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Gathered by Pat Hoertdoerfer
Children, Family, and Intergenerational Programs Director, UUA
Boston, MA
A collection of ideas and practices from REACH-L folks to inspire
your celebrations this year – in the classroom, during intergenerational
worship, in children’s chapel, during teacher/leader appreciation
dinner/lunch or when/wherever:
Fill bags or boxes with items that children have collected:
- An orange (orange you glad you were called to serve in our RE!)
- An apple (You’re the apple of my eye and such a “polished”
leader.)
- Jar/box of spice (You really add spice to our RE!)
- Chewing gum (Stick with us – let’s all serve together)
- Cracker Jacks (You’re a Cracker Jack teacher!)
- Banana (We’ve gone bananas over RE)
- Packet of sugar (Isn’t RE “sweet?)
- Krackle bar (Thanks for putting snap, krackle, & pop into our
RE)
- Pack of nuts (we’re nuts about you as a teacher)
- Light bulb (we’re delighted to have you in our RE)
- Feather (We’re tickled to have you serve in RE)
- Measuring spoon (As a teacher you measure up)
- Question mark (Have we told you how much we appreciate your service
and dedication)
- Glue (Thanks for sticking to your calling)
- Scissors (As a leader you’re a cut above the rest)
- Ball (Thanks for giving our RE the needed bounce)
- Paint brush (Thanks for painting our RE with enthusiasm)
- Marking pen (Thanks for leaving your mark on our RE)
–Becky
I have a game that we play every Sunday during opening exercises. I call
it “Special child.” I made buttons that say, “I Am a
Child of God,” with primary colors. I passed a questionnaire to
the parent of each child and also for all the workers in RE, including
teachers, music people, etc. Every Sunday I will choose one and begin
reading the answers. Every one stands up and if the answers don’t
apply to them they have to sit down. The one left standing will get the
button! Sometimes it will be a teacher or a worker; it is fun and everyone
likes it.
–Ally
We have a Chinese restaurant in town that dips their fortune cookies
in chocolate (best fortune cookies I’ve ever had!!). I am going
to buy one cookie per teacher and somehow bag/wrap it with the note: “We’re
fortunate to have great teachers like you!” or “We’re
fortunate to have you serving in our RE program.”
–Cheryl
One fun thing we have done for teachers and subs is to give out a bag
of unpopped microwave popcorn with a little note attached that reads something
like “Popcorn is a little kernel that magnified it’s calling,
thanks for all you do!!”
–Kate
One thing that we did in our RE was to have all of the new teachers
bring in childhood pictures and have the children try to guess who they
are. Then, when it was guessed, the teacher would tell the kids a story
about themselves when they were the age in the picture and what they liked
to do. You can also have them talk about their favorite RE song, and why
it is their favorite.
–Christy
Teacher gift bags with:
- Folded paper airplane (It’s plane to see you are a wonderful
teacher!)
- Glitter (You make our RE sparkle!)
- Paper musical note (Here’s a note to let you know we appreciate
all that you do in RE!)
- Paper sun (You make our RE shine!)
- Smiley face stickers (I love seeing your smile in RE!)
- Star stickers or made of paper (You’re a star in RE!)
- Take a precious moment to let our RE children know how special
they are! (You can pass out Precious Moment stickers in class.)
- You are a Life saver! (Lifesaver candies are perfect for a
substitute.)
–Nona
An everyday survival kit:
- Toothpick – to remind you to pick out the good qualities in
others.
- Rubber band – to remind you to be flexible, things might not
always go the way you want, but it will work out.
- Band aid – to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone
else’s.
- Pencil – to remind you to list your blessings everyday.
- Eraser – to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s
okay.
- Chewing gum – to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish
anything.
- Mint – to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family
and friends.
- Candy kiss – to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a
hug every day.
- Tea bag (fruit or herbal, of course!) – to remind you to relax
daily and go over your list of blessings.To the world, you may just
be somebody, but to somebody, you may be the world . . .
–Lorena
Here’s a sampling from the Quotable Teacher (edited by Randy
Howe) for teacher celebrations. There are a few wonderful stories in Wisdom
Tales From Around the World that are great for teacher appreciation
services. I like ‘Why Wisdom is Everywhere’ the best.
Education is the point at which we decide whether we love the world
enough to assume responsibility for it. – Hannah Arendt
The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.
– William Inge
Education is a kind of continuing dialogue, and a dialogue assumes
. . . different points of view. – Robert M. Hutchins
Talent is like electricity. We don’t understand electricity.
We use it. – Maya Angelou
Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.
– Chinese Proverb
Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another. It
is the only means. – Albert Einstein
The teacher who is indeed wise
does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom
but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind. – Khalil Gibran
Teaching is the highest form of understanding. – Aristotle
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior
teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. – William Arthur
Ward
Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great
teacher. – Japanese Proverb
Those who trust us educate us. – George Eliot
Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open
one??? Malcom S. Forbes
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.
– Confucius
You don’t have to be tall to see the moon. – African Proverb
– Tryst
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