Meet My Class!

I wrote this blog as though I was writing it to my students for them to one day read. Writing this way simply helped me express my thoughts better. I'll tell you more about them as the year goes along. Enjoy!

Meet Sara!

Sara, one of the things I love about you is your eagerness to learn and participate in class. You are such a great helper. I might be learning more Spanish from you than you are English from me. Hopefully that changes soon. Thank you for all of your help in class. I also love that you really care about your work. You are diligent to cut everything right on the line and do all of your work with excellence. You are creative and very forward thinking. I also love that you love to sing and can remember all of the words. You have a beautiful voice. I love being your teacher!

Meet Josue Caleb!

Josue, one of the things I love about you is how much you love to learn from books. Giving you space to go to the library, I find you love adventure. I know this because you find books on Monster Trucks, sharks, and anything larger than life! You always come show me what you are learning and say words in English that I have no idea how you learned on your own, like “monster truck”. I also love playing with you after class. While we are playing, you show me just how much English you really know and how much you are really learning in school. I love to sing all the songs from class while we run together. You are very smart. I love being your teacher!

Meet Zua!

Zua, you were really hesitant about school your first week.  Now, you come to class, put your stuff away, and get right to work.  I appreciate how well you listen and your desire to be a good student.  That really helps me out and the class learns from your good behavior.  Thank you!  You are still feeling everything out and getting comfortable with yourself and school.  It takes awhile after summer break to get back into the swing of things, but I can see the leader in you.  You are beautiful inside and out and I can't wait to watch you develop into the leader I see in you!  I also love to read stories with you and watch you act out what you think is happening. It makes me smile because you momentarily forget everything and everyone around you and your creative mind and endless energy pour out.  I love it! I love being your teacher!

 Meet Abraham!

Abraham, you are a lover! And I love that about you! Your smile brightens a room and your little hugs (that you give out freely and abundantly) make anything better.  Another thing I love about you is how curious you are.  You want to touch, push, pull, tug, and try everything. You love to climb, do puzzles, build things, play, and explore; and you are very good at all of these things!  You love your big brother and your little sister and I love that about you, too! Overall, I love watching you take on the world; it shows me that nothing will ever stop you or keep you from what you are pursuing.  What a great quality to posses!  I love being your teacher!

Meet Camila!

Camila, you are very funny. I laugh out loud several times a day because of things you say. One of my favorites is when you say "ay yi yi" while shaking your little head. I think you know you are funny, which makes me laugh even harder. When you are learning something new you close your eyes and whisper it to yourself. It is so cute to watch you literally store all that information away. You try so hard at everything you do. (Even when you get stuck in the bathroom because the door is so heavy, you never ask for help or complain). You are determined! And yet have the sweetest, joyous spirit about you. I wish I could see and live life exactly how you see and experience it. One of the other things I love about you is you love experiments! On our first class experiment, before I even set everything out, you sat straight up in your chair and said, "experimento?!?" We will do many more this year! I love being your teacher!

Taking time for the little things (or people) in life...

August 29, 2012

Dear Papa,

Yesterday just felt long. Not in a bad way, I just didn’t get as much done as I would have liked to. And the project haunting me is curriculum planning. It simply feels daunting Jesus. I started working on it yesterday at my apartment when a three-foot tall girl with a honey brown face and smile that would melt an igloo in an instant helped herself into my apartment. I could have sent her home but instead we shared an apple, played a few games, sang a few songs, danced a little, and I practiced my Spanish. I actually felt comfortable to get a few words and sentences out and my new little friend Zua corrected me or finished my sentence for me as necessary. So I was thankful for the interruption after all. As for the stack of curriculum that didn’t disappear during our playsurprise...

Faithfully yours Jesus,

Amy

Leaning into this verse: "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  The curriculum will get done. Today was important. :)

Eager Hearts

August 28, 2012

Dear Papa,

Overwhelmed is an understatement of grand proportion.  If I am going to teach these sweet kids then You are going to have to teach me how and QUICK! From arranging the room to making the curriculum schedule I am at a total loss. Thanks to Hope (a new friend on campus) for helping me the WHOLE day- setting up, giving me ideas and best of all being willing to come back and help some more. Jesus, I am overwhelmed. I could use some Holy wisdom, mercy, and help. As I was writing this entry I recalled a story that I forgot to write about yesterday…As I was slaving away in my kitchen cleaning (the ants are really bad here, so I plan to do all in my power to keep them out of my house) I heard this adorable little voice a stone throw from my door say “la maestra vive aqui” (the teacher lives here). It was the sweetest, cutest little voice! And it made me smile. Amidst my nervousness, it warmed my heart and made me stand a bit taller. Thank you for her Jesus.

Love,

your little one

P.S. They are so excited about their new “maestra”! May I seek You with that same eager heart.

Here are some photos of my classroom so far...

This little piggy went to the market...and barely made it out

August 27, 2012

I met with Steve in the morning to learn the basics of being on staff with B2B and go over the policy manual.  Afterwards I went with his wife Christy to HEB (the local grocery chain). That was overwhelming to say the least! Since I’ve arrived in Monterrey I have “lost”, actually no “ “, I HAVE LOST my Spanish!! For some reason I am so nervous I can’t understand a word anyone is saying and I’m far too nervous to attempt a response.  I have a shot with kids or teenagers, but they are the only people group so far that I have even been able to muster a word to. Normally I can understand what everyone is saying and am just limited by my vocabulary in my response, but this time it is the opposite.  Dear Jesus, in Your Mighty Name I beg for the complete ability to understand and speak Spanish.  Supernaturally and instantly if you see fit. Please.

Anyway, Christy was so patient with me enduring our 3 hour shopping trip because I could barely read what was what. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning my entire kitchen top to bottom. It is “just so” which is just how I like it. ;)  Tomorrow to set up my classroom…

Amy