Ok...so I subbed for one teacher all week (Tuesday to Friday). I know the kids as they are on my mom's "team". So it was a fun week.

However...by Thursday, they made me crazy! They can be so mean and hateful to each other. Typical kids stuff...but still mean and unkind. So! Friday I brought 2 apples in. One apple we said mean things to and dropped it on the floor. A LOT -- The other apple we were nice to, cared for it, protected it, and loved it. Then, I cut the apples open and we talked about how the "abused" apple was bruised and how when the kids are mean to one another people can become bruised. We compared that apple to the cared for apple which wasn't bruised. It was pretty effective. Mom said the kids talked about it in her class later.

Then we wrote warm fuzzies to each other. I had a paper on everyone's desk and each person had to write something nice about everyone. No "you are nice" comments either. It had to be something specific.

I am transcribing them now onto special paper so I can laminate them on Tuesday and give it to them. I am touched by the sincerity of these kids. They're great!

They have a classmate that had to move to a special class and we couldn't have done the warm fuzzies without sending him one too.

Just when I think things are hopeless...I find hope in these kids.