Spring is in the Air

At Positive Tomorrows, things are blooming.  Ideas are blooming with fresh spring rains and our teachers are finding creative ways to integrate spring into the classroom.  Mrs. Hooper, our Kindergarten teacher, read to her class the classic Eric Carle story “The Tiny Seed.”  Then the children planted marigolds (“miracles,” according to 5 year old Genevieve) in tiny pots.  They put soil into their pots and carefully planted the seeds. As they watch the plants grow over the next few weeks, students will learn how a tiny seed germinates into a beautiful flower.  A perfect story to show how a little work, water and care can take something seemingly small and lifeless and make it into a sweet-smelling flower.  

Mrs. Strobel had a similar idea for our 1st and 2nd graders.  Her students created beautiful paper flowers out of tissue to brighten our halls.  As they were learning to make their flowers, the children also learned a wonderful poem, which begins “Five spring flowers, all in a row, the first one said, ‘we need rain to grow…’”  As they continue saying this poem together, the children get more and more excited to reach the end when the flowers reach success with the help of the sun.  

For our students, Positive Tomorrows acts as stable soil, thirst-quenching water and energizing sunshine.  We help them grow into the beautiful flowers hidden deep inside their young personalities.  For some of them, dreaming big is difficult and they most desperately need someone to believe in their possibilities.  Other children need additional structure and guidance.  We provide that too.  We teach them they are important and can make a difference. 

Each day, along with the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. flag, our students say a pledge to themselves.  It begins “I am a Positive Tomorrows Star.  Who I am makes a difference…”