Last week was one of my hardest so far. On Tuesday I was through with teaching. I resolved the earlier parent conflict with a lot of prayer and a sigh of relief the previous Wednesday. But then on Tuesday the 2B teacher told me that a parent had asked him if she could transfer her child to his class. I was so discouraged. None of the other SMs had had any parent complaints that I knew of, and here I was with two already and I was sure more to come. I was exhausted, sick of trying to control the kids and tired of dealing with their parents. If I wasn’t sure that God wanted me here and that I was here for a reason, I would’ve questioned my sanity at thinking I could teach and thrown in the towel.
Luckily, I got some good advice and encouragement from the Yonathans, two of the teachers here. My parents and fellow SMs were also really supportive, and I managed to put the day behind me. The rest of the week was really hard though, and it was with a lot of prayer that I got through it.
This week has been slightly better. I am working on disciplining with love, and I am finally starting to snap into the “strict teacher” mode. I have also begun developing patience. When the kids are noisy, I stand in front of the class, look stern, and wait. Sometimes it takes quite awhile (they are catching on - today one of my students saw me waiting and said, "shh teacher's getting mad again."). I have heard rumors that my kids don’t like me very much, but I am taking that as a compliment. I am punishing them – they aren’t really supposed to like me yet. I am trying to show them that I really do like them, but also that I need and expect them to follow the rules and listen to what I tell them. Today I sent my first two students to the office, or rather tried to. They are going tomorrow morning first thing since everyone in the office was in a meeting when I sent them over. I am having a problem with pushing, shoving, hitting, poking, etc. - with a bunch of seven year old boys it is an expected but constant problem. Today was just a bad day in general. It poured rain today, and I swear it is always the rainy days that are the worst. I am starting to get through to them though. Slowly but surely, they are going to learn that when I ask them to be quiet I really do mean it.
Today marked the midpoint of the 1st quarter. I can hardly believe that I’ve been teaching for over a month! I am finishing up with all my grading and gearing up for parent teacher conferences for the students who are struggling.
The weekends are always such a relief. Friday afternoon and evening are always so nice. I relax, grade, goof off, clean, and just enjoy being DONE. The past few weekends have been really fun. Two Saturdays ago we had a small adventure out at PMA. Six of us girls from SDA had planned on going to PMA to welcome our newest SM Ona and watch a movie. So we parked our van outside of the PMA gate and walked to the dorm, watched the movie, and went to get the van and head home around 1. Well, the guy who is in charge of locking the gate apparently wanted our van to be safe. So he rolled it inside the gate and locked it, effectively stranding us at PMA until Sunday morning. So we went back to the dorm and discussed our options. Since it obviously wouldn’t look good if we stayed in the guy’s apartment, we ended up sleeping in the staff lounge with some pillows, hoodies, and mattresses the guys lent us. It was a lot of fun, and certainly made for a good memory!
This past weekend, the girls at SDA got invited to Mr. and Mrs. McCarty’s house. Mr. McCarty works at the academy and is one of the SM’s brother-in-law. We had a fun evening playing catch phrase, eating pizza (so good!), and relaxing. This Sunday I also got to go body boarding again. The waves were much better, and while still from good, I was improving as well. All of the experienced body boarders were laughing at me, but I had fun and got a great workout. This weekend, I am signed up to participate in a badminton tournament. We will see how that goes!
Next week we only have school 3 days of school, since we get Thursday and Friday off for Independence Day. We are planning on going diving and doing something fun, what is not yet decided. I think we are more excited then the students!
Some of my more humorous teaching moments:
*One of the students I am teaching to read always says, “Thank you for reading me” each day as he leaves.
*We were learning (or trying to learn) how to read a map key today in Social Studies, and the map was of Boston, complete with symbols for Quincy Market, the New England Aquarium, and the Boston Commons. I was excited that I could tell my kids all about where I lived (I now live close to Boston, though not right in it). So I was telling them all about Boston, and then one of my kids asks, “So you live in the Boston Red Sox?”
* I was quite proud of my kids for learning the books of the Bible so quickly. We are learning a song to help them remember and are currently on Jeremiah. Then one of the kids sang “Ezra Dehemiah Esther Job” and I began to wonder.
* I asked my kids to draw a map of our classroom a few weeks ago. I explained to them how to do it, but one kids didn’t really understand the concept. He ended up drawing a bunch of desks and a blackboard. I was standing sideways in front of the blackboard, complete with a large stomach, large butt, and large hair.
* My kids play football with their flip-flops, complete with forward laterals, illegal grabbing, fumbles, and all kinds of made-up rules. Basketball is the same way – they dribble for about two steps, look behind them, and then hang on to the ball for dear life and book it for the basket. Another favorite game is Zombie, where they all run from the person who is the “zombie”.
*For Bible class one day I had asked them to draw a picture of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and angels for an album we’re making called “God’s Family Album”. I was demonstrating how to draw a very simple angel since the kids said they didn’t know how to draw angels. So as I am almost finished drawing, I hear one kid say, in a loud whisper, “that’s not very good.” Then another, in an equally loud whisper, says, “Shhh! You’re not supposed to say when the teacher’s drawing isn’t good.” I was cracking up.
Random things I’ve learned in the past few weeks: *I don’t think you really ever get rid of cockroaches. The other night, I opened my classroom cupboard with a foreboding feeling, and sure enough, a cockroach was scurrying around. After staring at it for a second, I shut the door and walked away. *Rice and McKay’s seasoning makes a good meal if you’re broke. *Prayer is powerful. * If you drop your alarm clock enough, it will eventually break. *Jeans feel amazing after wearing skirts every day. *Give kids two brooms, and there will inevitably be a sword fight. *”I need to go to the bathroom” really means “please teacher, I’m sick of being in class” the first time and “let me get soaked by the rain on the way to the bathroom” the second time. *God is too big for us to ever understand and yet the gospel is so simple that little children can understand it. *Kids respond to trust and caring. As The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says, you have to touch their heart before you can reach for their hand.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Trials of Teaching
Whew, I am glad the first two weeks are behind me. They have been full of learning, both for me and the students, and I have a new, deep
appreciation for my elementary school teachers.
Teaching has been hectic to say the least. My kids were (and are) still catching on to what I want them to do, so I have not been accomplishing as much as I had envisioned. In fact, nothing has really gone the way I planned. My discipline plan,
which seemed quite acceptable to me, was "way easier than first grade"; then when I made it more difficult, I got a parent complaint which I am still resolving. As of yet, my children do not understand what a sentence is, and even concepts they seemed to understand verbally in class do not translate into perfect worksheets. Two of my children cannot read, so I have to walk them through any worksheets or quizzes we have. My emotions have not been what I was expecting either - I go from high to low, idealistic to realistic to despondent in a matter of minutes.
But all has not been lost. Despite the challenges, I love my kids. They are fun, full of energy, super talkative, and I am excited to see them grow over the course of the school year. The papers they turn in almost all have names and proper headings on them, and the concept of numbering their papers is also slowly sinking in. I have learned a lot, and each day I feel myself becoming more competent and more like a "real teacher".
My biggest source of stress has been classroom management. I have been told that the last teacher "couldn't handle" my current class, and I am looking for creative punishment ideas that will mean something to them. I don't really mind them whispering quietly, but they don't whisper, don't stay in their seats, and don't listen to directions. So I am still working on that. I'm afraid Mr. Wong (we watched a lot of his videos on classroom management) would not be very happy with me. But I am doing the best I can and praying for wisdom and sanity.
This weekend brought a needed break from school. We went to an island called Ngemelis for a staff retreat, and it is about the most beautiful place I've ever seen. We left on Friday after school and took a very bumpy hour and half boat ride through the rock islands to get there. It was simply gorgeous. I slept outside on a bench because it was much cooler than sleeping inside the shelter. The view in the morning was breathtaking - I was in awe each morning when I woke up around 5:30 with the sun.
The weekend was spent relaxing and exploring. Saturday afternoon I went on a hike to some other islands. When we left it was low tide, so we could wade to the other islands. The way back involved swimming (officially frowned on for SMs in Palau on Saturday, but we had no choice and certainly didn't mind!) across two channels with a strong current. That night we had vespers on the beach and then supper and smores. I skipped out on night fishing in favor of sleep, and while I know I made the right decision I hated being responsible. I have promised myself that I am going to go before I leave Palau.
Sunday morning Marianne and I swam out to a rope swing and enjoyed a few swings before we packed up and left. That morning we went to Jellyfish Lake, which totally blew me away. The jellyfish in the lake don't sting, and they are all over. I was being nuzzled by dozens of jellyfish. They were everywhere - you couldn't move without bumping into them (a few accidentally got killed - oops). It was so cool - I found myself holding my breath and constantly had to remember to breathe. A little taste of what heaven will be like - I'm sure the first time I pet a lion I will be a little timid, too.
After Jellyfish Lake we went to Shark City for lunch and snorkeling. Shark City is named because of the many sharks that live in the area right off one of the islands. There were quite a few sharks, and one of the SMs almost touched one. Overall the weekend was a great success. I had a ton of fun and returned with a fresh outlook and energy to tackle the next week of class. We have Labor Day off, and I have been using it to sleep and get caught up and lesson plans and grading. I am praying hard for a solution to my discipline problem, and also for a perfect blend of love and justice. I am once again reminded of what a patient teacher God is. I was thinking the other day about what God's lesson plans for us would like: Day 1: patience. Day 2: love. Day 3: joy. Day 4: repeat all lessons. Day 5: test for comprehension. Day 6: concept not grasped. repeat lesson as long as necessary. and so on, year after year, for we never really seem to learn our lesson perfectly. Praise God that He doesn't give up on us for lost, but instead puts special time and attention into tutoring, mentoring, and helping us through each lesson as often as necessary until we finally achieve perfection when He comes again. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Random information:
*bobai (bo-by) means papaya in Palauan *Don't forget to put sunscreen on your ears when on a tropical island *Palau has rats that can eat through plastic bags to get your cream puffs (Kaitlynn took it as a sign that she shouldn't eat sweets) *Sugar cane doubles as a food and toothbrush *Asians are not liked very much by Palauans. This partly stems from their immodest clothing by Palauan standards *If something is really cheap at a Palaun grocery store, check the expiration date. Odds are it has long since passed. *Cockroach count: Courtney, 14. Brenda, 4. Everyone else: way less.
appreciation for my elementary school teachers.
Teaching has been hectic to say the least. My kids were (and are) still catching on to what I want them to do, so I have not been accomplishing as much as I had envisioned. In fact, nothing has really gone the way I planned. My discipline plan,
which seemed quite acceptable to me, was "way easier than first grade"; then when I made it more difficult, I got a parent complaint which I am still resolving. As of yet, my children do not understand what a sentence is, and even concepts they seemed to understand verbally in class do not translate into perfect worksheets. Two of my children cannot read, so I have to walk them through any worksheets or quizzes we have. My emotions have not been what I was expecting either - I go from high to low, idealistic to realistic to despondent in a matter of minutes.
But all has not been lost. Despite the challenges, I love my kids. They are fun, full of energy, super talkative, and I am excited to see them grow over the course of the school year. The papers they turn in almost all have names and proper headings on them, and the concept of numbering their papers is also slowly sinking in. I have learned a lot, and each day I feel myself becoming more competent and more like a "real teacher".
My biggest source of stress has been classroom management. I have been told that the last teacher "couldn't handle" my current class, and I am looking for creative punishment ideas that will mean something to them. I don't really mind them whispering quietly, but they don't whisper, don't stay in their seats, and don't listen to directions. So I am still working on that. I'm afraid Mr. Wong (we watched a lot of his videos on classroom management) would not be very happy with me. But I am doing the best I can and praying for wisdom and sanity.
This weekend brought a needed break from school. We went to an island called Ngemelis for a staff retreat, and it is about the most beautiful place I've ever seen. We left on Friday after school and took a very bumpy hour and half boat ride through the rock islands to get there. It was simply gorgeous. I slept outside on a bench because it was much cooler than sleeping inside the shelter. The view in the morning was breathtaking - I was in awe each morning when I woke up around 5:30 with the sun.
The weekend was spent relaxing and exploring. Saturday afternoon I went on a hike to some other islands. When we left it was low tide, so we could wade to the other islands. The way back involved swimming (officially frowned on for SMs in Palau on Saturday, but we had no choice and certainly didn't mind!) across two channels with a strong current. That night we had vespers on the beach and then supper and smores. I skipped out on night fishing in favor of sleep, and while I know I made the right decision I hated being responsible. I have promised myself that I am going to go before I leave Palau.
Sunday morning Marianne and I swam out to a rope swing and enjoyed a few swings before we packed up and left. That morning we went to Jellyfish Lake, which totally blew me away. The jellyfish in the lake don't sting, and they are all over. I was being nuzzled by dozens of jellyfish. They were everywhere - you couldn't move without bumping into them (a few accidentally got killed - oops). It was so cool - I found myself holding my breath and constantly had to remember to breathe. A little taste of what heaven will be like - I'm sure the first time I pet a lion I will be a little timid, too.
After Jellyfish Lake we went to Shark City for lunch and snorkeling. Shark City is named because of the many sharks that live in the area right off one of the islands. There were quite a few sharks, and one of the SMs almost touched one. Overall the weekend was a great success. I had a ton of fun and returned with a fresh outlook and energy to tackle the next week of class. We have Labor Day off, and I have been using it to sleep and get caught up and lesson plans and grading. I am praying hard for a solution to my discipline problem, and also for a perfect blend of love and justice. I am once again reminded of what a patient teacher God is. I was thinking the other day about what God's lesson plans for us would like: Day 1: patience. Day 2: love. Day 3: joy. Day 4: repeat all lessons. Day 5: test for comprehension. Day 6: concept not grasped. repeat lesson as long as necessary. and so on, year after year, for we never really seem to learn our lesson perfectly. Praise God that He doesn't give up on us for lost, but instead puts special time and attention into tutoring, mentoring, and helping us through each lesson as often as necessary until we finally achieve perfection when He comes again. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Random information:
*bobai (bo-by) means papaya in Palauan *Don't forget to put sunscreen on your ears when on a tropical island *Palau has rats that can eat through plastic bags to get your cream puffs (Kaitlynn took it as a sign that she shouldn't eat sweets) *Sugar cane doubles as a food and toothbrush *Asians are not liked very much by Palauans. This partly stems from their immodest clothing by Palauan standards *If something is really cheap at a Palaun grocery store, check the expiration date. Odds are it has long since passed. *Cockroach count: Courtney, 14. Brenda, 4. Everyone else: way less.
Kaitlynn's sign that she made after the rat ate her cream puffs.
Kaitlynn, Jolene, Dinah, and I ready to go.
Kaitlynn, Jolene, Dinah, and I ready to go.
The island of Ngemelis.
My view in the morning. Gorgeous.
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