By Megan Goossen
6th Grade Faculty
Calvary Schools of Holland
One of my favorite authors is Madeleine L’Engle (best known for her novel A Wrinkle In Time). I came across this quote from her novel A Swiftly Tilting Planet the other day:
“The world has been abnormal for so long that we’ve forgotten what it’s like to live in a peaceful and reasonable climate. If there is to be any peace or reason, we have to create it in our own hearts and homes.” ― Madeleine L’Engle, A Swiftly Tilting Planet
This sentiment struck me as incredibly apropos to our time despite the fact that L’Engle wrote it in 1978.
If you could peek into our sweet 6th grade classroom each morning you would see a lovely habit that our class implemented in the first weeks of this year. Each morning before our time in scripture, the children spend time reflecting on “moments of joy and gratefulness” and writing them in their devotion journal.
Here are some highlights from our time sharing this week:
- Daddy daughter date downtown for hot cocoa
- Decorating for Christmas at home
- Taking family hike
- Stacking wood
- Getting a new puppy
- Dancing with my sister
- Having a family game night
- Working on computer coding with my dad
- Staying for a sleepover at grandma’s
- Awaiting brother’s return for the holidays from college
What lovely family moments that we were able to share together!
Here are some moments of joy and gratefulness from school that the students shared:
- Singing Christmas carols in choir
- Cleaning for Miss Polly in the morning
- Reading Treasure Island
- Being with friends
- Laughing over a funny moment in class
- Learning formulas for speed, distance, and time
- Decorating for Christmas with Miss Polly
- Gathering as a middle school to sing carols together
- Reading winter stories from Old Squire’s Farm
- The girls playing in the trees
- Having hot cocoa and cookies together with middle school
- Writing a really long narration of Samson’s whole life
- Games at recess
- Painting dog rose hips
- Making Scherenschnitte Christmas luminaries
- Sketching faces in art class
- Sharing “Friendship Tea”
The emotional “climate” in our classrooms continues to be one of safety, peace, and joy. The bright eyes, and smiling faces each morning are a delight.
Megan Goossen teaches 6th grade at Calvary Schools of Holland. Mrs. Goossen completed her Bachelors degree at Cornerstone University with an English Major and Planned Program Minor (Elementary Ed). She began teaching in 2000 and has also taught Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and summer school reading and writing courses. Goossen has been teaching 6th grade at Calvary Schools of Holland for the past eight years.