create

CREATIVITY. It’s like I can’t get away from it. It’s everywhere.  It’s hitting me from books, speakers, movies and life etc.

For the first time, in many years, my schedule is not over packed. I’ve cut back on work and leading many outreach programs. I love people and equipping people but this is a new season where God is asking me to create.

I’m realizing that the most joyful and content people are creators. This makes sense, since we are made in the image of a Creator, it only makes sense that we are more fully ourselves when we are also creating. 

People who are in jobs that don’t allow for them to create something new or to be creative, I’m more and more convinced that they won’t feel fulfilled.

Now the thing is, creativity is not cookie cutter. For example, co-creating with God and creating children is to me one of the most amazing form of creativity imaginable. 

Creating carries such a huge range of expressions from new ideas, new visions, writing, cooking, inventing, trying new plays and strategies on the sports fields etc etc. My definition of creativity would be something like bringing forth new life into the world through many different expressions.

To be extreme, when we stop creating and are stuck in a monotonous, routine, boring, machine, we are ceasing to co-create with God and ceasing to bring life into the world. We are ceasing to be fully alive. We are in fact, selling our time and selling ourselves.  This struck me as I watched the movie Pretty women, in which the actor says this:

10. Edward: “You and I are such similar creatures Vivian. We both screw people for money.”

The point is that simply making money is not fulfilling. Edward finally leaves his money making career  of buying and selling businesses because he wants to create again. He wants to go back and do what he did as a child which was to build and create. He wants to go into architecture. Just buying and selling businesses made him feel like he was selling himself.

This year in particular I believe the 2 areas I’d like to be more creative are: cooking and writing. 

So, the challenge to myself and to others is:

1.       What unique ways to do want to create and be creative this year?

2.       How can you begin that process?

3.       Who in your community can you be creative with or inspire each other to create?

A lot I need to know I learned by teaching Kindergarten

A lot I need to know I learned by teaching Kindergarten.

(a play on the poem “all I really need to know, I learned in Kindergarten" by Robert F)

I taught Kindergarten for a couple of years and these are some things I’ve learned.

Please don’t try to tell me that everyone is born “good”. Clearly you have been not been in a kindergarten class for more than an hour. Children need to be taught kindness and sharing. If left to their own devices, within minutes there will be grabbing, mean words, pushing, shoving etc.  If you don’t believe me, God says it: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Children are amazing and when taught how to love, they respond.

Children have a sense of justice. Often, I hear “that’s not fair, he took my block”.  Children have a keen sense of justice. Once again, we walk through how to resolve situations like this during centers time.

Children are quick to forgive. Even though they may fight throughout the day, once “student a” tells “student b” “I’m sorry." That's it. There's no bringing up the past, they move on! They are quick to forgive!

Friendship is everything. When I say that we are going to have partners for an activity, they won’t hear a thing I say after that. They are already clinging onto their bff for dear life. Then I tell them: I’m putting you in partners today and I’m putting boys with girls. There is silence. Birthday parties, centers, recess… life completely revolves around friends. It is the most important thing in their lives.

Small joys are of infinite importance. If I mention there will be a sticker at the end of the day or a ribbon for Km club, I will literally have 20 children asking me at 10 minutes intervals throughout the day: is it time for the ribbon yet?? The smallest things bring them the greatest joys.

Speaking of little things, they will notice: the small ant crawling, a tiny pin that fell from the wall. It’s a great thing for adults to remember to observe the simple things.

Stories. No matter how old we are, everyone enjoys a good story and a good story teller. Every day we read stories. I ask things like: can anyone make a connection? Has something similar ever happened to you? This is when most hands will raise and they tell me things completely unrelated to any part of the story. They are simply sharing what’s important to them. “Mme. Did you know my grandma is coming to visit?” Meanwhile the story was about dinosaurs or a dog.

Paint. Only paint in small groups at a time.  A couple times, I made the mistake of painting with the whole class at the same time. That’s fine teacher, if you want to spend the next 48 hours cleaning every table, chair, floor, sink, students hands and clothes. Never ever paint with the whole group at once.

Take time to breath. I teach Kindergarten French Immersion and by the end of the day my brain is fried from behaviour management, teaching and speaking in a second language.  I was coaching track and field to the grade 5’s after school outside and said to them “everyone sit on the carpet”. They informed me we were on the grass. Then I started the warm ups “cinq, quatre, trois, deux.” They informed me: it’s after school, we speak English.   That day, I needed to breathe.

Scrapes and cuts are monumental. Tears flow. Somehow a band aid solves everything.

Infact, in kindergarten expect about 1 student in tears a day. With full day kindergarten, a few are overtired by the afternoon and I often hear “I’m tired” by one or two.  Sleep is important (for children AND adults!!)

Children are amazing and loving. The best part of kindergarten are the hugs. Charlotte’s Diamond’s classic “4 hugs a day” doesn’t come close to my class. On a given day, I’m given 20 hugs and it’s the sweetest thing. Often I have to remind them that in the middle of a math lesson, it is not the best time to hug. At the right times, it’s very sweet.

Kindergarten parents are awesome. I have the best Kindergarten parents helpers. They help read to the class and help me do science/art projects once a week.  I have great respect for them.

Children love exploring and discovering in nature. All of my students shared that they're favourite part of the day is GOING OUTSIDE. It’s fascinating watching them play and discover and create through nature. Adults usually come alive outside too.

Children are CREATIVE. During centers (play time) children want to build, paint, draw, invent. Anything that's new and creative. We are made in God's image and He is Creator. So it makes sense that we were born to create and be creative.

Children are teachable, amazing, forgiving, loving, explorers, creative, discoverers. Teaching these kids helped teach me a lot about life.