***Sponsored by Westcott***
Snip! Snip! What does it mean to be a Westcott Warrior winner? (Wow, say that three times fast!) Dana Faircloth of Warner Robins, Georgia, can tell you. She’s one of the lucky teachers who won a Westcott prize pack of adult and kids scissors! 
“I was so excited to know I had won. Westcott scissors are the best I have ever used,” she says. “It isn’t often that we get packages in our classroom. When it is something for the class, it means so much more to them.”
Boy, can I relate to that! Who doesn’t love getting surprise packages in the mail? Dana wasn’t the only Westcott Warrior to tell us about her experience. We also heard from Brenda Morateck, a kindergarten teacher from Sheboygan, Wisconsin; Nicole Mount, a second-grade teacher from Madisonville, Louisiana; and Sue Anderson, a third-grade teacher from Cherry Hill, New Jersey—all winners of Westcott scissors prize packs.
These veteran teachers find that Westcott scissors make their students’ lives (and theirs!) much easier. “If you’ve ever seen a second grader try to cut paper with dull scissors, you’ll know what a big difference a working pair of scissors makes,” Nicole says. “They’re refining their fine-motor skills, and the scissors we received made it so much easier for them to cut out shapes, cards, pictures, and more!”
Read on to find out a little about these teachers and their classrooms. Plus, here’s the scoop on our latest scissors giveaway: submit a comment in response to this post by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, to let us know what you’re looking forward to this school year. One lucky teacher will win two pairs of Westcott adult scissors. Good luck!
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Describe your classroom.
Brenda: My classroom allows kindergartners to be kids. There are many areas and activities in the room that bring out their creativity, imagination, and personality.
Dana: I want my students to know that they are important. I strive to have a classroom where the students are encouraged to use their talents and creativity.
Nicole: I love to incorporate art into every lesson. We do projects that students have to create and think about—I want them to think about what we learn beyond the textbook or the test.
Sue: I teach in a private Christian school. Our students come from a wide radius of surrounding towns. Some families drive 30 to 45 minutes to get their children to school. My classroom is a cheerful place filled with plants, a couple of fish, and lots of books.
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What do you love most about teaching?
Brenda: I love to see the spark in children’s eyes when they get a concept, create a masterpiece, or witness something great.
Sue: Third graders are capable of a higher level of thinking and love learning multiplication and cursive writing. No two days are alike.
Dana: I love helping children…. It touches my heart to know that I can love, nurture, and educate my students.
Nicole: I love seeing a student suddenly make a connection or find an answer that we hadn’t discussed in class—when students go above and beyond the curriculum.
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What surprises you about your students?
Brenda: No matter what is going on in their lives, they come to school with excitement. Every day is an opportunity to learn.
Dana: My students often surprise me with their thought-provoking questions and with their answers to my questions.
Nicole: It surprises me sometimes when students come up with an insight about our world that many adults still seemingly struggle with.
Sue: My students surprise and delight me with their capacity for compassion for others…. They genuinely care about people who are struggling, suffering, or hurting.
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What projects, activities, or events do you look forward to most each year?
Nicole: I love making a class book of poetry, seeing students’ dioramas of habitats, and making “oobleck” when we study the states of matter.
Dana: The projects that the students get to create on their own are my favorites. It shows not only what the students have learned but also their creative abilities.
Sue: Last year, we worked as a class on Skype with a class of third graders in New York. That class wrote clues about animals in China and read them to us. We researched animals of South America and wrote clues for the other class. I look forward to doing a similar project this year and also initiating a class blog.
Brenda: I look forward to the special weeks—pumpkins, gingerbread people, insects, etc.
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The Mailbox and Westcott are thrilled to bring the Westcott Warriors program to teachers. Westcott offers lots of goodies for teachers. Click here to visit the Westcott site for free activities and “Like” the Westcott Teacher page on Facebook to find out about special offers and exciting products. Plus, don’t forget to submit a comment to this blog for a chance to win Westcott scissors.
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Stay sharp this school year!
Diane
I love Westscott scissors and sure could use a new pair. I am looking forward to seeing all those smiling faces when the school year begins and all those aha moments that I see on their faces when they get something new.
I am looking forward to implementing several new activities and centers this year.
Westscott scissors would be a great addition to my supplies.
I believe that cutting is important in first grade, a skill that takes time to master. I also will be offering centers that will require my students to cut and then glue. Many students come to school without tools to complete their work, extra scissors in the room are always welcomed.
I’ve never been great at cutting. However, I love wescott’s training scissors.
I love Westscott, I get annoyed when people say the brand of scissors doesn’t matter…they OBVIOUSLY have never cut with Westscott!
I am a kindergarten teacher and love Westcott scissors for my classroom. I love the beginning of the year when they et their scissor for the first time.
I am looking forward to having a fresh new year with fresh new ideas. I can’t wait to see my students from last year (I teach a 2nd/3rd grade combo) so I will be having returning students as well as new students.
School started last week, and it’s been a pretty wild 2 weeks of preschool so far.
Westcott scissors makes life easier- sharp enough and safe enough for almost any project. They come I cool colors and enough sizes to fit your needs.
My students’ supply list is suggested. Scissors is on there, but not all brought a pair for the first day of school three weeks ago. I would welcome these scissors for my students. Thanks for the invitation.
We are starting our 4th week of school, and I am looking forward to a GREAT year because I have a GREAT group of Kindergartners!! We have tried cutting and gluing already, and they did a pretty good job already! =)
Our school year is off to a great start. I am looking forward to a wonderful year.
What I love most about teaching is watching students blossom throughout the year!
I am looking forward to implementing some great strategies presented to us during our PD by Marcia Tate! I love the calming music, calming aromas and just being calm during this first week back! It has made a difference in my first week!
I am looking forward to lots of wonderful smiles and hugs and those “aha” moments when a student understands what we are learning.
Nothing beats a good pair of scissors in the classroom! Especially when creating a priceless work of art!
I’m looking forward to seeing my student graduate this school year. She is in special education and we have been together for going on 5 years now and this is her last. She has made tremendous leaps and bounds with her capabilities and I can’t wait to see her start a “job” in the spring!
I’m looking forward to learning along with my students.
I am looking forward to allowing students to represent their learning by creating innovative and exciting projects!
I’m looking forward to the. rest of the. school. year. to be as calm and productive. as. it was today!
These look fantastic!! We always need good scissors in the classroom!!
I always look forward to a new school year and a new beginning. Always happy surprises.
I’m looking forward to children accomplishing things on their own and feeling good about it. I love to see their smiling faces when they realize what they can do by themselves.
Our oldest daughter attends a local community college. She began her second semester last week. I am looking forward to her sharing with her siblings her class experiences and those discussions enhancing their education.
I can’t wait to do arts and crafts with my kindergarteners and first graders and scissors are always a need in my classroom since I end up with about two by the end of the year!
I am looking forward to watching the kiddos grow and change this year. I am looking forward to using new theme ideas from Mailbox. September is always so exciting.
As a Head Start teacher, I am looking forward to seeing the growth in my preschoolers social and academic skills. They really blossom over the year. I love watching them go from timid, quiet children to inquisitive, lively children. I also like seeing how proud their parents are as they see their child’s progress throughout the year.
I am teaching an inclusion kindergarten this year. I thought this would be a change for me ? I am looking foreword to seeing how my inc
Union students will feel welcomed by the rest of the students. I learn so much from all the children and how they accept differences.
I am looking forward to cutting, glueing and creating many projects with my PreK class. My favorite is when they realize that they CAN do something that they once thought they couldn’t!
I am already looking forward to Polar Express Day on the last day before Christmas break. It is my favorite day of the year. 🙂
I am looking forward to those little faces so eager to learn!
I look forward to seeing all those “light bulbs” turn on for all my sweet 3rd graders!
I’m looking forward to another productive, fun and learning-packed school year!
I work as an independent autism clinician. I go to my clients homes and work with the child & their families. Finding a good, easy cutting scissor with a comfortable handle is really hard to find for my kids. I have to purchase my supplies out of my pocket. So, please think of me when you award this prize. I’m hard working and use my own money to use with my students. If I win, the scissors will be put to good use by my autistic students.
I am looking forward to starting in a new school and meeting my kids!
I’m looking forward to a great year while watching the children learn and be delighted by all the new discoveries of first grade.
I am excited to see the new students (its great to follow their progress throughout the year), and the returning students, because they are so much more mature than the previous year, and ready to be the teachers helpers and be good role models.
I am looking forward to my munchkins to realize they CAN do it. They are so eager to try and please me in everything they do.
I’m looking forward to all the new adventures that my class and I will go through together. I’m a first year pre-k teacher working with regular ed and special education students and we have so much to look forward to! We will be exploring, creating, and learning together.
Looking forward to learning a lot about my class and from them!
I am looking forward to watching my 1st graders learn and grow.
I am looking forward to putting creativity into my lessons this year!! Also, I am thrilled that I only have 18 kiddos!!
Wasn’t sure that I would be back this year as enrollment is down in our private school. Teachers were cut and luckily I got told yesterday that I will be back to greet those cute little 3’s and 4’s!
I’m looking forward to developing our school family. And we are working on our metacognition.
Over the years you forget the little things that you found so exciting. Looking through the eyes of preschoolers helps you stop and remember.
I am looking forward to being the constant in the lives of my children. So many come from homes where people come and go and many are bounced from house to house. I want them to know that they are loved and cared for at all times. I want to hug them when they need a hug. I want to dry their tears when things seem to go wrong. I want to be their cheerleader. I want them to know unconditional love. I want them to know that they are safe and loved at all times and respected as little human beings. I am looking forward to their innocence, excitement for learning and their ever changing moods, needs and wants.
I am looking forward to creativity sessions with the kids- pulling out “random” materials according to the theme and letting the children create a project out of them. It always amazes me how they can create some awesome masterpieces from seemingly useless materials!
I am so looking forward to meeting new friends and making life long memories with them and teaching them how to use scissors.
I teach first and second grades, so my kids are with me for two years. It is truly wonderful to watch my little bitty 6 year old first graders mature into 8 year old second graders. I am always amazed by how they become role models for the younger kids and become classroom leaders. It is something I look forward to every year!
I love teaching kids to read! It’s the most rewarding part of my job.
I love having safe and dependable scissors for my classroom! They are amazing quality and last trough all the tiny little hands that pass through them!
I am looking forward to seeing the look of pride and excitement on my preschoolers faces when they realize they have mastered a skill on their own for the very first time and they are excited beyond belief! Experiencing the learning and celebrating the successes through their eyes is so very rewarding!!! Love my babies!
I am looking forward to the joys of attempts, more attempts, and successes for my students. Scissors–just scissors–no!! These are tools that help the brain do a “right brain left brain cross over” and help the students learn hand eye coordination, concentration, and linear and depth perception! Having the right tools makes ALL the difference and your scissors would be a treasure for us!