I haven't written in quite some time, because things have picked up a lot since my last blog entry. I feel as though time is going a lot faster now, because I've gotten involved in more and more things.
Tonight I'm actually just writing to ask for (continued) prayer. The past week, I've felt like I've been running on very low energy. I'm always tired! In fact, tonight is the first time that I haven't attendend the Sunday night service at church, because I just felt too zapped of energy. I ask for prayers for motivation, for excitement in teaching, and for renewed energy, especially because I don't want to feel that my teaching is a burden, but a joy. I want to have the excitement to lesson plan and teach, rather than always be hoping for the weekend. I want the drive and power to not only do what I came here to do, but to do it TO THE FULL---to live abundantly.
thanks friends.
noelle
domingo, 7 de febrero de 2010
jueves, 21 de enero de 2010
Who ever said teaching was easy?
I guess I can see why they say the first year of teaching is one of the hardest. It's not that I've had an especially hard time here--actually, in some regards, I think I have it a little bit easier than many first year teachers (I've even managed to find time to join a Miguel Aleman club volleyball tema!). That's not to say it's not work. I just mean, in different schools I was trained in in Michigan, there were so many expectations, so many different criteria you had to meet, so many meetings and deadlines and all. That doesn't seem to be as prevalent here.
I think part of that's the culture, but a lot of it is the school, too. And I like that; I feel at home here--the crazy, busy, leave-no-time-for-anything work environment that I've always hated doesn't really stand out here.
At the same time, though, that makes it much harder for methan it might be for those at rigid, incredibly structured schools, because a lot of the decisions I make in my classrooms and for my students are up to me. I have a specific curriculum I'm to teach and different assessment tools I can use, but how to evaluate students and what is expected from students, what my deadlines are, and what standards I want to stress---that's all pretty much up to me..not entirely, but much more so than I'm used to.
Like all first year teachers, though, (or, just teachers in general) I also find that I have sooo many questions that are hard to answer! What can I do about the student who works so much slower than his classmates? In what ways can I challenge and motivate the smart student who likes to act up in class (likely because the work is too easy for him and he always finishes much earlier than his classmates)? How do I stay on track with what I want to get done each week when students are absent for multiple days in a row (and, might I add, procedures for absences are a bit more lax than I'm accustomed to)? How do I progress to a new unit, adding more material, when there's one student who still is struggling to understand the last unit?
I've found, too, that it's a constant challenge to motivate myself to seek out the answers--to be more and more creative with my approaches; to not settle for what's easy to do, but to do what's best for the students. Because that's what I really do want. I want them to learn. And I want to create an environment where they not only learn, but they all can enjoy learning, and in which all believe that they can succeed.
It's also hard stepping into these classrooms halfway through the year. There are so many things I'm sure I do differently than their past teachers. For one, I'm a huge believer in language play. I don't think you can fully learn languages without having fun with them, without messing around with them in creative ways. I believe your brain really needs that (My ESL professor, Professor VandenBosch, really stressed this to us last semester!) So with my students, we make stories, sing songs, do charades with our vocabulary, and play group games and activities centered around the different language concepts. I think that with their past teachers, the students were used to writing sentences, reading, practicing speaking by reading conversations from textbooks, and doing workbook pages. Not at all to say that's wrong! I think that those things are essential to a language classroom, so I incorporate those, as well. I simply mean to say that I think the activities I have them do are new and exciting to them. I've picked up on this, because every once in a while, one of my students will ask "Miss, activity today?" or "Miss, we're playing a game today?" Game and activity are two of their new favorite words :)
There are also so many things that I would have liked to structure within the class, but I don't feel like I can simply change for the students halfway through the year--they're used to a certain structure, and it would be difficult for them if I messed up their balance entirely. Some things I will just have to wait until next school year to implement myself.
All this isn't to complain about what's been difficult thus far. I'm actually really loving it here, I love this whole new culture of teaching; though it might be hard for some people to get used to, I think it's the perfect match with my personality and how I like to see work and school approached.
I think part of that's the culture, but a lot of it is the school, too. And I like that; I feel at home here--the crazy, busy, leave-no-time-for-anything work environment that I've always hated doesn't really stand out here.
At the same time, though, that makes it much harder for methan it might be for those at rigid, incredibly structured schools, because a lot of the decisions I make in my classrooms and for my students are up to me. I have a specific curriculum I'm to teach and different assessment tools I can use, but how to evaluate students and what is expected from students, what my deadlines are, and what standards I want to stress---that's all pretty much up to me..not entirely, but much more so than I'm used to.
Like all first year teachers, though, (or, just teachers in general) I also find that I have sooo many questions that are hard to answer! What can I do about the student who works so much slower than his classmates? In what ways can I challenge and motivate the smart student who likes to act up in class (likely because the work is too easy for him and he always finishes much earlier than his classmates)? How do I stay on track with what I want to get done each week when students are absent for multiple days in a row (and, might I add, procedures for absences are a bit more lax than I'm accustomed to)? How do I progress to a new unit, adding more material, when there's one student who still is struggling to understand the last unit?
I've found, too, that it's a constant challenge to motivate myself to seek out the answers--to be more and more creative with my approaches; to not settle for what's easy to do, but to do what's best for the students. Because that's what I really do want. I want them to learn. And I want to create an environment where they not only learn, but they all can enjoy learning, and in which all believe that they can succeed.
It's also hard stepping into these classrooms halfway through the year. There are so many things I'm sure I do differently than their past teachers. For one, I'm a huge believer in language play. I don't think you can fully learn languages without having fun with them, without messing around with them in creative ways. I believe your brain really needs that (My ESL professor, Professor VandenBosch, really stressed this to us last semester!) So with my students, we make stories, sing songs, do charades with our vocabulary, and play group games and activities centered around the different language concepts. I think that with their past teachers, the students were used to writing sentences, reading, practicing speaking by reading conversations from textbooks, and doing workbook pages. Not at all to say that's wrong! I think that those things are essential to a language classroom, so I incorporate those, as well. I simply mean to say that I think the activities I have them do are new and exciting to them. I've picked up on this, because every once in a while, one of my students will ask "Miss, activity today?" or "Miss, we're playing a game today?" Game and activity are two of their new favorite words :)
There are also so many things that I would have liked to structure within the class, but I don't feel like I can simply change for the students halfway through the year--they're used to a certain structure, and it would be difficult for them if I messed up their balance entirely. Some things I will just have to wait until next school year to implement myself.
All this isn't to complain about what's been difficult thus far. I'm actually really loving it here, I love this whole new culture of teaching; though it might be hard for some people to get used to, I think it's the perfect match with my personality and how I like to see work and school approached.
viernes, 15 de enero de 2010
End of Week One
I have lots of this I could write today. It's been such a wonderful, busy, exhausting, up and down, excellent first week.
But first, I just have to share this, because I thought it was the cutest thing ever and one of those moments where I really wish someone would've had a camera.
Yesterday...or maybe two days ago...I was standing outside by the wall of the building at recess when this 2nd grade girl, Lia, daughter of another English teacher, Juli, ran up to me and gave me a big hug around my legs. Her friend, Edith, seeing this, ran up behind Lia and gave both of us a big hug. Then came Debani, then Yunjuen, then Sofia, until eventually practically the whole second grade class was lined up in front of me forming a big blob of hugs. It really was the cutest thing ever.
So, here are some pictures of both my classes (the first two are of the 5th grade, and the last two are of 6th grade--one student being absent)...
I'll write more later...
lunes, 11 de enero de 2010
Lunch Time
Lunch time is quite interesting here. For starters, it's not actually lunch time--it's more like breakfast time. That's because "la comida", or what we would consider "lunch" is served after school gets out at 2:00. So at 10:00, when the school breaks for--well,--meal time, we generally eat breakfast tacos and drink coffee or juice.
It also struck me today that the teachers sit with the students when they eat. I didn't think anything of it until I realized that it's because there's no such thing here as "the teachers' lounge". And then, it made me wonder 'Why don't teachers eat with their students more often?' I understand needing a breather, but I think that perhaps one of the most refreshing ways to spend your break time is by being with your students outside of the classroom context, and allowing your students to see that you're not just a teacher, you're a person. Plus, students have so many interesting things to share at lunch that they never even mention in the classroom!
On a completely different note, when my fifth graders left the room today to go to recess, I smiled to myself and said "Man, I really love teaching!"
I think that's a good sign that I'm where God wants me.
It also struck me today that the teachers sit with the students when they eat. I didn't think anything of it until I realized that it's because there's no such thing here as "the teachers' lounge". And then, it made me wonder 'Why don't teachers eat with their students more often?' I understand needing a breather, but I think that perhaps one of the most refreshing ways to spend your break time is by being with your students outside of the classroom context, and allowing your students to see that you're not just a teacher, you're a person. Plus, students have so many interesting things to share at lunch that they never even mention in the classroom!
On a completely different note, when my fifth graders left the room today to go to recess, I smiled to myself and said "Man, I really love teaching!"
I think that's a good sign that I'm where God wants me.
jueves, 7 de enero de 2010
A Whole New World...
Today was my first actual day teaching on my own, and I have already learned so much and experienced so many new things.
Part of that simply comes from working with elementary school students as opposed to secondary, with whom I have more experience. It's amazing to me how quickly the children get attached to you. I teach sixth grade in the morning, and was suprised to find out how quiet and shy they were at first. By break-time, however, the girls in the class were already coming over just to say hi and observe me as I did some planning. They would wave at me throughout the day whenever I saw them, and made sure to say goodbye to me this afternoon.
Interestingly enough, even students outside my class quickly befriended me. I had a small group of 2nd grade girls telling me all about themselves at lunch time and showering me with questions about who I was and where I'd come from. One of those girls ran up to me after school and gave me a big hug and excitedly told me about a number of things.
Not all of the differences come from working in elementary, though. Some of them come from the simple fact that I'm in a different culture. You might be aware of "mas o menos" time in Mexico, which means "more or less": in other words, when you plan on meeting or starting something at 8, you're on time if you show up more or less around 8--generally, 10-20 minutes late could still be considered "on time". Well, every morning at 7:30 AM, the school does staff devotionals, and then classes start at 8:00. This morning, it made me laugh to see the staff so relaxed at 8:05 as devotionals were still finishing up, whereas I kept eyeing the clock thinking "Okay, how am I going to change around the first 10 minutes of class so that I can still get everything done?" That's something I'm going to have to get used to, but I like it :)
The second big difference---which I'm sure is going to delight some of those who come from cold places like Michigan (as do I)---is the fact that school closes when it gets too cold! In fact, we're told that there will be no school tomorrow for this very reason; notes were sent home to parents today. Now, like you probably do, I think this is a bit funny, especially given that schools like Calvin won't even close when there's a couple feet of snow; however, I should say that it is pretty cold here right now--the temperatures might not be as chilly outside as in Michigan, but because the buildings are mostly made of cement and very few have heating, it can be freezing indoors (in fact, as I write, I'm bundled up in layers of blankets).
I could keep going with the differences, because there are so many of them; however, I'm sure you'll come to understand those if you continue to follow my blog. My point with this entry is simply to say that, if in one day I come to learn so many new things, I'm excited to see what this entire semester will show me about teaching, especially teaching in a different culture.
Part of that simply comes from working with elementary school students as opposed to secondary, with whom I have more experience. It's amazing to me how quickly the children get attached to you. I teach sixth grade in the morning, and was suprised to find out how quiet and shy they were at first. By break-time, however, the girls in the class were already coming over just to say hi and observe me as I did some planning. They would wave at me throughout the day whenever I saw them, and made sure to say goodbye to me this afternoon.
Interestingly enough, even students outside my class quickly befriended me. I had a small group of 2nd grade girls telling me all about themselves at lunch time and showering me with questions about who I was and where I'd come from. One of those girls ran up to me after school and gave me a big hug and excitedly told me about a number of things.
Not all of the differences come from working in elementary, though. Some of them come from the simple fact that I'm in a different culture. You might be aware of "mas o menos" time in Mexico, which means "more or less": in other words, when you plan on meeting or starting something at 8, you're on time if you show up more or less around 8--generally, 10-20 minutes late could still be considered "on time". Well, every morning at 7:30 AM, the school does staff devotionals, and then classes start at 8:00. This morning, it made me laugh to see the staff so relaxed at 8:05 as devotionals were still finishing up, whereas I kept eyeing the clock thinking "Okay, how am I going to change around the first 10 minutes of class so that I can still get everything done?" That's something I'm going to have to get used to, but I like it :)
The second big difference---which I'm sure is going to delight some of those who come from cold places like Michigan (as do I)---is the fact that school closes when it gets too cold! In fact, we're told that there will be no school tomorrow for this very reason; notes were sent home to parents today. Now, like you probably do, I think this is a bit funny, especially given that schools like Calvin won't even close when there's a couple feet of snow; however, I should say that it is pretty cold here right now--the temperatures might not be as chilly outside as in Michigan, but because the buildings are mostly made of cement and very few have heating, it can be freezing indoors (in fact, as I write, I'm bundled up in layers of blankets).
I could keep going with the differences, because there are so many of them; however, I'm sure you'll come to understand those if you continue to follow my blog. My point with this entry is simply to say that, if in one day I come to learn so many new things, I'm excited to see what this entire semester will show me about teaching, especially teaching in a different culture.
lunes, 4 de enero de 2010
La Vida en Abundancia
In John 10:10, we read Christ's proclamation that He has come that we may have lives to the full. In Spanish, the translation reads "la vida en abundancia", or "the life in abundance." Recently, when reading Ephesians, I was struck by Paul's stress on God's abundant blessings for our lives which in the English translation reads "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
Yesterday, upon arriving to the airport in Texas, I was picked up by Pastor Ramon and his wife Leti, with whom I'll be living these next six months, and we headed directly to their church, Templo Belen, in Miguel Aleman, Mexico (a little over an hour drive) for the night service. I was surprised upon taking my seat in the church to see long tables placed in the front of the church with fruit practically overspilling on them.
Pastor David, another pastor of the church, stood up to give his message, in which the purpose of the fruit was explained. Members of the church had been asked to bring fruit to give away. Pastor David explained that this fruit was to be understood as a symbol of God's wonderful blessings that He desires to pour out on us this year. As the first Sunday of the year 2010, the pastors desired that the congregation would understand the great possiblities, the new experiences, and above all, these abundant blessings that God wants to give us over the course of this next year. Pastor David also emphasized they every person take at least one piece of fruit, as a way of accepting God's blessing into our lives. He explained that it didn't matter if a person hadn't brought any fruit to give, we were to take; after all, it is by nothing that we have done on our own, the pastor said, that we experience such goodness from the Lord; it is only by His grace.
I think this talk of blessings and abundance is a great way to ring in a new year, a time of transition, of uncertainty as to what will unfold within this next year, and for me personally, a new experience teaching here in Mexico, meeting new people, stepping out of my comfort zone in new ways, and being furthur shaped by an awesome God.
Throughout these next six months I hope that I can recognize the many blessings that God is pouring out in my life and in the lives of my students and those around me, so that I will be able to stand even more amazed at the wonderful grace of our awesome God. I pray that God may also use me as a blessing to others in the way I teach, speak, listen, and interact. I pray this blessing also on your lives, that together we may seek to not only live, but to have lives "en abundancia" as we allow God to pour His many blessings over us.
Yesterday, upon arriving to the airport in Texas, I was picked up by Pastor Ramon and his wife Leti, with whom I'll be living these next six months, and we headed directly to their church, Templo Belen, in Miguel Aleman, Mexico (a little over an hour drive) for the night service. I was surprised upon taking my seat in the church to see long tables placed in the front of the church with fruit practically overspilling on them.
Pastor David, another pastor of the church, stood up to give his message, in which the purpose of the fruit was explained. Members of the church had been asked to bring fruit to give away. Pastor David explained that this fruit was to be understood as a symbol of God's wonderful blessings that He desires to pour out on us this year. As the first Sunday of the year 2010, the pastors desired that the congregation would understand the great possiblities, the new experiences, and above all, these abundant blessings that God wants to give us over the course of this next year. Pastor David also emphasized they every person take at least one piece of fruit, as a way of accepting God's blessing into our lives. He explained that it didn't matter if a person hadn't brought any fruit to give, we were to take; after all, it is by nothing that we have done on our own, the pastor said, that we experience such goodness from the Lord; it is only by His grace.
I think this talk of blessings and abundance is a great way to ring in a new year, a time of transition, of uncertainty as to what will unfold within this next year, and for me personally, a new experience teaching here in Mexico, meeting new people, stepping out of my comfort zone in new ways, and being furthur shaped by an awesome God.
Throughout these next six months I hope that I can recognize the many blessings that God is pouring out in my life and in the lives of my students and those around me, so that I will be able to stand even more amazed at the wonderful grace of our awesome God. I pray that God may also use me as a blessing to others in the way I teach, speak, listen, and interact. I pray this blessing also on your lives, that together we may seek to not only live, but to have lives "en abundancia" as we allow God to pour His many blessings over us.
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