancy Dinner”

            At our dinner, we used a tablecloth, napkins, plates instead of Styrofoam trays, cups instead of milk cartons and spoons, knives and forks instead of sporks. Each student had their own placemat that they had made earlier in the week to learn about setting a table. Some of the students let me know that they had never been to a restaurant or seen a table fully set. Our fancy dinner then became more important. At our dinner, I became a waitress, the desks became a table and my kindergarteners became little grown-ups.

            It was remarkable. I sat with my five-year-olds at a table and watched them dine. Classical music played in the background, students engaged in polite conversation and young boys who had trouble staying in the classroom the first few days of Carpe Diem were now eating with napkins in their laps, wearing homemade paper bowties. It was the highlight of my week (many weeks) and it melted my heart when one student said to me, “Miss Farrell, this is kind of like we’re at a real restaurant and we’re your 14 kids.”

            In my eyes, they are my kids and it will be hard to leave them next week. Sometimes, as teachers we find ourselves teaching so much more than reading, writing and math. I’m learning that it is in those lessons that students seem to take away the most. And in those moments, when students have the spark in their eye of a new experience, I take away the most as well.

            Now, wasn't that a great story! Next time you are at a fancy restaurant.....think about this story......think about the opportunity that Meghan gave to her 14 children. Meghan was right when she said, "As teachers we find ourselves teaching so much more than reading, writing and math."  As teachers, we need to remember to educate the whole child.

Carpe Diem!

-Amy