February 14th:
Woke up with a pretty bad sore throat. It has been getting steadily worse the last two days. Knew I needed to tough it out and go to school since today was the long anticipated Valentine’s Day party. When I arrived, it took a little while to get everyone organized, but eventually an administrator, the other art teacher, and I visited each classroom to see which one was the “loveliest” or had the best decorations. Afterwards, some of the older students were shuttled off to take gifts to the hospital. Twenty of my 3rd and 4th graders were sent to another school with cards and flowers to give them our Valentine’s Day wishes. We were supposed to begin collecting their gifts and cards about a month ago, but I wasn’t sure if everything would go off as planned. I was definitely relieved when my students were loaded onto their bus with a chaperone and everyone had a gift to take with them. When I returned to the garden, the teachers were herding the remaining students into the fenced area where they had a stage with speakers and a microphone set up. The students didn’t really want to participate and kept trying to “escape” into the soccer field or back into the school. I ended up guarding a large fence where the students would try to squeeze through the bars. I recruited a few of my 3rd and 4th graders to help me hold down the fort and we ended up having some good laughs over it. As we tried to keep everyone in the same location, we waited and waited and for the program to begin. In the end, it was an hour before they got the electricity working and the music started. I could understand why the students wanted to leave (it was more fun to try to get out than it was to stand there with nothing to do). I finally organized a game of Red Rover, Red Rover and that helped keep the boys occupied instead of trying to maneuver by me to get through the fence. We moved on to Duck, Duck, Goose afterwards and I was surprised at how well they liked it. I think it was helpful for some of my boys to see their teacher’s “fun” side and get to chase me around the yard. Once the program started, they had singing, dancing, and some of the students put on a mini play. Despite the entertainment, all the American teachers kept busy fighting to keep the kids from leaving.
My group of rowdy boys (mostly from 4B)
Playing Red Rover
Guarding the gate
My Valentines
We were exhausted by the time the kids were dismissed to go home. Afterwards, we had a teacher luncheon. At first there were only a few dishes on the table (it was potluck style), but by the time the meal began (an hour later), it looked like a true Kurdish meal. The food was falling off the table and everyone had plenty to eat. I had my doubts about whether or not we’d actually make it through the day, but in the end I came away with two blessings: first, it was a good opportunity for my kids to get to know me a little better and interact outside the classroom and I got to know a few of the teachers a little better too; secondly, while nothing in Kurdistan may run on time or even go as planned, one can always come away full.
Glad to go home, rest, and drink chicken soup for my sore throat. Wanted to go to bed earlier, but pushed through until 7:30pm.
February 15th:
A little apprehensive as I went to class this morning. The girls were supposed to turn in their sentences or they would have to stay for lunch detention. I wasn’t sure what to expect, so had to make it a conscious matter of prayer that I wouldn’t go in with the wrong attitude. God was gracious and though I saw in myself a natural inclination to ignore “Prissy” when she raised her hand or be wary of her when I answered a question, He enabled me to move beyond those feelings and show kindness to her. I told the girls that I needed their sentences before lunch or they would have to stay in the classroom with me. After the art assignment, the girls worked on finishing the sentences, and one of the girls who had already turned in her sentences started writing them again as well. I logged it in the back of my mind and headed off to the next class.
Because I still wasn’t feeling very well, I found myself relying more on the Lord than on any other day. I noticed too that didn’t just ask for strength so I could teach my class, or work with the students, or talk with the teachers; instead, I found myself asking Him to be ALL for me, that He would teach the kids despite my weakened condition, that He would deal righteously with them using my words and actions. It was a blessing to experience a different mentality about the things I do on a regular basis. I am truly thankful that the Comforter has come and “teach[es me] all things, and bring[s] all things to [my] remembrance.” The 9:15 class was good, but two of the boys got into a serious fight. One of the boys is about my size, so I was relieved when a bigger student came between the two boys and separated them. The class must have realized it was serious because all the boys hurried in to keep them apart and talk them out of the fight.
During the break, another teacher handed me the sentences from two of the students in the 8:30 class. I noticed that the paper was different from the paper they had started with (it belonged to the student who had already finished her sentences the day before) and that the handwriting was identical. I was really at a loss to know what to do. If I confronted them with it, I knew that they would deny it, as it would be shameful to admit that they had cheated. I asked the Lord for wisdom and went out to get a snack. In the hall, one of the other girls from class “happened” to be walking by (this is the same student that had trouble apologizing sincerely the other day.) She had no reason to be honest with me, but I was prompted to call to her and ask her about the situation. Without any malice, she told me that the girls had cheated. I went up to the classroom with the papers in hand and told the girls that I knew what they had done. “Prissy” was determined to deny it, but the other two girls confessed quickly. I told them that they would each need to write out the sentence fifty times, as before, and that the girl who copied the sentences for them would need to write “I will not cheat” fifty times. “Prissy” begged me to let her turn in the sentences the next day, but I told her that the discipline would not change just because she had cheated and lost time in the process. I was thankful that the Lord gave me a calm heart this entire time and helped me stay firm without making the discipline overbearing. As I left the classroom, I ran into the teacher who has their class right before lunch (again, this was certainly providential). I told him the names of the three girls and asked him to detain them from leaving until they turned in their sentences. He was more than agreeable and I was thankful for extra support.
My 11am class is still having attitude problems, though today it was limited to two students. “Fred” (the biggest kid in class) was not interested in working and though I try to give him the freedom to work at his own pace, he was disrupting the entire class today. I couldn’t make him leave, but thankfully the assistant administrator poked his head in at that moment and he took “Fred” to his office.
At the lunch break, I went back to 4A and found them working away on their sentences. Once they finished, I allowed them to leave and was thankful that they had no animosity towards me. In the teacher room, I witnessed a teacher get into an argument with an administrator and saw the situation unfold exactly as it did in my classroom (except the punches). One of the well-liked and physically more imposing teachers stood between them and acted as a mediator. Neither party left pleased with the other, but the argument subsided. It is interesting to note how much is learned by the younger generation from the older. From their interaction with one another, to the way they treat authority, to what they value and how they cover their shame is all copied from the examples set before them. I pray that we will be a light, demonstrating different lifestyles that bring glory to God.
After school, I made egg drop soup for our team meeting, and then walked with John and Mary to Andy and Lisa’s. On the way, we stopped at a secondhand store that has all kinds of miscellaneous items. I found some little dishes to organize my earrings and makeup and a Tupperware for pasta. Had a good meeting and dinner – we had a Chinese buffet with egg rolls, fried rice, soup, salad, fortune cookies, and caramel corn! I was spiritually refreshed in our devotion time and left thankful that our team addresses the problems we face as spiritual matters that need to be handled with prayer and the sword of God’s Word.
Skyped with Mom when I got home. Went to bed happy and refreshed, though still hurting with a sore throat.
