Dear Reader:
A few days ago when I had a picture of a box of crayons (for that day’s blog title photo) I heard back from so many of you that you could almost smell that yummy wax smell of new crayons again and wanted to start coloring. Smell is such a powerful memory aphrodisiac. (And isn’t coloring the best therapy in the world?)
It’s hard to believe that school starts back in a few short weeks. Parents are busy scrambling around looking for all the items on the teacher’s supply list while teachers are simply praying they have enough enthusiasm and patience, in supply, for another year.
My former student, Shelly Baker (love her!) read an article concerning crayons and a wonderful life lesson a kindergarten teacher produced from them. She said she thought of me after reading the article and sent it my way. Not only was Shelly in my eighth grade social studies class but was one of the secretaries at the district office assigned to several of us working in curriculum. A real God Wink! She was a lifesaver for me in more ways than I can count or color.
“The Crayon Bucket”
This inspiring, true story was a little long so let me summarize the onset of it. A young kindergarten teacher remembers her first day of teaching. One lesson she learned was never let kindergartners open a whole box of crayons at one time. It was a disaster….there were crayons lying all over the classroom floor at random.
What disturbed the teacher more was that none of the children seemed concerned at all about losing them and even denied that any of them on the floor belonged to them (as they held nearly empty crayon boxes in their hands.)
The teacher found a large cup and dropped all the crayons in it. As the year ensued more crayons were added until finally the teacher dropped all the forgotten and broken ones in a bin.
A strange thing began to happen in the spring when the different classes were responsible for producing a piece of art. When the teacher told everyone to get out their red crayon, several concerned voices called out, “I don’t have a red.” After all this time the students were now concerned about the loss of their former crayons and anxious about the retrieval of them.
The kindergarten teacher explained that the big bin in the corner of the room (that had been widely ignored) was full of different colored crayons. They could quietly get up without disturbing class and could spend no longer than 5 seconds at the bin….so it was important to know one’s colors. As a special treat the student got to keep the crayon.
Suddenly each child began keeping up with the basket colors selected and were more careful, understanding it belonged to them.
Another problem that had arisen, un-forseen to the teacher, was the plight of broken crayons. What to do about them? From one episode in her class from a special needs advisor….she learned an important life lesson herself.
“I remember the first time I had a student with a physical need that required more practice than what I was providing in the general setting…the wonderful occupational therapist for the county came in and looked over his work space to help me and give me pointers on supporting him with writing, coloring, and other fine motor skills. And guess what she did first?
She took his brand new crayons and BROKE them. I was horrified! One by one, as she was just talking to me and breaking away, I could only look on in horror! Finally, I found some words in my head and yelled “What are you doing?!?” And our awesome therapist said words that have stuck with me…she kept on breaking and she said, “Broken crayons make weak hands strong.”
Broken crayons make weak hands strong.”
Kids who can’t hold a pencil can grip a broken crayon. They have to bear down and hold it tightly with correct finger positioning when their crayon is broken.
And I have also learned that kids who need emotional and behavioral support love to use broken crayons. They can bear down and push and scribble and make really strong marks with broken crayons without fear of getting in trouble for tearing up something new.
So that is why the bin holds forgotten crayons and broken crayons and why it is labeled: Ready to Be Used
…………………………
So until tomorrow…Don’t we all feel forgotten or broken at some point(s) in our lives? Isn’t it a nice thought that we are recyclable and ready to be used over and over again? I remember as a child writing a homework assignment on the palms of my hands (with a dark crayon) if I was in too much of a hurry at the end of the day to bother finding a pencil and notebook.
The author, Paige Givens, ends her story with this piece of scripture:
Isaiah 49:15-16 (NIV):
“I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”
(Source: Blog: My Story, My Song)
I, personally, find that line of scripture comforting to know. (And that God, too, uses the old hand tricks to remember all of us)
“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh
*Speaking of coloring….how can one refuse an invitation personalized by coloring?….See you there Eva Cate Friday for your dancing debut! High Noon!
Congratulation Vikki and Lee on the success of Charleston’s independent radio station OHM….one year old and growing strong!
See this wonderful article on the perseverance of the founders of OHM.
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle