Oh, We Need a Little Christmas!

Just yesterday, my principal sang to me, "Oh, we need a little Christmas...Right this very moment!"  Isn't that the truth?  Christmas cannot come soon enough!  It was a great relief to hear that I was not the only one feeling the need for a small break!  We are all rushing around trying to wrap things up in our classrooms and in our own personal lives.  We are shopping like crazy and some of us may have battled the Black Friday crowds last week--I couldn't even think about going out that day!  Buy anyway, it was interesting to see that Change.org actually published an article about how in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, parents should remember to think about their teachers.  I tend to think that parents do not need to go out of their way to find a present for me, their child's teacher.  Change.org argues, however, that "Every year, teachers reach down into their [own] pockets and pay as much as $1,500 a year on classroom supplies -- sometimes for materials as vital as paper and pencils."  They argue that teachers give so much of their own personal time and money that it is only right to give back to them.  I had to keep reading and was actually impressed to see that there are websites like ILoveSchools.com that actually allow teachers and donors to connect in order to collect basic supplies for their classrooms.  Wouldn't it bring an overwhelming sense of hope to struggling schools to know that some teachers out there are not asking for gifts this holiday season, but are instead asking them to send supplies to schools in need?  What a great idea and something we can still implement in our classrooms before the holiday break!  At this time of year, it is all about giving!  For a more detailed list of donation websites, click here.