Saturday, September 29th:
Woke up and wrote out a plan for my day, hoping to prevent time from slipping by without being able to provide a good account of my time. After devotions, I caught up on correspondence, did some laundry and vacuumed. At 11am, I was able to Skype my friend who is serving in the Philippines as a teacher for MKs. It is encouraging to hear how things are going in her part of the world and share common experiences.
Afterwards, I read through my blog from last year. It was a good reminder of God's faithfulness and how much He has taught me, especially when I compare this first month with last year's first month. I spent some time reflecting, then graded papers while listening to a lecture. By then it was close to 4pm. Sarah and I decided to go to Sarky's for dinner. We got ready and walked up the street to the place where Stacy and I had become regulars. We ordered half cheese and half veggie (the same thing Stacy and I would order). It was nice to get out of the house. On the way home, we walked by "Sam's Club" (our American name for it) - the store where you can buy things in bulk. I went there for the first time in May and discovered that they had Oreos! Unfortunately, they didn't have any this time. Sarah bought a box of caramels instead.
When we got home, I wrote up my test for Monday so I could get it copied early. I also made up a set of questions for my students to complete as a teacher evaluation. At the beginning of the year, when the students had to write out three goals for the year, I shared my goals with them. I explained that while I want them to improve in Math, I want to improve as a teacher. I hope the evaluation will provide some insight for more effective teaching in this culture, and not simply provide an opportunity to complain and criticize. If nothing else, I want my students to know that I need to learn too and that it is important that my teaching benefit them.
Based on their multiple intelligences results, I created a project for Phase 2 that will allow them to work with a math concept in a way that relates to their learning style. They have to pick one math idea that we've discussed so far and present it in one of five ways. 1. Write a song/poem (musical learners) 2. Conduct a survey and present the data (spacial learners) 3. Debate about the topic (interpersonal and linguistic) 4. Create and act out a news announcement (kinetic) 4. Create a complex problem that incorporates multiple math concepts (logical mathematical, intrapersonal). After writing up the instructions and a form for each student to fill out, explaining their project, I cleaned the bathroom, which completed my checklist for the day.
Sarah and I went over to John and Mary's to hang out after Henry went to bed. While we watched an episode of Monk, I wrote out answer keys so the students could correct their homework tomorrow. Lots of copies to make ...
Sunday, September 30th:
Got off to a hard start this morning. When Mary, Sarah, and I arrived at school the copy room was full of teachers needing copies. I ended up being late for my class as I waited for the copies for my first lesson. I was chiding myself on the way to class when I walked by the new vice principal (who is in charge of attendance). I'm pretty sure he had just been by my classroom ... and I wasn't there. To add to that, I had just written up the teacher evaluation, which includes a question about whether or not I come to class prepared. Ugh.
When I walked in, only two students were working on the warm-up. It was disheartening after I've tried to drill that procedure into them day after day after day. I reminded them of my expectation, then took a deep breath and asked the Lord to help me get back on track. Remembering my goal from last year, I asked to walk in His strength despite my feelings of inadequacy and unpreparedness. Peace came, and we moved on with the lesson. It was inside-out day, so I had a steady stream of students going to the bathroom to flip around their clothing. Lots of disruptions, but we made it through the material. I made a conscious effort to talk to one of the newer students. He is always eager to answer questions, but doesn't realize that I call on some of the weaker students to get their attention or check on their understanding. I want my better students to know that I care about them too, even though a lot of my free time is taken up disciplining the disruptive ones.
When I opened the door into my next class, I was not prepared for the scene that followed. Two of the boys, Sawyer and Manning [I just got looked those up on a baby names website...], were in the middle of a fight. Sawyer's glasses went flying and the punches got harder. I moved as quickly as I could to separate them and several of the boys intervened as well. We went out into the hallway. Sawyer is usually the goof-off of the class, turning everything into a joke. (He was the one who called me a name in front of the 6th graders.) As he wiped away the tears, I could tell that he was really angry and offended. Manning transferred from the other class because they were always making fun of him, but I haven't noticed him fitting in any better. Between blocking kicks and deflecting punches, I was able to figure out that Sawyer had tried to trip Manning, then Manning had proceeded to call him (and his mother) a stream of ugly names. Two of the bigger boys in the class stepped in as intermediaries. The way they handle conflict never ceases to amaze me. Each one acts as a representative of the other. While keeping the fighters separated, they hash out what happened, allowing the accused and defendant to interject comments every-so-often. Eventually, everything that needs to be said has been discussed. On occasion, the representatives will get upset with each other, and then another representative will step in. I decided to let them work things out and went back into class to pass back homework and check on their warm-up problems. After five minutes, the argument still wasn't over. I asked the Lord for wisdom as I stepped into the hallway. "Sawyer, you need to forgive Manning. What do you think Manning deserves?" Sawyer spat out something in Kurdish and raised a fist. "Sawyer, I know that is what you would like to do, but God says we must be merciful. Do you remember how you said something mean about me in front of the sixth graders?" Sawyer glances up. Embarrassment has replaced the anger in his eyes. "Did you get what you deserved?" Sawyer shakes his head, all the fury is gone. I turn to Manning. "Remember how the boys in 5B made fun of you? It doesn't feel good does it? And how many times have I been kind to you when you were being made fun of?" Manning's defiance is gone as he mutters, "Lots." "Boys, forgive each other and shake hands." They turn towards each other. The rest of us are poised to block a stealthy kick, but they shake hands and mumble apologies. As I thought about it later, with an aching back and bruised arms, I couldn't help but wonder if the illustration of that scenario will ever be explained to them. Will there be a day when they will come to know the Representative who has plead our case, taken our punishment, and forgiven us freely?
The class was amazingly quiet and attentive after that. Part way through the lesson, I noticed one of the girls, Sadie, in tears. Oh no... And then I caught some of the girls passing notes. After the lesson, I took Sadie in the hallway and she explained that Prissy (no surprise there) had written a note excluding her and another girl (Maddie) from the "best friends" group. Maddie tried to make Sadie promise not to talk to Prissy anymore. I sent Sadie back inside and pulled Prissy and Maddie into the hallway. Prissy tried to say that she didn't mean it in a bad way - "they aren't my best friends, they're my sisters." I could have rolled my eyes, but I didn't. I explained that sometimes what we say can be taken the wrong way and we need to make sure of our friends. I also told Maddie that she needed to be forgiving. As I headed off to my next class, I put Vanessa (she likes to roll her eyes at me) in charge of peacemaking.
After that class, I was exhausted and couldn't imagine teaching one more class before my break. Thankfully, the Lord provided strength. As I walked up to my class, one of the other teachers was standing in the doorway telling my class to be quiet. A rough day for others' perceptions of me ... guess I need to learn this lesson. No one was working on the warm-up. I could've cried. They are usually my best class. I explained (again) that they need to work on the warm-up quietly even if I'm not there. I am usually a few minutes late because I have to walk from the farthest point in the school to get to their class. We had a good lesson after that. They are excited about their projects, so I hope they will put a lot of effort into them.
During the break, I read one of the notes from 5A that I had confiscated. In it, Prissy tells Vanessa that "we are together and we don't care about the others, even when they are fighting and crying because we aren't their best friends" (paraphrased) and then she wrote, "ha. ha. ha." Out of all the notes floating around, it was providential that that was the note I had confiscated. It proved my suspicion that Prissy was intentionally being mean. I went upstairs to take the attendance for my first class (I had forgotten during the chaos). As I walked by their classroom, Prissy was just returning from the bathroom ... another providential moment. She stopped to talk to me and I told her that I had read her note to Vanessa. She acknowledged that she was being mean, but tried to excuse herself, "I am trying to be nice to Maddie now, but she won't talk to me. I try and I try and I try." I asked Prissy if she remembered how she had treated me when I first came to the school. "You weren't very nice were you?" She shook her head, "No, I wasn't." "Remember how I had to be nice to you day after day even though you weren't very nice to me?" "Yes..." "You have to keep being kind, even if they aren't kind back to you. You are a leader in that class ... even if you don't want to be," I add the last part as she shook her head. "Maddie looks up to you, but is afraid you will hurt her again. You need to earn her trust." "Yes, Miss."
My last sixth grade class went fairly well, apart from two major interruptions. During the warm-up, one of the teachers sent a student to our room to collect textbooks so he could use them in the other sixth grade class. We were in the middle of the lesson when the new vice principal came in and introduced himself to the class and gave a long speech about taking care of their school. It was hard to keep their attention after that. One student said to me, "Miss, you are lucky." "How's that?" "Your class was interrupted twice." That was the first time I've heard them use sarcasm. It took me a minute to understand, but it made my day. (Is that a good thing?)
As I walked to the teacher room, my third graders from last year were in the garden for their break. One of them came up and asked me to take a bag of chips to her friend who was still in the class. (They aren't allowed to go back into the building during breaks). I took the chips upstairs and got to say "hello" to several of my old students. They were happy to see me and I got lots of hugs and handshakes. It turns out I am teaching some of their older brothers and sisters in sixth grade! As I left, two of my girls from 5B invited me to sit with them. They put me right in between them, and we talked about their other classes, what they want to do in the future. I got lots of hugs as I left. Even more hugs when I stepped outside and all the students were returning to their classes. Each hug was a blessing from God, encouraging me that though I was not prepared for this day, I was walking in His strength through moments that had been planned entirely by Him.
I spoke with the principal as I caught him alone in passing. I apologized for my students coming to him with problems. I explained that they were asking to go to the bathroom, but going for him instead. He responded, "Do not believe them, Miss. They will lie to you." I explained that I wanted to trust my students to be responsible, but would be more careful about where they went. I apologized again and assured him I would do my best to handle issues inside of the classroom. I felt that it was an opportune moment to try to make things right between us, and tried not to use it as a means of defending myself. It seemed to be taken in the right spirit.
During Sarah's last class, I visited with teachers in the break room. At 1pm, Sarah and I walked home. After we ate some leftover pizza together, I laid on my bed and pretended I was back home getting cranio-sacral therapy. My body ached all over after getting pummeled by punches that weren't intended for me. I felt a little better afterwards. Skyped with my family at 5pm. Eithen broke his elbow the other night. Poor baby ... I wish I could be there to cuddle him and even more, be there when he goes to the hospital for a possible surgery this week.
Sarah and I went over to John and Mary's for dinner. Henry is not feeling well, so I got to cuddle him (instead of Eithen). Mary made Jamaican spinach soup and grilled cheese. Soooo good - spicy, flavorful, toasty, and the perfect Fall meal! By the time we left, Henry had a fever. Praying for the little guy and hoping he doesn't get worse.
Early bedtime ... test tomorrow. Thankful for those moments outside of the classroom that catch me off guard, but make me rely on God. I feel utterly useless and can only watch in amazement as He works through me to teach an unexpected lesson.
