barnbum

For the past 5 years, I've written a "What's special about..." paragraph for each child. I enlarge the font and print each on special paper. Then I read each one aloud to the kids. It's nice when it's over, but boy I dread all that careful writing. So, I wanted to do something different this year. I'm still doing very special awards, so there's a lot of writing involved, but it won't be quite so difficult.

The gifts are going to be quilt squares! :-D I get too busy sometimes to quilt daily, and I miss it. I knew this would force me to make quilting a priority. :wink:

Okay--background, so you'll understand. In my class, I always talk about two main themes: make the most of each day (Example I give them: When I get to the end of my life, I'd rather say I made 75 quilts and gave many away, rather than say I watched every eopisode of a TV series.) and the life is cake idea. That's the story about our lives being a recipe for cake--and if everything was sweet--the cake wouldn't turn out right, but when the yucky stuff like eggs, salt, and baking soda are added, the cake it perfect. This symbolizes our lives--bad things happen, but the cake will just be amazing once everything balances out. My students will say they had a salt moment, or they had a taste of raw eggs when hard things happen.

Black and White Splash quilts, to me, illustrate this idea. The b+w fabrics symbolize everything we have to do: comb our hair, do the dishes, complete homework, go to bed. The splashes of color represent all the little joys in life, for me: kissing a horse's muzzle, planting a garden, reading a great book, the smell of hay... So, each student is getting a black and white splash square. We'll talk awhile about it when I pass them out in late June. I'l be making a small hanging of eight squares to hang in the classrom for next year.

With all these plans, I knew I needed to get started, so all the blocks have three black on white sides. Next will be adding the fourth with color at each end.

I took pics for a friend, so thought I'd share the project.

craftybear

awesome

MegsAnn

What a great idea! Love it and the block/fabrics you chose.

jljack

What a wonderful idea!!! Those kids have a very gifted teacher. :thumbup: :thumbup:

Blue Bell

Your are one special teacher. You put your heart and soul into teaching.

JudyG

What a fabulous teacher you must be! Lucky children who are in your class. I think your quilt block idea is wonderful.

Jim's Gem

Karla, you have such wonderful ideas for your classroom and students!! I would have loved to have you for a teacher for my children!!!
I think those would be wonderful and a great remembrance of the wonderful school year they had with you!!!

sharon b

What a wonderful way to explain life to kids :lol: And then they will have the quilt squares to remind them forever . I wish my sons had , had a teacher like you when they were in school. Sadly Teachers like you are so rare these days. Bless you for talking a job that is usually under appreciated.

LindaM

Karla, what a wonderful lesson you're giving your students! I had not heard the comparison of life to a cake before - that is beautiful.

Thank you for being an awesome teacher, making a difference! The blocks are beautiful.

danmar

You are so sweet! What a wonderful thing to do for the children! It is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives and they will have a keepsake to remember you by! They are going to love it I'm sure!!!
We definitely need alot more caring teachers like you!