Arts and crafts for Christmas

Christmas is almost here again! I can't believe that we are one month away from year 2017. I can imagine the decorations and lights everywhere that will make you feel that Christmas is coming, except here and in some other Muslim countries of course. Bazaars and promotions are a plenty for sure. Christmas means different for everyone. For some, it means family reunions and get together with delightful buffet. For some, it means giving, sharing, and reaching out to people in need. While for those who are still going to school, it's the long holidays to look out for! And there's the more significant meaning of Christmas - the celebration of God's incredible act of love through the birth of Jesus Christ.

For preschools, this time of the year means looking and preparing for arts and crafts about Christmas. For many years of teaching young children, I have tried a lot of fun arts and crafts out there but sadly, I didn't have most of the photos - maybe I have them but it may take some digging in my storage device. Anyway, last year I was able to take pictures of some Christmas arts and crafts I made with my Nursery class. I thought of sharing them here for educators and/or parents looking for ideas. Most of them are simple and just need a couple of materials. Check them out:

Santa hat
What you need: party hat template by ohhappyday, red poster paint, sparkles, cotton balls, glue, red yarn

Christmas Tree Sun catcher
What you need: Christmas tree template, colored tissue paper cut in small pieces, glue
(for another version, check this.)

Clever ways

Something funny happened today in our class. Actually, funny things just come and go when you are working with kids.

We were talking about family this morning and I was asking each one of the kids the members of their family. I also asked them about what their mommy and daddy usually do. Some said that "Daddy works in the office" and "Mommy stays at home." I also asked them to draw their family's faces and we made family finger puppets. They also had a chance to draw their family and their house using colored markers and pencils.

There's this youngest kid in my class who's still in scribbling stage when it comes to drawing. He was drawing a lot of circles and I encouraged him to draw his family's faces, still he went on doodling and scribbling. When all of them were done, I asked each of them to tell me what they have created. One of them drew a lot of houses for each of his friends, he said 'Muchos house!' and one of them drew a door and windows on her house. The youngest kid told me that he drew a house while I was making sense of the doodles and circles, and then I asked him where are his family and he answered proudly "My mommy is inside (the house)"

Of reading stories to children

I went to a daycare center when I was a child, and I have no memory of the teacher reading stories to us. It was a time when preschool education was not a requirement before going to elementary classes. There weren't a lot of daycare services that time as much as I could recall, unlike today, daycare services and preschools are everywhere.

I remember that we had a lot of math worksheets and that I really enjoyed counting activities. I think I learned to read when I was in first grade. Though there were other children to play with in the school, it was not so fun at all. I recall that other parents would threat the kids to stop crying or else the teacher would do something bad to them. How would kids feel safe in such an environment?

Fast forward to university life and I was taking my degree, I enjoyed my practicum playing with and teaching the kids. I learned a lot from my cooperating teachers. We planned creative activities that would focus on the children's skills and interest. Truly, the children learn best when they enjoy what they are doing. From that moment on, I realized that I love teaching and being part of someone's childhood. I think it is overwhelming when people recall their awesome childhood and you were a part of it. It's enough reason to keep you going.

Of doing something right

I'm having a great time in the school so far. Aside from keeping me busy with something productive, I'm having fun getting to know the kids, reviewing Spanish language (for one kid in my class), and preparing lessons! It was so nice when most of the teaching resources that you need are just an inch away.

Michael and I are also doing fine with almost everything, from household chores, to simple and big decisions making. I want us to enjoy this time together, while being far from families and friends, and while working and saving for future plans. We always think about when we'll be going home, what to do, because we definitely miss even the little things in the Philippines. Maybe that's the thing with living and working in another country, we live and count the months left dreaming of home. But, missing home doesn't keep us from having fun, happiness can be cheaper than what you imagine it to be.

Finally, I was overwhelmed seeing happy updates from friends in the Antioch community these past few days. They held a sports festival and I guessed that they really had a great time together amidst few conflicts. I remember when we had our first sports festival, there was really the spirit of competition but at the end of the day, everyone went home tired but happy. I am actually overwhelmed that these activities we started years ago were being held regularly, like the fun runs. I was taking my P.E. running class  when I joined fun runs in the university because they were required. I suggested to the community that we could plan a fun run. The first time we organized a fun run in our town with the Antioch community, it was a hit! I'm proud that we still do it on a regular basis. With all the things that I shared with Antioch, I realized that the times I spent on and with the formation are all worthwhile. I can say that I must have done something right with what God has blessed me. Oh, grateful.☺

I'm sharing another good song here, enjoy! 

Of learning while teaching

Teaching has always been my passion, I guess. When I came here in the kingdom, I considered looking for other jobs aside from teaching but I still ended up searching for teaching posts. Maybe because I could not imagine doing other tasks aside from what I've been doing for the last five years.

Schools here had been posting for teachers' hiring few weeks (even days) before the start of the academic year. I sent applications to different schools and there were about four or five who responded. I chose the school with a decent pay and with probably manageable class. I ended up teaching in a school house inside a new western compound here in Riyadh. The kids are mostly westerners so yes, they speak English and it's sort of easier than teaching in a class where the majority speaks a language that I haven't mastered. I have a Spanish student and I'm glad that I can use what I learned from my Spanish course back in college. ¡Muy bien!

My co-teachers were from another Asian country and I've been having some difficulty to explain how I want to teach the children, because they came from schools with a different educational system. We are working around it and I hope that we'll somehow meet in the middle. I am thankful that we get by fine at the moment. And I am thankful too that the school has good facilities, equipment, and materials, especially the playground that I'd be so happy to play at if I were a kid (well, even now, as an adult)!

So far I am grateful for all the teaching opportunities that definitely help me grow professionally. For the last five years, I have learned various techniques and discipline in different school settings and all those molded and established my philosophy in teaching. I really do hope to use all the knowledge that I've been earning in setting up a preschool in the future. For the love of children and teaching, I pray that our brilliant plans will come to life. :)

One of the perks of a preschool teacher - playing with kids!