the crinkled heart ...

image via pinterest

Have you heard me mention that little ladybug's 4th grade teacher might just be the most fabulous 4th grade teacher on the planet?  Well, she is ... the best ... fabulous ... incredible ... brings tears to my eyes to think that our journey with her is over now that she has taught my youngest child ... deep deep sigh ...

On the first day of school last Fall, in the first 15 minutes in fact, Mrs. M tells the children the story of the crinkled heart.  I know a lot of my bloggy friends are teachers, so some may already be familiar with this one?  The story starts out with two freshly cut paper hearts that represent each one of us ... then Mrs. M asks the children to think of how hurtful words might impact a person's heart.  As the kids volunteer their ideas of hurtful words, Mrs. M crinkles one of the paper hearts with each example until it's all crumpled up.  At this point, Mrs. M asks the kids to share positive words instead and as each example is shared, she uncrinkles the heart until it lies flat again.  But the lesson is, of course, that no matter the amount of uncrinkling you do, that heart has been impacted and will never look like the one that was left untouched by hurtful words.  Thus, the school year starts with a beautifully illustrated lesson about the power of our words.

After the lesson, the pair of hearts are hung in the front of Mrs. M's classroom and remain there for the entire school year as a constant reminder of the impact our words have on one another.  On the last day of school, a lottery is held to see which lucky student will get to take home the pair of hearts ... and guess who the lucky ladybug was who came out of school grinning ear to ear as she held her prize?

They will be hung in a place of honor right over the desk in her bedroom - a constant reminder of the best school year a little bug could ever ask for ... thank you so much for your magic touch, Mrs. M ... we'll be forever blessed by your impact ...