One of my BEST teacher GiFtS

As a teacher we are a pretty lucky bunch! I find especially if you are in the lower grades because parents and students can spoil you with your love.  Even yesterday I came home with a stack of doodles and drawings that the kiddos had made for me.  I just love these! When I first started teaching I kept EVERY single ONE... but it got to the point where I had to skim them down and save a few as mementos (always hard to do).   However, just the other day I was looking through some old pictures and I came across a gift I received from a teaching assistant that I had in my final practicum (words can't describe how ammmmmmmazing she was as an assistant!!!!).  She was the type that would walk into your class, see who needed her help, take them to her table and by the end of the class they would have finished their work with a big smile on their face.  So for my going away party this assistant hand painted a flower pot for me.  The real emotional part of it was that she painted every student on the pot as a polar bear.... it is one of the most touching gifts I have received so far as a teacher.

 These two bears represent my mentor and me.

 An Inuksuk.  We studied these in our social studies unit when we were learning about Inuit culture.  I even had the class make their own using rocks and clay. 

 As you can see, each polar bear cub has its own personality.... these all reflect that students individual personality.  I still laugh looking at these because she knows those kiddos so well. 

So the plant that was given to me originally didn't make it (I have not found my green thumb yet, if you find it please tell it I am looking for it).  So I am still deciding what kind of plant (preferably durable) that I want.

My question for YOU!  What gift/RAK(random act of kindness) have you received in your teaching experience so far stands out?   These stories always gives me the warm fuzzy feeling so I would love to hear some more :)