Happy Easter!

Greetings one and all! I hope that you’ve had a chance to spend some time with friends and family this weekend!

Lately, I’ve been posting about my students and our classroom. It’s been awhile since I’ve shared from the deep corners of my heart to you.

This wonderful Easter season is upon us. I recently ran across a wonderful, well-done audio dramatization of the New Testament. It is so interesting that the same loved stories that I’ve read over and over jump out in vivid color when the sounds of waves are added to the background.

As I was listening to the account with ‘new’ eyes of Jesus and the sacrifice he made, my heart began to swell within me. What a blessed people we are! I know that most of you are believers in Jesus, but when you get a new fresh glimpse of the price He paid…Wow! To think that He, the God of the Universe, wants to have a relationship with you!

My prayer for you is that, during the rush of an early Easter, you can see afresh and anew the love of our God for us!

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the price you paid for a lowly person like me. Thank you for loving me for who I am and requiring that I change to be in your image! All of my life is yours and yours alone! Thank you, Lord.

Letter from a Student

Dear Miss Ryder,

I'm glad I'm in your classroom.

You have been teaching oh most ever thing.

I'll miss you in 2nd grad.

I hope next year our boys and girls obey in school.

Love,
Ally

Signature

Okay, I had to try this signature thing! I hope you're all having a great day! Our school read 477 Dr. Seuss books today. Yes, my tongue is tied up in knots! :)

A Snapshot from First Grade

Students 1: “I think that when we die, we just go to sleep for a really long time.”

Student 2: “No, that’s not right. Heaven is a place where we become something different and live forever.”

Student 1: “You don’t know.”

Student 2: “Yes, I do. My Mommy and Daddy talk about it all the time! I go to church, too!”

Student 1: “I go to church, too!”

Student 1 and 2: “MISS RYDER!!!”

I wonder where this conversation falls on the spectrum of church and state issues.

Sweet and beautiful!

Good day to one and all!

We spent some time writing today and

I was very impressed by this six year

old’s imagination!

One day I found wild horses.
Thay wre butefl.
Thy wre pante and white.
The wind was blowing soft.
The mane was blowing.
There were flawers around them.
They were looking at me.

Have a blessed day!

Jo

Birthday!

Fun Happy Birthday flowers from my dear sister, Rachel! :)

Twenty-eight years of life. Having a birthday so close to January causes me to do more of the New Year's resolution thing at this point in year. Another year gone... How was my time used well? Where did I waste this precious time? How can I improve for the upcoming year of life? What is in store for this year? Well, dear reader, the answers to these questions I will not place here.

Recently, I heard someone ask this question aloud in innocence. Should everything in my life be questioned? Through the help of wonderful friends, I have found the value of questioning. So I'm sure that this next year will be full of questions and peeling of layers. For those of you who are C.S. Lewis fans, I pray that this year God, in His almighty wisdom, will help me by taking His hand, like that of Aslan's claw, and tear away those layers that I cannot on my own. It may be ouchy, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes! I pray that this year will be full of growth and development in my relationship with Jesus. For this is truely all that matters! :)

Jo

Classroom Decorations

Welcome to my First Grade Classroom!

We are studying the U.S. Presidents. We are singing them in order! My boys and girls are really excited!

Writer's Workshop is an individualized approach to the teaching of writing. I give mini-lessons about various types of writing, styles, and conventions. The students simply move their clothes pin to my name if they need to confer with me. They have published some really great books! I'm so proud of my kiddos!