Sunday, April 21st:
Today was a really good day in school. The kind of day I'd like to bottle up and put on my desk so I'll remember why I love living here and teaching my students...
First a funny story. I was introducing our lesson for the day - "What does symmetry mean?" I know they learned this last year, so I wasn't surprised when someone raised their hand fairly quickly. However, the answer I received was very unexpected - "Miss, it is the place where they bury people." A pause as I sucked in my breath and held back the laughter that wanted to bubble out ... I didn't trust myself not to laugh and ended up writing the difference between the two words on the board - SYMMETRY not CEMETERY.
As we moved on to the next chapter about applications of division, we had a real-life application of our verse for the day - "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." In 6B, some of the students were bragging about how they already understood our math lesson. I paused and asked them what our verse meant. We discussed the difference between being puffed up (filled with air) and building up. 6B loves drama, so we did a role-play. Three students came up to the front of the room - one was a student, another was knowledge, and the third was love. As the student told "knowledge" something he'd just learned, "knowledge" interrupted, "I know, I know. I learned that back in kindergarten." When the student repeated what he'd learned to "love," "love" replied with words of encouragement and asked more questions about the subject. We talked about how the student felt after each scenario and the rest of the class eagerly agreed that they'd rather talk to "love" than to "knowledge." [This was encouraging to me as I've been feeling a bit beat down by people who know everything. I needed to be reminded that God's love builds us up so we can minister to those people, not argue back or feel offended ... still need to work on this though.]
In 6A, the role play wasn't staged. One of the first-grade teachers came in to deliver letters from the administration. As she read the names aloud, she mispronounced one of the students' names. The class erupted in laughter. After she left, I scolded the students for treating a visitor so poorly (hospitality is important in this culture and I try to remind the students that the classroom is their home ... they need to treat teachers, administrators, and other students in the same way they would treat someone who enters their home.) Then I talked to the class about our verse for the day. After explaining what it meant, I asked the students if they thought the teacher felt loved when she left. At the end of class, the students wrote apology letters to the teacher. When I handed her the notes in the teacher room, I was a bit surprised by her reaction (though it made sense as I reflected on it). She bristled and became rather defensive, telling me it wasn't necessary. She really didn't care about what the students had done. I hurried to explain that I didn't think she had been offended, but that I wanted the students to learn that they shouldn't treat others disrespectfully. I told her that we had been talking about love and it was the perfect opportunity to teach them what love looks like. After she read the letters, I assured her once again that I wasn't trying to shame her by having the students apologize, but that they were learning to love others. She seemed satisfied and even read the letters aloud to another teacher, translating what I had said to her. I was praying the entire time and afterwards thanked the Lord for a double-opportunity to demonstrate love.
In the evening, I Skyped with the family (less Dad who was in Atlanta) and enjoyed a popcorn dinner with Hannah.
Monday, April 22nd:
The students took tests today, so there wasn't much out of the ordinary. (It was also a rainy, wet, muddy day, so might as well not talk about the weather...) I had a lot of grading to do when I got home and then we went over to John and Mary's for team time. John read sections of Scripture that focused on the Lord as our All in all. I was encouraged as it reminded me of my goal for this year. John read from Psalm 73 which has my key verse for both last year and this year's goal. "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart (2012 - consciously walking in the strength of the Lord) and my portion forever" (2013 - delighting in the Lord.) I've had a couple opportunities in the past week to talk about/be reminded of my goal for this year. It is refreshing to review what God has been teaching me and see how He is bringing me along in my walk with Him.
Andy picked up a package at the post office from Sarah. It was filled with the goodies we miss from home and can't get here - Parmesan cheese for Mary, gummy fruit snacks for Zander, b@con bits, Cadbury eggs, pictures, and taco seasoning. It was a bittersweet moment as the memories came flooding back. Thankful to be remembered and to be reminded of how much this year has brought!
Trip to Istanbul (October 2012)
Saying goodbye (February 2013)
After team time we went to dinner at Cali Cafe, then I came back home and finished grading.
The evening devotional by Spurgeon was comforting - God is the almighty Watcher, the sleepless Guardian, a faithful Friend. We need not fear the darkness (whether it is the darkness of the enemy, the watches of the night or merely the shadow of His wings).
Psalm 63:
"my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy."
6 when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy."
