On March 17th, I posted a new project on my blog
called Teachers Taking Care of Teachers. It was a national service project that
God laid on my heart and brought to fruition. It was my hope that teachers around the world
would join together to help the 121 teachers and administrators affected by the
hurricanes that swept through five states on March 2, 2012. I sent out hundreds
of emails and watched the google doc fill up as teachers adopted teachers in
need. It was quite amazing! I really cannot tell you how this impacted my life and
I KNOW it was a blessing to so many. I’ve
always been one of those people who is a crazy gift giver. Now, don’t get me
wrong…I am all
giddy when I get a gift, but real joy comes from giving. This project so was
NOT about me but so much about YOU and your heart to lend a hand and that
totally blessed me. Seriously, some days I was just in tears when I would get
an email from a teacher who was suffering because of what they went through. I
wanted to share a few emails with you so you can see what YOU helped to do.
Some are addressed to me, but they really are to everyone who donated their
time, funds, and materials. I want to share the pure joy of knowing YOU touched
the lives of so many and YOUR efforts will not go unnoticed. J Blessing and love to each and every one of YOU!!
Now, I am a softy, but you may want to grab a tissue….
called Teachers Taking Care of Teachers. It was a national service project that
God laid on my heart and brought to fruition. It was my hope that teachers around the world
would join together to help the 121 teachers and administrators affected by the
hurricanes that swept through five states on March 2, 2012. I sent out hundreds
of emails and watched the google doc fill up as teachers adopted teachers in
need. It was quite amazing! I really cannot tell you how this impacted my life and
I KNOW it was a blessing to so many. I’ve
always been one of those people who is a crazy gift giver. Now, don’t get me
wrong…I am all
giddy when I get a gift, but real joy comes from giving. This project so was
NOT about me but so much about YOU and your heart to lend a hand and that
totally blessed me. Seriously, some days I was just in tears when I would get
an email from a teacher who was suffering because of what they went through. I
wanted to share a few emails with you so you can see what YOU helped to do.
Some are addressed to me, but they really are to everyone who donated their
time, funds, and materials. I want to share the pure joy of knowing YOU touched
the lives of so many and YOUR efforts will not go unnoticed. J Blessing and love to each and every one of YOU!!
Now, I am a softy, but you may want to grab a tissue….
May 9,
2012
2012
“Hi, Crystal. I just wanted to say a belated
“thanks” for organizing this for our fellow teachers. My
class sent letters to one class, and they responded with the sweetest letters
back to my class!! My city was also hit by tornadoes in early April. Luckily,
we did not experience any of the devastation like those up north, but our
school was on lockdown pretty much the whole afternoon and I had a sub!! (I was
attending a Literacy Conference four hours away). But, anyways, it meant a lot
to my students to write cards because they knew exactly what being caught in a
tornado felt like, and it was reassuring to them to get cards from kiddos just
like them who went through the same experience. Anyways, it was a great life
lesson and one that cannot be found in books or curriculum guides. So, thank
you!!”
“thanks” for organizing this for our fellow teachers. My
class sent letters to one class, and they responded with the sweetest letters
back to my class!! My city was also hit by tornadoes in early April. Luckily,
we did not experience any of the devastation like those up north, but our
school was on lockdown pretty much the whole afternoon and I had a sub!! (I was
attending a Literacy Conference four hours away). But, anyways, it meant a lot
to my students to write cards because they knew exactly what being caught in a
tornado felt like, and it was reassuring to them to get cards from kiddos just
like them who went through the same experience. Anyways, it was a great life
lesson and one that cannot be found in books or curriculum guides. So, thank
you!!”
Monica
April 24,
2012 (this was forwarded to me by a donator)
2012 (this was forwarded to me by a donator)
“Dear
Anne,
Anne,
I wanted to let you know that I received your card
today. It was a nice surprise and a wonderful gift. I couldn’t let your actions
go without expressing my appreciation in writing. Your thoughtfulness is
appreciated more than you know. It will certainly help with purchasing
replacement supplies for my classroom.
today. It was a nice surprise and a wonderful gift. I couldn’t let your actions
go without expressing my appreciation in writing. Your thoughtfulness is
appreciated more than you know. It will certainly help with purchasing
replacement supplies for my classroom.
I have been teaching Kindergarten for 13 years and
Head Start for 4 years prior to that. It seems like a large part of
my salary has gone toward my students and classroom over the years. It is so hard
to think about everything that I once had.
Head Start for 4 years prior to that. It seems like a large part of
my salary has gone toward my students and classroom over the years. It is so hard
to think about everything that I once had.
I think that we, as teachers, are so much like
hoarders. We can see the simplest things and imagine great
possibilities that it holds. I guess that is why we accumulate so
much within our careers.
hoarders. We can see the simplest things and imagine great
possibilities that it holds. I guess that is why we accumulate so
much within our careers.
I am now team teaching with another teacher. Due to lack of space,
the 3 ½ Kindergarten classrooms were combined to make two classes. We
have a large number of students (about 30). However, we are learning
to adjust.
I never imagined that such a tragedy would strike
our small community. We were so fortunate that we did not lose any
lives in the tornado. It has been such as adjustment for us to go from a state-
of-the-art school to a campus where several of the buildings have not been used
in 10 years. I think that it is times like this that we as educators learn to
appreciate the little things in life.
our small community. We were so fortunate that we did not lose any
lives in the tornado. It has been such as adjustment for us to go from a state-
of-the-art school to a campus where several of the buildings have not been used
in 10 years. I think that it is times like this that we as educators learn to
appreciate the little things in life.
I wanted to let you know that I work with a
wonderful staff. We were notified on a Friday at 12:00 that we would
be opening the school for students on Monday. We worked diligently
throughout the weekend to prepare the classrooms for the students. We had very
little to work with. However, I think that everyone was in agreement that even
though we had to give up our weekend it was worth it to get the students back
in school. They had been greatly affected by this tragedy and really
needed some feeling of “normalcy” in their lives.
wonderful staff. We were notified on a Friday at 12:00 that we would
be opening the school for students on Monday. We worked diligently
throughout the weekend to prepare the classrooms for the students. We had very
little to work with. However, I think that everyone was in agreement that even
though we had to give up our weekend it was worth it to get the students back
in school. They had been greatly affected by this tragedy and really
needed some feeling of “normalcy” in their lives.
It has been a heart-breaking time. The
students have shared their stories through drawings and writings. I did have
students who were directly impacted and who lost their homes as a result of the
tornado. One student was inside a mobile home with her family as it
flipped three times. I am so thankful that she was able to live to
tell her story and show us her bruises.
students have shared their stories through drawings and writings. I did have
students who were directly impacted and who lost their homes as a result of the
tornado. One student was inside a mobile home with her family as it
flipped three times. I am so thankful that she was able to live to
tell her story and show us her bruises.
Again,
thank you so much for taking the time to care about my students and me!”
thank you so much for taking the time to care about my students and me!”
Ethel
Salyersville
Grade School
Grade School
Kindergarten
Teacher
Teacher
April 16, 2012
“Crystal,
Just like you it has taken me some time and
research to find the Teachers Taking Care Of Teachers Program. I have used this
site before for the wonderful printables but I have never visited the blogs. I
would like to thank you and everyone involved with this project. It is more
than providing us with materials. It has also shown us that there are still
people who are willing to help out a stranger in need. I was among the first of
the teachers to receive a package from Joell. It couldn't have arrived at a
better time. I was beginning to realize the things we had lost and was feeling
depressed. At first our only concern was our children. We wanted to make sure
they were alright and to get them back into a familiar routine. Joell's cards
from her students will be something I will always cherish. I would like to
thank everyone on the behalf of Salyersville Grade School. You really don't
realize what a change you have made.”
research to find the Teachers Taking Care Of Teachers Program. I have used this
site before for the wonderful printables but I have never visited the blogs. I
would like to thank you and everyone involved with this project. It is more
than providing us with materials. It has also shown us that there are still
people who are willing to help out a stranger in need. I was among the first of
the teachers to receive a package from Joell. It couldn't have arrived at a
better time. I was beginning to realize the things we had lost and was feeling
depressed. At first our only concern was our children. We wanted to make sure
they were alright and to get them back into a familiar routine. Joell's cards
from her students will be something I will always cherish. I would like to
thank everyone on the behalf of Salyersville Grade School. You really don't
realize what a change you have made.”
April 17, 2012
“Crystal, I hope
you will get a chance to read this message. I am one of the teachers from
Salyersville elem who you helped through your teachers taking care of teachers
program. I tried to post a comment on your blog but for some reason it didn't
post. I wanted to thank you for what you have done for my school. It is a truly
wonderful thing you have done with the program. Not because of the items we
received but us knowing that someone still cares enough to help out a stranger.
Needless to say I was one of the first to receive a package at my school. It
couldn't have arrived at a better time. For the first week or so I was just
thankful that we had a place to go and worried about my children. Several lost
homes or had damage to their homes. Please keep in mind this is the first time
a tornado ever touched down in this area so it was surprising. We were just
trying to get the children back into a familiar routine. After that I began to
realize all of the things that were lost with the storm and was feeling very
depressed. When my package arrived it changed my outlook. I was surprised to
think that someone from Utah would actually care about me a perfect stranger.
You have proven to me that the world is not as bad as it seems and there are
still some very special people like you who are willing to help.”
you will get a chance to read this message. I am one of the teachers from
Salyersville elem who you helped through your teachers taking care of teachers
program. I tried to post a comment on your blog but for some reason it didn't
post. I wanted to thank you for what you have done for my school. It is a truly
wonderful thing you have done with the program. Not because of the items we
received but us knowing that someone still cares enough to help out a stranger.
Needless to say I was one of the first to receive a package at my school. It
couldn't have arrived at a better time. For the first week or so I was just
thankful that we had a place to go and worried about my children. Several lost
homes or had damage to their homes. Please keep in mind this is the first time
a tornado ever touched down in this area so it was surprising. We were just
trying to get the children back into a familiar routine. After that I began to
realize all of the things that were lost with the storm and was feeling very
depressed. When my package arrived it changed my outlook. I was surprised to
think that someone from Utah would actually care about me a perfect stranger.
You have proven to me that the world is not as bad as it seems and there are
still some very special people like you who are willing to help.”
From Michelle
Ok, I know this is
long and I have more but I will stop there for today. Aren’t these just the
sweetest messages? I hope you know what a great thing you have done by helping.
If you are new to my blog and would still like to help, click the heart picture
above or below to take you to the google doc to sign up.
long and I have more but I will stop there for today. Aren’t these just the
sweetest messages? I hope you know what a great thing you have done by helping.
If you are new to my blog and would still like to help, click the heart picture
above or below to take you to the google doc to sign up.
It’s okay to double up
too. Let’s continue to shower these teachers with love and blessings. THANK YOU
to everyone who has and who will be a part of this amazing project. I would
love it if you would LINK UP a blog post about your experiences with this
project and how you and your students got involved to help. Make sure you post title is Teachers Taking Care of Teachers Update. I hope this linky
party will inspire teachers everywhere. I will leave you with one of my
favorite songs. It is one of those songs that really touch my heart to its core.
too. Let’s continue to shower these teachers with love and blessings. THANK YOU
to everyone who has and who will be a part of this amazing project. I would
love it if you would LINK UP a blog post about your experiences with this
project and how you and your students got involved to help. Make sure you post title is Teachers Taking Care of Teachers Update. I hope this linky
party will inspire teachers everywhere. I will leave you with one of my
favorite songs. It is one of those songs that really touch my heart to its core.
Have a great week friends and Happy Mother’s Day too. Even if you aren't a mom
yet, you hold the place for mothers every day when you teach children. We often
spend more time with children than their parents get too so what you do is important.
Your love is a love that can change a life. It takes a village to raise a child
and your part is super important. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Love
and virtual hugs!!!
yet, you hold the place for mothers every day when you teach children. We often
spend more time with children than their parents get too so what you do is important.
Your love is a love that can change a life. It takes a village to raise a child
and your part is super important. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Love
and virtual hugs!!!
document.write(‘
School Sparks Renee says
Wow! This is terrific, Renee