National Coloring Book Day and a Grateful Heart at the End of Summer

The early days of August are typically a stressful time for teachers as we are forced to acknowledge that school is officially just around the corner. We know that the calendar still says it's summer, but there's a mental shift that has to take place. Are we ready for this?

Skyscapes Coloring Book

Maybe not! There's that tiny voice of panic that can invade even the cheeriest summer morning. "Dear God," we may be praying, "I don't know if I can do school in two weeks!"


It's a good reminder to be thankful for the good things in life, to savor the gifts of a good God at the end of summer. I'm savoring blueberries today! This week I'm also connecting with friends new and old because it's just harder to do that during the busy school year.

Need a nudge to even meet with friends? Visit Christian foodie and blogger Melanie Kathryn's cheery site, Gather For Bread. I plan to make her Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins today.


In addition to being thankful and connecting with encouraging friends, we may need some targeted stress relievers as we head into teacher work week, end of summer conferences, or training.

It Is Well With My Soul Coloring Book

Maybe it's time to hop on board the adult coloring trend. Today is National Coloring Book Day! This blog is affiliated with two companies that publish gorgeous coloring books for the secret designer/artist in you. Using the links in this post and around this blog will help support Christian Teacher, Public School when you purchase from Dayspring and Dover Publishing.

Angular Animals from Dover

Whatever your remaining summer days look like, remember to spend time at Jesus's feet (Luke 10:42), and if you have children, bring them with you. In my family it's challenging to get my three kids on the couch at the same time in the morning for Bible story time, but God has blessed richly when we make it happen. Let's be like Mary and "choose the good part" this August.


Blessings,

5 Ways to Create a Summer to Remember

We’ve looked forward to these days for months. After wishing and planning, hoping and waiting, summer is finally here! Long days of outside fun, road trips, and ice cream dripping down sticky fingers are ahead of us.

But before you know it, August will roll around again. We’ll wave goodbye to summer days while waving hello to routines, packed lunches, and new beginnings. Instead of dreading the eventual end of summer, let’s live purposely during the days we have. Let’s create a summer to remember, one that we’ll look back on fondly when the next season arrives.

Read Kaitlyn's 5 Ways to Create a Summer to Remember at Dayspring.

Using our affiliate links like the one above helps support this blog. Thank you!

Find Christian Teacher, Public School Elsewhere on the Web

Christian teachers belong in public schools as a ray of sunlight in a darkening world, an example of the believer to a world that is seeking. They can't thrive without God's help, though. They need the Holy Spirit to guide and to go before them. And they need encouragement from fellow believers who know that the struggle is not in vain. That's why Christian Teacher, Public School is here. To offer encouragement and light for dark days.

If you agree with the message of this blog, won't you follow us by email? You can also follow the Christian Teacher, Public School board on Pinterest and find us on Facebook.

8 Encouraging eCards for Teachers, Summer and Fall Collection

Support this blog by shopping at Brevity on Teachers Pay Teachers, where I offer many freebies in addition to resources on bullying prevention, literary elements in Shakespeare, and classroom management. See my latest eCards for back to school!

You can also help support Christian Teacher, Public School by shopping with our affiliate links for excellent products from Dayspring Cards Inc. and Dover Publications. I don't advertise for companies I haven't used and loved for years. Right now, both companies are having summer sales. Dover is offering up to 75% off on summer clearance through July 25, and Dayspring creates a sense of suspense with their Secret Summer Sale (shh!!), where you can use code SUMMER30 to get 30% off their top ten summer gifts.

Best of all, you can share this blog with teacher friends. Thanks for reading and blessing me! Teachers need encouragement, and I hope this is a great place to find it.

There's Still Time To Enter Our Free Book Giveaway!

It's been fun to see so many new faces at Christian Teacher, Public School this week! So many Christian book lovers! Don't forget, there's still time to enter our giveaway. Inspirational author Susan Page Davis has agreed to give away a copy of her new book, River Rest, the perfect summer read or gift for that encouraging Christian teacher in your life. I've made new friends and reconnected with some "old" ones just by having my mom as a guest this week. Thanks, Mom!

Giveaway ends at midnight EST on Saturday (despite the sometimes wrong time countdown on the Rafflecopter gadget. . .), so check back soon to see if you're the winner!

Follow Susan @SusanPageDavis or on Facebook.

Stop by next week for Unstructured Play Week on Christian Teacher, Public School!

Vocabulary Reboot

Bulletin boards add color and fun

It's no secret: teachers work in the summertime. In addition to catching up on their "real lives," they attend training, revamp lessons or units, and redecorate their classrooms. In July they hit the back-to-school sales with their classroom supply money, which never seems to go as far as they would like. And summer never lasts as long as they would like, either.

This summer, one of my projects is to reboot a home-grown Greek and Latin root vocabulary program I inherited from the teacher before me, who inherited it from the teacher before her. I want to find research-based practices that engage the students with words and word parts in more meaningful ways.

What are your favorite vocab strategies?