Tuesday, August 28th:
It's hard to believe how quickly I've adjusted to being here again. I am back on my morning routine - up by 6 for devotions, followed by a workout video, then preparations for the day. This morning I had the special treat of Skyping with my family. It is the first time I've "seen" them in over a week. We had arranged to talk at 8:30pm PST. Mom was cleaning up dishes when Dad said he would put the boys to bed.
Mom: "What time is it?"
Dad: "8:30"
Mom: "Oh! We are supposed to Skype with Sissy!"
In a flash, Eithen is off the couch and bolting up the stairs, "We a talk to Sissy on the 'puter! We a talk to Sissy on the 'puter!"
It was fun to see everyone. They were hanging all over Dad's chair to get a look at the screen, doing somersaults, and taking me around the house to see their new room arrangements. It was a great way to start the morning, though it made me miss the regular family routine.
At 8:15, Lisa came over and the four of us ladies walked to school together. That was a fun change from last year since my schedule was so different from everyone else's that I wasn't able to walk with them.
My first group in the morning is the class that was formerly called 4B. Yep, the "rowdy" group! Of course, having them first thing in the morning may prove to be a blessing. There were only a handful this morning, so it was difficult to tell if things will be different from last year. (School won't officially start until all the students are in attendance, which is apparently optional during the first few weeks.) I had them start by writing down three goals for the year. I told them that if they meet those goals at the end of the semester, then they will earn a reward from America. Instead of viewing school as something imposed on them, I hope they will learn to invest in their education and push themselves to do more than what is expected of them.
My second class was 5A (previously 4A). We have two new students in the class and I am really excited to have them there. After the class wrote out their goals, I shared my own goals with them: become a better teacher, help my students succeed, prepare them for the next grade level. The eyes of the new students lit up and they were soaking in every word. They seem like bright students and eager to learn. I hope their desire to learn will have an influence on the rest of the class. Next, I discussed my class rules:
1. Try your best
2. Be respectful
3. Listen
And my discipline policy (X - warning, XX - leave the class until ready to follow the rules, XXX - lose your long break). It is fun to start at the beginning of the school year since I can lay out my expectations and establish my own policies.
Immediately following I teach 6B. They are a fun group of students (Julie taught them Literature last year) and I am looking forward to working with them. After a half hour break, I teach 6A. I substituted for them last year and worked with some of them during the soccer clinic. We went through the same things I had discussed with the 5th graders. They are better listeners, so it didn't take quite as long to go through everything.
At noon, I was done teaching. Sarah didn't have very many students in her last class, so she ended early and we taxied home together. The afternoon mostly consisted of lesson planning and trying to stay cool. The city electricity went out again for an hour, so we had our fans on and lots of cold water. In the evening, around 6:30, we went to the art supply store called Zanest. Sarah got a taste of the market at night when it is ten times busier (cooler though too). I tried to look at it through her eyes, going back to January when I went to the market for the first time. It seems like a lifetime ago!
When we got back, we watched a movie with John and Mary. It was a relaxing way to end the evening, even though it meant another late night!
Wednesday, August 29th:
It was already pretty warm when Mary and I started our walk to the school; part way there, the school's maintenance man and his little daughter stopped to give us a ride! So thankful!
Had a very encouraging time in all of my classes. I outlined the procedures for our class (how to: start with a warm-up assignment while I collect homework, ask a question, ask to leave, organize their binder, etc.) Each class seemed attentive and eager to follow through correctly. It will be interesting to see which group picks up on them first (and whether or not I can remember to enforce the procedures!) :P
After school (which is still in "preparatory week") Sarah and I walked home for more lesson planning. I got a lot accomplished and it is good to feel motivated and implement new methods that were too difficult to start half way through the year. I am hopeful (and praying) that the consistency will help improve behavior this year. Sarah and I made dessert in the late afternoon for our team meeting. We made no-bake peanut butter bars, which are always a good standby.
Team night provided much needed refreshment in the midst of a busy week. We shared a wonderful meal together. Lisa made a salsa chicken spaghetti casserole, which was the most flavorful dish I've tasted here (as I recall) and Mary made a great salad with Ranch dressing. Andy shared a devotion about the blood of Jesus Christ. The verse given to me to read was Hebrews 13:12 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." God's Word jumped from the page and spoke directly at me. Since I started packing to come here, I've struggled with leaving my family and friends to live a life that is so different from theirs. It was hard over the summer to relate in our experiences. As a team we have adopted a new acronym - FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out. I definitely have FOMO. It is hard to live so far away, knowing that my brothers are going to keep growing up, my sister is going to keep moving on with her life, and my parents will continue going through their daily routine ... without me! I want to share every moment with them - taking my brother to football practice, sympathizing with my dad over his number-crunching, helping Mom grocery shop, and cuddling up for the bedtime stories. Tonight's Scripture reminded me that Jesus suffered OUTSIDE the gate that I might be sanctified with His own blood. His suffering took Him from the heights and glories of Heaven to a lowly manger to a scornful people to the shame of the cross. May God make me willing to suffer (in a small way by comparison) outside the gate of my family and physical comforts that others would be sanctified.
