Tuesday, November 20th:
Sometimes, when I sit down to the write the blog, I have been so busy, I've forgotten about half of the day's events. Classes went well, but they seem like a blur now. When I got home from school, I made a meal for the expat family that just had a baby. After that, I buckled down for a LOT of grading. I had twice as many papers as I normally receive and quizzes from Monday. Mary invited me over for lentil soup, which was really yummy. Visiting with the Nelson's over dinner was a nice break. Henry had been really clingy all day, but he decided to put on a show after dinner. He walked around the chairs, making sure one hand was holding on at all times. Then suddenly, he forgot! His hand came off and he took a couple wobbly steps on his own until he reached the other chair. He'll be walking around in no time! To add to our enjoyment, Henry was imitating our sounds. I told him, "Say, 'Auntie.'" He started with "Ah, Ah" and then laughed as he suddenly added a "Tee" at the end. "Ah-Tee." Just once, but this auntie's heart was satisfied. I came home and finished grading. Sarah made popcorn and then we worked while watching an old John Wayne western. Thankful to get so much done on my to-do list at a decent hour.
Wednesday, November 21st:
I woke up every hour last night ... not sure why, except that John and I were talking about sleep patterns last night. I know there are 1.5 and 2 hour sleep cycles, but 1 hour seems a little ridiculous!
The end of the week always carries mixed emotions. On the one hand, my students and I are excited for the weekend and anxious to end the week on a good note. On the other hand, I feel like there are always the last minute reminders and the feeling that just when we've finally gotten settled, the kids are going to be gone for the weekend and out of the routine come Sunday.
I have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to 5B. I was reminded how much of the class time I used to spend disciplining. Now, they seem more anxious to please and the majority of the class is attentive during our lesson. Though I often to have scold for talking, I don't have brawls or desk-pounding anymore. "Pedro" has been exceptional since we assigned new seats. The partner system seems to work well. I keep a record of each team's stars and give out a HP at the end of the week. I think the students view it as a "grade" for behavior.
5A was good. The most disruptive student was absent, so the rest of the class made sure to tell me that their lesson would be better today. It didn't quite work that way (they were still a little talkative) and I used the opportunity to show them that while they blame one student, they forget to manage their own behavior. They squared away and we had a good lesson. After letting them out a little early, I wandered toward the upper level classes. Since I had a couple minutes, I popped into the cafeteria to get some chai. Several of my students were there, collecting impressions of different textures for their art project. I admired their work and chatted with some of the other teachers until my class started. When I walked in, Lisa was finishing up ... we are trying to make the hand-off as seamless as possible, but today some of the kids took advantage of the transition. After asking me what time my class started in the cafeteria, they finished collecting textures, then went to the snack shop and came back, telling Miss Lisa that it was Miss Helen's class and I had given them permission to leave (I have allowed them to get drinks before class in the past, but had not told them that today). The students know that they are supposed to work on the warm-up problems quietly until I come in, so I wasn't pleased by their behavior. For the first fifteen minutes of class, I made them write a letter to Lisa to apologize for taking advantage of the situation. The class quieted down and we had a pretty good lesson.
During the break, I went to my next class to prep. I walked into a room of upset students. One of the boys was even in tears. I asked him what was wrong and found out that their entire class failed a grammar test. The teacher was frustrated because they had not been paying attention during the class. He told them that their parents would have to sign the test. I think this is what upset the students the most, fearing how their parents would react to the low grades. After seeing all the frustration and tears, I sent some of the students to the garden to gather the entire class. After they settled in, I told them that their teacher had the right to give them a test and that if they failed, it wasn't his responsibility to give them a second opportunity to take it. "But, you can ask for mercy," I reminded them. I wrote the definition of mercy on the board - someone with the power to punish does not give you the punishment you deserve. I told the students that if they wrote a letter asking for mercy, I would take it to the other teacher and intercede for them. I read through each letter before they were allowed to go back to the garden. It was amazing how many students did not understand the concept of mercy. Some demanded a retake. "We deserve a better mark." "We didn't deserve to fail." Others tried to manipulate. "Mister, I will pray for happiness and that the world will smile down on you." And still others made up excuses, "Mister, I did not do well because my mother is sick and I didn't sleep last night, but you didn't let me explain." Before sending students back to rewrite their letters, I explained that asking for mercy means that we understand how little we deserve. We don't deserve anything good. Asking for mercy also requires a recognition of the other person's authority. "He has every right to give you a low mark. He is your teacher." I repeated again and again. Even if the other teacher never reads the letters, I saw an opportunity to teach my students humility, a concept foreign to all of them. "Let us cover our disgrace with anger, excuses and manipulation," they seemed to say. And I challenged back, "Admit your shame, and beg for his kindness, knowing that you don't deserve it."
After covering Sarah's seventh grade class (she was waiting for her passport/visa so she could go to Suly with the Bishop's), I found the grammar teacher. He had already spoken to 6A, but listened as I told him that the students were asking for mercy. He explained that the other sixth grade class had taken the test and done well. I assured him that he was completely right to give 6A the grades they had earned and that it was his decision to grant them mercy. I gave him the letters that the students had written. As we parted, he said, "Miss, I will do something. But only because you asked." It was a reminder of the way God looks on us through Jesus Christ. Only because of Christ's righteousness can we stand before the Holy Judge.
In the break room, I found out that three teachers are leaving the school in a few weeks. I had become pretty close to two of them and it was sad to hear that they will be leaving. As I walked home, I kept thinking that life is a vapor. Just as my relationships here begin to blossom, they seemingly vanish with a puff of air. Both teachers are getting government jobs, which are better paying, more secure, and offer better benefits. I will miss them, knowing how unlikely it is that I will see them again (at the beginning of the year, I tried to connect with former teachers, but there was always something that kept them from getting together.)
When I got home, I tried a pomegranate molasses cookie recipe. Unfortunately, they didn't taste anything like molasses cookies. I renamed them pomegranate zingers and decided to ice them with a powdered sugar glaze to help balance their tart flavor. In the end, it felt like an unproductive way to use an hour and half. I spent the next hour on the Internet without worrying so much about getting things done. It was nice to feel reconnected with the people and places I'm most familiar with. Feeling more refreshed, I worked on my sixth grade midterm and their test for next week.
After Henry was in bed, around 7:30, John, Mary and I went upstairs and had a fire on our roof. We drank tea, basked in the smell of the campfire (which alternated between burning wood and the cologne John used as a fire starter), and reminisced about the past. Took a hot shower, then crawled into bed, lulled to sleep by the "ocean waves" coming from an app on my iPad (thanks Lisa for the recommendation!). Maybe that will help me stay asleep at night...
