Crafting Traditions in the New Year

During the holiday season, you and your child most likely spent a lot of time behind screens. Shopping online for gifts, watching your favorite Christmas movies, and checking for social media updates are typical holiday hobbies. In the New Year, consider limiting screen time to spend more quality time as a family. Find a cereal box, grab some glitter, and get ready to get crafty.

Cereal Box Aquarium 

Growing up in Florida, your child most likely has a shell collection, possibly even a rock collection. From their numerous school arts and crafts projects, you may also be able to find construction paper, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes around the house. A cereal box aquarium can be made using just these objects, maybe adding a few more like paint and kinetic sand for dimension. Your child can get creative by using their favorite colors, types of fish, layouts and more. You just need to hold the hot glue gun and help with cutting out shapes. For step-by-step instructions, go here. 

Galaxy or Nebula Jar

Maybe your child is more enticed by stars in the sky than life under the sea. With a nebula jar, your child can hold the whole galaxy in the palm of their hands. In case your child asks, a nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen and other particles. This beautiful to observe project requires simple materials you may already have: a jar, water, glitter, paint and cotton balls. Once this jar is made, it doubles as a nice decoration and a calm down jar, which your child can lightly shake and watch to relax. For step-by-step instructions, go here.

Glitter Slime

Wondering what to do with all that extra glitter and confetti from past crafting projects? Try making it into glitter slime. Just add a few common ingredients: 4 oz. clear school glue, 1 tbsp contact solution and 0.5 tbsp of baking soda. Mix these ingredients first, then add the glitter, and add the confetti as a finishing touch. While this particular recipe calls for shamrock confetti, any confetti will do. This slime is easy enough to make, and it will provide hours of screen-free entertainment for your child. For step-by-step instructions, go here. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, we strongly believe hands-on learning is essential to a well-rounded education. Educational projects are an important part of our teaching philosophy. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.

NTCA Teacher Spotlight: Jacqui Walker

Jacqui Walker, who started teaching at North Tampa Christian Academy last year, is in everyone’s corner — her students’, her family’s, and her own.

As a child, Ms. Walker dreamed of becoming a professional chef or singer. Her hobbies in adult life still include baking, cooking and karaoke. Her favorite movie is School of Rock, which combines her loves of music and teaching. She also enjoys reading, her favorite book being one that inspired her as she was growing up.

When Ms. Walker read “What Are You” by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins, she saw her first example of mixed-race children represented in media. She struggled with her identity as a mixed-race child, so this compilation of young, mixed-race voices opened up a new world. Through this book, she found herself and God’s calling for her.

A few years after reading this book, she took her first education class at Union College for her Elementary Education degree. From that moment on, Ms. Walker knew she wanted to be a teacher. When it was time to find a teaching job, North Tampa was a natural fit. Applying information to real-life situations helps her keep students engaged. Rather than focusing on test taking skills, she challenges her students to become all-star critical thinkers.

“Our STEAM projects consist of drafts, prototypes and failed practices because everything can be improved upon,“ Ms. Walker said. “We are constantly using real-life scenarios with humanities and making sure we stay up to date on current news and events.”

This teaching style allows students to work together and build each other up. Ms. Walker finds collaboration among students and teachers to be the most rewarding part of working at this Tampa private school. While academic learning is important, Ms. Walker also hopes to foster a strong foundation of faith in her students. 

“I hope students know that God never fails, and His love is unconditional. If they are steadfast in that knowledge, life will be so much easier because they always have God to lean on,” Ms. Walker said. “I also hope that students know that even if they feel like no one is in their corner, I am, and that they are extremely capable of doing whatever they set their mind to.”

While Ms. Walker works to inspire her students, she draws inspiration from powerful women. She would like to learn from Michelle Obama, who she considers graceful and accomplished. Mama Fe, her late grandmother, is another woman she would like to talk to, picking her brain and hearing her stories. Given the opportunity to have dinner with any three people, she would choose these two women and her sister, whose company she always enjoys. 

Having grown up in Colorado, Ms. Walker enjoys exploring Florida and traveling around the world. Her favorite place she has visited is the beautiful town of Alcoy in Cebu, Philippines. One of her goals is to travel to as many places as possible. She wants to enjoy the life God gave her to the fullest, and teaching at North Tampa is helping her do just that.

Get to Know Jacqui Walker:

1. What's your favorite TV show?

   Parks and Recreation

2. What is your favorite Bible verse or passage?

   My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.” This verse never ceases to remind me that even in the midst of chaos, good or bad, I can always find peace and restoration in God.

3. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

   I’ve struggled with this question for so long, but I would have to choose salad. It’s vague enough to be very versatile. 

4. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do?

   After getting over the initial shock, I’d call my family and share the love. 

5. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? 

   I would love to teleport. I’d never be late ever! 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.