We are so thankful for the job the Lord has given us here. Teaching really has been a joy.
Teaching highlights so far:
-A couple students who haven't really enjoyed school before are enjoying it and excited about what they are learning possibly for the first time.
-A student that began the year really struggling with reading has already made so much visible progress!
-Our curriculum has a focus on teaching students to be able to speak and present so that they can one day be comfortable sharing all the things they have learned with others. A couple students that were very nervous and uncomfortable with speaking in front of people the first week have made very successful "presentations" and are getting more comfortable with this difficult task.
-One precious student that never fails to tell us at the end of every day "Thank you so much for teaching me today!!"
-Seeing the kids make connections on their own between the different subjects and what they are learning and reading. Watching them share with others confidently things we have learned.
-Most of the student's love for art. We have been doing a drawing unit and they have just been eating it up. They so enjoy it, are so proud of their work, and really talented.
-Having students who respect us and not having to spend all day fighting crazy battles and chaos. I am still often shocked by their quickness to be corrected or obey. They are not perfect, but their obedience is definitely different than what we experienced in the public school system. They also really love one another and take care of each other which is sweet to see.
-Seeing the students struggle through things that are difficult. Some are being challenged in ways they never have been before. Sometimes our tendency as people is to want to try and remove these struggles for kids or help them enough to make things easy. But a quote we heard before the beginning of the year that has really been a reminder to us is "You must prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child." So it has been neat to instruct and walk alongside in some of the difficulties and struggles without making things easy or comfortable knowing that the end result of the challenge will be growth.
-Having parents that are involved and supportive and thankful for what we're doing with their kids.
-Getting to be stretched in new ways as teachers. It is fun to teach all different subjects to all different ages in a setting very different than we are used to and we are sure it will make us better teachers. We still have lots to learn.
Each day we have a short recreation time with the kids. The first 2 weeks we had these nice balls to play with. However, they were quickly destroyed by all the thorns and glass and rocks in the school yard. Last week the kids were entertained all week with a random piece of old rope they found and converted into a jump rope. Below are a few pictures of jump roping in the pouring rain after school one day.
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