#IMWAYR - One week to go...

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The final countdown is on. Report cards are finished, the Christmas concert is mere hours away and exhaustion is showing on everyone's faces. The last week before winter holidays is always one of high emotion in an elementary school - most kids are excited but some are worried, stressed and anxious about the days ahead. What everyone needs, in and amongst all the fun and excitement, is a moment of calm; an oasis, no matter how brief, from the high that everyone is running on. 

The last week is also one of flagging energy for many teachers, myself included. I have been sitting here for quite awhile, trying to come up with a list of soothing books to read to your class or your kids to calm them down at this busy time of year but to be honest, I am struggling.  So in that spirit, I have one book that I really want to share with you, one that might just help calm things down for a moment, in your class or at home. After that, take a cue from my husband who, when asked which books he found most soothing, replied "Any book I have read a thousand times."

Switching on the Moon, A Very First Book of Bedtime Poems (collected by Jane Yolen & Andrew Fusek Peters) - These wonderful poems, arranged in three categories - Going to Bed, Sweet Dreams and In The Night - are soft, soothing and wonderfully calming. This collection is a refreshing break from your usual collection of Mother Goose nursery rhymes or school readers. A gift from my parents to my oldest daughter, this book has given us many quiet moments curled up on the couch. 

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Hoping that the last week treats you well and that you enjoy a well-deserved holiday with family and friends!