My Pre-K Classroom

I'm a little bit crazy about my classroom this year. The overall theme is "Art." We utilized lots of bright rainbow colors and paint chip cards. Here's a closer look at some of the details!

Our circle time bulletin board is bright and cheerful! This board will stay up all year, and we use it to discuss the calendar, weather, alphabet, colors, numbers and shapes. I'm crazy about the doubled border, and the bottom one that actually looks like paint chip cards. 

The twine lines with clothespins now displays art work done by the kids. The paintbrush was created by my co-teacher last year. She used big sheets of bulletin board paper. To me, the quote from Vincent Van Gogh is perfect for Pre-K. (And the fact that it came from an amazing artist carries out our art theme even further!)

Our writing center is my favorite area in our classroom. I found the red table on craigslist, and my husband cut the leg height down. Our art theme is carried over to this area with the small paint buckets that hold the dry erase markers.

We grabbed paint chip cards from Lowes and turned them into our cubby tags.

We also made our own job chart and utilized paint chip cards to write the kids' names on.

We are a month into this school year, and I can truly say it's already the best year I've ever had as a teacher. After 8 years working with 3-year-olds, I was ready for a change. There's nothing I don't love about teaching these older kids. And the fact that I get to share a classroom with such a good friend just tops everything off. 

Dream Big, You

When I was a kid, my brother and I would spend hours recording our favorite Disney shows to a blank VHS tape, then hooking a second VCR to the first one and recording what we called "over and over" repetitive clips of our favorite lines from the show.

We would also spend hours choreographing, styling, and filming ourselves lip syncing to our favorite songs. We wrote and filmed our own short films. We. Filmed. Everything.

Even as an adult, I couldn't stop with the videos. I discovered the Vine app and challenged myself to come up with funny 6-second creations.

God put particular care and detail into each and every one of us. He instilled within us unique interests, passions, and desires. Because of that, we enjoy different hobbies. I believe that the things we are drawn to are not there by accident. Their purpose is for us to be able to find ways to serve Him that bring us joy and fulfillment.

Today, I channel my love for videography by filming and editing videos for my church. By no means do I consider myself a professional, and I still have a lot to learn. But my passion for it fuels my desire to become more knowledgable, and with knowledge comes better material.

This quote greatly inspires me: "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

Why is it so easy for us to tell little ones to dream big, yet we ourselves settle for filling our days with the mundane, required tasks of adulthood?

What do you dream of when you can't sleep at night? And what holds you back from chasing those dreams?

Do you dream of entertaining but immediately count yourself out because your house doesn't look like Joanna Gaines', it's really small, or you can't afford expensive dishes? (Preaching to the choir, here...) Make the best of what you have. If your table only seats four, invite three women over once a month for intentional conversation. (IF:Table conversation cards are a great place to start.) Scour thrift stores and yard sales to find mismatched dishes that reflect your style. Pick wildflowers from the side of the road and put them in a mason jar. Then brew some coffee, make a pie (or thaw a frozen Edwards pie--they're delicious), and invite your friends over.

Maybe you dream of owning your own shop, but you can't afford the start-up. Create a Facebook page, invite your friends to join, then post cute pictures of your handmade or repurposed items. You might be surprised how quickly word spreads about your creations.

Blog. Write a book. Sign up for that course. Start an exercise group out of your home. Pour into others over coffee. Turn trash into treasure, then sell it. Mentor. Feed the hungry. Take pictures. Adopt. Lead a Bible study. Bake. Build furniture. Train for a long run. Explore.

Do that thing your soul was made to love.

That passion you have is not there by accident. It is God-given, and you'll never find yourself in a sweeter spot than when you are living fully in the midst of His plan for you.

Chase after your passions. Dream big, You.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
(Philippians 1:6)

(Published on bravegirlcommunity.com)