class party- success :)

We had our class holiday party today, which as a teacher you are always slightly nervous about.  You have a room full of parents and sometimes siblings, you aren't sure how your students will act with their parents there (or even more, not there), you never know if the crafts will pan out, etc.  Basically as teachers, we are hardwired to think of everything that could possibly go wrong in day to day situations and then have solutions ready for when they do.  However, with the class parties, we don't plan them so we have to step back and release the control which is very hard for most teachers to do.  We love the idea of releasing control, but when it comes down to it, it makes us nervous.  My party today was the epitome of a success!  My kids had the best time ever, they were engaged the entire time they were at each rotation (no wanderers), there were no meltdowns, and it was shockingly calm and quiet for a first grade party! I really think they were all so into the centers that they weren't being rowdy at all.  Even my principal said he wouldn't have thought a party was going on in my room with how well my kids were acting! Talk about a teachers dream!!
At the end of the party, I got the absolute sweetest gift.  A parent in my class made a Christmas tree out of wood and put all the kids faces on it as ornaments with my face at the top as the star.  Then she strung a ton of gift cards from my class that she had collected on tinsel and hung it on the tree.  So thoughtful and creative.  I am thankful for a very successful class party and for feeling very appreciated by my class!!

Close up with out the gift card tinsel on it