1. Get upset about your (very lenient) consequence and stand around feeling that life is unjust.
2. Be reminded by the teacher that your five minutes is five minutes of CLEANing time, and that standing around does not count.
3. Clean for 3 minutes.
4. Leave the room while your teacher is making copies and tell her that you’re done when you didn’t clean.
5. Be told in a stern voice to return to the classroom.
6. Get upset because your classmate who DID clean for five minutes is being allowed to leave, and you are being told you must stay for the eternity of two more minutes to clean.
7. Slam your bag on the floor, stomp to your desk, and cry bitterly there.
8. Be reminded by the teacher that as soon as you clean for two more minutes you can be free to leave.
9. Cry even harder, contemplating the cruel injustice of life.
10. Finally get up and sweep the floor for two minutes.
11. Be told by your teacher that you can leave, and pray with her.
12. Sit at a desk and cry again, holding your head that now aches from so much crying.
13. Make the teacher who has perhaps been punished as much as you wait as you recover from crying, and get a drink of water.
14. Leave the classroom, and say goodbye to your teacher who is glad it’s now the beginning of the weekend.
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Good Moments
“Hey kids, since yesterday was a holiday and we missed art, would you like to do that instead of music this afternoon?”
“YEEEEEAAAAHH!!!!!”
And thus we began our art session, which is probably one of my favorite times of the week. All the kids like art, and there’s no need for me to try to keep students in their seats and listening to me, or focusing on their work. There are always students who come over to my desk to work with me, or to ask me to cut or draw something for them. Today I gave them a free art time and supplied with paper, glue, colored pencils, crayons, and markers. I decided to sit at my desk and make a fan, sharing the markers with the girls working at my desk. Immediately, a teacher fan club sprung up.
“Teacher, what are you making?”
“Oh, that’s so pretty, Teacher!”
“I like what you’re drawing, Teacher.”
“Hey, come look at Teacher’s fan!”
Suddenly, three people are folding their paper into fans.
“Teacher, can I see your fan?”
“What does the next part of your fan look like teacher?”
“Teacher, what should I put next on my fan?”
And so I oohed and ahhed my way through art as fans and other various creations were made, not even minding the addition to the trash already littering the floor which never ceases to amaze me in its messiness at the end of the day.
----------------------------
“Teacher, will you be my reading partner?”
“I would love to be your reading partner.”
“Ok! I’ll answer the first question and then you answer the next one!
The most exciting moments for me are when the kids who are behind and have trouble focusing on their work get involved and excited about learning. It’s also the reason I find so much frustration in teaching because I want to work with each of my students one-on-one to ensure they get the attention they need. Seeing their excitement, and eyes lighting up with interest and new found knowledge seems to be rare, but it’s what carries a teacher through.
------------------------
“Teacher, what grade are you teaching next year?”
“Well, I won’t be here next year. I have to go back to school in the United States.”
“Ohh….. I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you too.”
“YEEEEEAAAAHH!!!!!”
And thus we began our art session, which is probably one of my favorite times of the week. All the kids like art, and there’s no need for me to try to keep students in their seats and listening to me, or focusing on their work. There are always students who come over to my desk to work with me, or to ask me to cut or draw something for them. Today I gave them a free art time and supplied with paper, glue, colored pencils, crayons, and markers. I decided to sit at my desk and make a fan, sharing the markers with the girls working at my desk. Immediately, a teacher fan club sprung up.
“Teacher, what are you making?”
“Oh, that’s so pretty, Teacher!”
“I like what you’re drawing, Teacher.”
“Hey, come look at Teacher’s fan!”
Suddenly, three people are folding their paper into fans.
“Teacher, can I see your fan?”
“What does the next part of your fan look like teacher?”
“Teacher, what should I put next on my fan?”
And so I oohed and ahhed my way through art as fans and other various creations were made, not even minding the addition to the trash already littering the floor which never ceases to amaze me in its messiness at the end of the day.
----------------------------
“Teacher, will you be my reading partner?”
“I would love to be your reading partner.”
“Ok! I’ll answer the first question and then you answer the next one!
The most exciting moments for me are when the kids who are behind and have trouble focusing on their work get involved and excited about learning. It’s also the reason I find so much frustration in teaching because I want to work with each of my students one-on-one to ensure they get the attention they need. Seeing their excitement, and eyes lighting up with interest and new found knowledge seems to be rare, but it’s what carries a teacher through.
------------------------
“Teacher, what grade are you teaching next year?”
“Well, I won’t be here next year. I have to go back to school in the United States.”
“Ohh….. I’m going to miss you.”
“I’m going to miss you too.”
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday night is for....fun
The following blog contains two rounds of Judge, participated in my Aynee, Jace, Mark, and myself. To those of you who didn’t grow up playing Judge (anyone in the world aside from me, Marlene, Johna and Jolene), it’s a game made up by the aforementioned people. It involves a Judge, two witnesses, and a defendant. Witness 1 speaks first, and tells what they saw the defendant doing. The defendant then has a chance to explain why they did what witness 1 accused them of. Witness 2 speaks next, and their story can closely align with witness 1’s story, or be different. It’s best if the witness finds a good way to make their story back up the first witness story with a new twist. Then the defendant explains again, and finds a way to draw the two witness’s stories together. The Judge speaks last, and gives their verdict. They can also question to clarify during the process. The best rounds involve imaginative people making up crazy stories.
Witness 1: Jace
Witness 2: Aynee
Defendant: Hannah
Judge: Mark
Jace: The first day we got here and were driving to the airport, Hannah was sitting behind me, and she reached up and jerked a hair out of my head. I thought it was slightly strange at the time, but didn’t say anything about it. However, ever since that day Hannah has jerked a hair out of my head every day. I’m now getting a bald spot on my head! I’ve brought this to court because this needs to stop.
Hannah: I confess, I have a…..fetish. I love curly blonde hair, and every time I see Jace, I just can’t stop myself! I HAVE to take one of them! I take it back to my room where I have a picture frame, and glue a piece inside every day to create a hair collage. …I only take one piece… And…it’s just so tempting… *reaches hands towards Jace’s head*
Mark: Witness 2, what is your reason for being here today?
Aynee. Well, as we all know, Jace is a vegetarian. And I saw Hannah last week sneaking meat into his food! *a gasp from Jace* I would like to know why she is doing this.
Hannah: Well, as we know, vegetarians need to take care to get enough proteins in their diet, and proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. They’re what give us nice hair. I had noticed that the quality of Jace’s hair was deteriorating as the weeks passes, and surmised that he was not taking steps to ensure he was getting enough protein in his diet. So I decided to sneak some meat into his food to improve his hair quality for my hair collage.
Mark: Hannah, I see that you’re very remorseful about this, and so I’m not going to be too strict. But you do have a problem, and so I’m going to send you to OCD counseling. Also, so that you won’t be tempted by Jace’s hair anymore, I’m going to have Jace shave his head. That way there will be NO more hair for you to take, and that will be the other part of your punishment.
Court adjourned.
Witness 1: Jace
Witness 2: Hannah
Defendant: Mark
Judge: Aynee
Jace: I own an ostrich farm, and was having problems with teaching one of my ostriches to run. He’s a slow learner. So I called the vet and asked him to come have a look at one of my ostriches. A little while later this man Mark showed up, and I assumed he was the vet. He drove up in his F150, took some of the boards out of my fence, and proceeded to herd the other 134 of my ostriches into the back of his truck, leaving the one who couldn’t run behind! Now, the back of an F150 is not very big, and he crammed all 134 in there, piling them up on top of one another! Then he drove away with my ostriches!
Mark: I was at home tapping the phone line (because I have no social life, and am very socially awkward) and overheard the call to the vet. I called the vet right back and told him not to worry – I had things under control. I drove out to Jace’s farm, loaded all the other ostriches into my truck, and what Jace neglected to mention, is that his ostrich did run. It was chasing us down the road. My method was effective.
Hannah: I own a mattress company, and these days people are really wanting to get back to their roots – everyone wants feather mattresses! However, I’ve had a hard time finding feathers. I contacted a man to see if he would look into where I could find more feathers. Chickens that weren’t going to make good meat, for example, and someone would like to sell. A few seconds later I received a call from this man Mark who told me he’d heard about my problem, and that he had a way to supply me with plenty of feathers, and that I could stuff more mattresses than I would know what to do with! A little while later he drove in with 134 ostriches piled high in the back of his pickup truck! I had no idea they were stolen, or I never would have accepted them. *turns to Jace* They’re all still fine. Well… almost all them. We did pluck one, but I assure you, he’s just fine! Maybe he can wear a sweater.
Jace: Oh, of course, I have plenty of ostrich sweaters.
Mark: I don’t see what the problem is here. I solved both people’s problems! I got Jace’s ostrich to run, and got Hannah the feathers she needed! I was going to return the ostriches after they were plucked. They would have been just fine. I did nothing wrong.
Aynee: Mark…. For one thing you were tapping a phone line which is illegal. And you also stole and don’t see that what you did was wrong. Because of that I feel you are dangerous to society and am sentencing you to life imprisonment.
Court adjourned
Witness 1: Jace
Witness 2: Aynee
Defendant: Hannah
Judge: Mark
Jace: The first day we got here and were driving to the airport, Hannah was sitting behind me, and she reached up and jerked a hair out of my head. I thought it was slightly strange at the time, but didn’t say anything about it. However, ever since that day Hannah has jerked a hair out of my head every day. I’m now getting a bald spot on my head! I’ve brought this to court because this needs to stop.
Hannah: I confess, I have a…..fetish. I love curly blonde hair, and every time I see Jace, I just can’t stop myself! I HAVE to take one of them! I take it back to my room where I have a picture frame, and glue a piece inside every day to create a hair collage. …I only take one piece… And…it’s just so tempting… *reaches hands towards Jace’s head*
Mark: Witness 2, what is your reason for being here today?
Aynee. Well, as we all know, Jace is a vegetarian. And I saw Hannah last week sneaking meat into his food! *a gasp from Jace* I would like to know why she is doing this.
Hannah: Well, as we know, vegetarians need to take care to get enough proteins in their diet, and proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. They’re what give us nice hair. I had noticed that the quality of Jace’s hair was deteriorating as the weeks passes, and surmised that he was not taking steps to ensure he was getting enough protein in his diet. So I decided to sneak some meat into his food to improve his hair quality for my hair collage.
Mark: Hannah, I see that you’re very remorseful about this, and so I’m not going to be too strict. But you do have a problem, and so I’m going to send you to OCD counseling. Also, so that you won’t be tempted by Jace’s hair anymore, I’m going to have Jace shave his head. That way there will be NO more hair for you to take, and that will be the other part of your punishment.
Court adjourned.
Witness 1: Jace
Witness 2: Hannah
Defendant: Mark
Judge: Aynee
Jace: I own an ostrich farm, and was having problems with teaching one of my ostriches to run. He’s a slow learner. So I called the vet and asked him to come have a look at one of my ostriches. A little while later this man Mark showed up, and I assumed he was the vet. He drove up in his F150, took some of the boards out of my fence, and proceeded to herd the other 134 of my ostriches into the back of his truck, leaving the one who couldn’t run behind! Now, the back of an F150 is not very big, and he crammed all 134 in there, piling them up on top of one another! Then he drove away with my ostriches!
Mark: I was at home tapping the phone line (because I have no social life, and am very socially awkward) and overheard the call to the vet. I called the vet right back and told him not to worry – I had things under control. I drove out to Jace’s farm, loaded all the other ostriches into my truck, and what Jace neglected to mention, is that his ostrich did run. It was chasing us down the road. My method was effective.
Hannah: I own a mattress company, and these days people are really wanting to get back to their roots – everyone wants feather mattresses! However, I’ve had a hard time finding feathers. I contacted a man to see if he would look into where I could find more feathers. Chickens that weren’t going to make good meat, for example, and someone would like to sell. A few seconds later I received a call from this man Mark who told me he’d heard about my problem, and that he had a way to supply me with plenty of feathers, and that I could stuff more mattresses than I would know what to do with! A little while later he drove in with 134 ostriches piled high in the back of his pickup truck! I had no idea they were stolen, or I never would have accepted them. *turns to Jace* They’re all still fine. Well… almost all them. We did pluck one, but I assure you, he’s just fine! Maybe he can wear a sweater.
Jace: Oh, of course, I have plenty of ostrich sweaters.
Mark: I don’t see what the problem is here. I solved both people’s problems! I got Jace’s ostrich to run, and got Hannah the feathers she needed! I was going to return the ostriches after they were plucked. They would have been just fine. I did nothing wrong.
Aynee: Mark…. For one thing you were tapping a phone line which is illegal. And you also stole and don’t see that what you did was wrong. Because of that I feel you are dangerous to society and am sentencing you to life imprisonment.
Court adjourned
The facts (or in other words, a less interestingly worded update)
Today the other SM guys and I finally made it over to Truk Stop to begin our diving certification training. All we did was get our textbooks and plan the next time to meet, but I am very excited about finally getting started with this, and having something to start working on. I’m looking forward to enjoying what some people travel halfway around the world and spend lots of money on to experience.
Parent Teacher Conferences took place on Friday, and while it was good to meet with the parents, I’m glad they’re over with. Over 75% of my parents came, which was pretty good, much better than the 0% that some (Jace) got. For the most part they’re fairly understanding of the fact that I’m doing what I can with the diverse class I’m working with.
This weekend is a long weekend thanks to another holiday, and I have plans to re-arrange my class and sit all of my students in groups to work together on everything. I have high hopes for this really helping in class, and am looking forward to see how it works. I’m hoping it will give me more of an opportunity to work with my struggling students who are behind because I haven’t been able to help them nearly as much as I’d like. I’m also going to begin doing some after school tutoring in reading with some of them, and am hoping that it will help a lot.
Parent Teacher Conferences took place on Friday, and while it was good to meet with the parents, I’m glad they’re over with. Over 75% of my parents came, which was pretty good, much better than the 0% that some (Jace) got. For the most part they’re fairly understanding of the fact that I’m doing what I can with the diverse class I’m working with.
This weekend is a long weekend thanks to another holiday, and I have plans to re-arrange my class and sit all of my students in groups to work together on everything. I have high hopes for this really helping in class, and am looking forward to see how it works. I’m hoping it will give me more of an opportunity to work with my struggling students who are behind because I haven’t been able to help them nearly as much as I’d like. I’m also going to begin doing some after school tutoring in reading with some of them, and am hoping that it will help a lot.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
How to take (almost) forever to make breakfast
1. Look at the box of wonderful looking pancake and waffle mix your sister sent you, and get inspired about the idea of making waffles instead of pancakes so you don't need to wait to use the butane burner.
2. Walk over to the apartment currently under renovation with one of the other girls to find the waffle maker for you.
3. Clean the waffle maker still dirty from its last use months ago, and remove the bug couple who had decided to take up residence there.
4. Mix up the waffle batter, and lightly grease the waffle maker. Plug in waffle maker.
5. Pour in the waffle mix.
6. Scrape the waffle piece by piece out of the waffle maker.
7. Decide the waffle maker needs heavy greasing, and re-grease it. Pour in waffle mix.
8. Scrape waffle out of maker piece by piece, and decide to give up on making more waffles. Look sadly at the oil the maker has dripped on the table that you will have to clean up.
9. Eat your scrambled waffles with peanut butter and syrup.
10. Feel like you want just a little more, and decide to use the frying pan and butane burner to make a pancake since someone else just finished making pancakes in it, and it's free for use, and already hot.
11. Pour in your pancake mix.
12. Wonder why your pancake looks so sad, flat, and not cooked.
13. Realize that five seconds after you put your pancake in the frying pan, the burner ran out of butane.
14. Replace the butane, and watch your pancake finally begin to cook.
15. Enjoy your pancake, and plan to never use the waffle maker again. Look forward even more to when you'll be able to cook in a real kitchen.
2. Walk over to the apartment currently under renovation with one of the other girls to find the waffle maker for you.
3. Clean the waffle maker still dirty from its last use months ago, and remove the bug couple who had decided to take up residence there.
4. Mix up the waffle batter, and lightly grease the waffle maker. Plug in waffle maker.
5. Pour in the waffle mix.
6. Scrape the waffle piece by piece out of the waffle maker.
7. Decide the waffle maker needs heavy greasing, and re-grease it. Pour in waffle mix.
8. Scrape waffle out of maker piece by piece, and decide to give up on making more waffles. Look sadly at the oil the maker has dripped on the table that you will have to clean up.
9. Eat your scrambled waffles with peanut butter and syrup.
10. Feel like you want just a little more, and decide to use the frying pan and butane burner to make a pancake since someone else just finished making pancakes in it, and it's free for use, and already hot.
11. Pour in your pancake mix.
12. Wonder why your pancake looks so sad, flat, and not cooked.
13. Realize that five seconds after you put your pancake in the frying pan, the burner ran out of butane.
14. Replace the butane, and watch your pancake finally begin to cook.
15. Enjoy your pancake, and plan to never use the waffle maker again. Look forward even more to when you'll be able to cook in a real kitchen.
Friday, October 15, 2010
1/4, a quarter, 25%
"Teeeeacher, I need HELP!"
And so went the insistent cries of my most vocal third graders as we went through the final exams for the first quarter of the school year. I've told students to return to their seats a thousand times, confiscated an entire squadron of paper airplanes, sent a student out of the room during the exam for repeatedly answering questions out loud, and wondered for the hundredth time how a student can have a pencil during the first half of an exam, and have no idea where it went the next time I stop by their desk to help them. I've found one of my hardest struggles is watching students write down the wrong answer to a question when I read it to them, and knowing I can't say the answer because it is a test.
----
A new exercise group has sprung up on campus as some of the other girls and I have decided we have to find a way to incorporate more exercise into our days as we rarely leave campus. So many evenings find a small group of girls, (occasionally joined by Jace) walking around the ever shrinking campus. Again, again, and again. Then it's over to the highschool building for a few minutes of stair-stepping as we run, gasp and wheeze our way up and down the outside steps. We cool down by (guess what!) walking around campus a few more times. We've also had our aerobics class in the one air-conditioned class room on campus, and if you want to watch five Filipino and white girls try to dance to hip-hop moves, you can come to Chuuk. The amusement might be worth the plane ticket, but probably not. Even though this new "exercise program" only began a few days ago I've come to enjoy it as not only a time to get some exercise, but a time to talk and grow closer to the people I'm working here with.
----
And thus ends this bit of news celebrating the conclusion of one fourth of my time teaching here, which is both believable and unbelievable, happy and sad, and a whole other range of emotions which I'm not sure how to put in words. I guess that's part of what being a student missionary is all about.
And so went the insistent cries of my most vocal third graders as we went through the final exams for the first quarter of the school year. I've told students to return to their seats a thousand times, confiscated an entire squadron of paper airplanes, sent a student out of the room during the exam for repeatedly answering questions out loud, and wondered for the hundredth time how a student can have a pencil during the first half of an exam, and have no idea where it went the next time I stop by their desk to help them. I've found one of my hardest struggles is watching students write down the wrong answer to a question when I read it to them, and knowing I can't say the answer because it is a test.
----
A new exercise group has sprung up on campus as some of the other girls and I have decided we have to find a way to incorporate more exercise into our days as we rarely leave campus. So many evenings find a small group of girls, (occasionally joined by Jace) walking around the ever shrinking campus. Again, again, and again. Then it's over to the highschool building for a few minutes of stair-stepping as we run, gasp and wheeze our way up and down the outside steps. We cool down by (guess what!) walking around campus a few more times. We've also had our aerobics class in the one air-conditioned class room on campus, and if you want to watch five Filipino and white girls try to dance to hip-hop moves, you can come to Chuuk. The amusement might be worth the plane ticket, but probably not. Even though this new "exercise program" only began a few days ago I've come to enjoy it as not only a time to get some exercise, but a time to talk and grow closer to the people I'm working here with.
----
And thus ends this bit of news celebrating the conclusion of one fourth of my time teaching here, which is both believable and unbelievable, happy and sad, and a whole other range of emotions which I'm not sure how to put in words. I guess that's part of what being a student missionary is all about.
Monday, October 4, 2010
It's now only a couple of weeks until the first quarter of school will be finished, and in some ways it seems amazing, and in other ways the end of school seems a very, very long away. I'm enjoying being here, but it's still true that I've never missed so many things at once before, or been homesick so often in my life. I count down the days until Christmas break when mom, dad, and Justin will be here because counting down the days until the end of school seems overwhelming.
Lest I seem too pessimistic, I am frequently reminded of what a wonderful group I am working with here. I've been surrounded by so much friendliness and thoughtfulness, and we've had many fun times together. Last Saturday night we celebrated the principal's wife's birthday at one of the hotels in town by eating pizza out on the dock. It was a great evening, and Jace (one of the other SMs) and I talked with the dive instructor there about getting dive certified. We're hoping to start on that next week. We're really excited about getting our and doing something in the beautiful water here! I'm learning that if you want to do something here you have to take it into your own hands as much as possible and not wait for the group to plan something.
A highlight of my time here is that last week the SM guys and I went out with the American couple who are in charge of construction here and a group of medical missionaries to a little island to snorkel there. It was a gorgeous day, and on the way out we saw dolphins! The men stopped the boat and we got out and snorkeled with them! It was definitely one of the most amazing moments of my life, and one I wouldn't mind having again! It was a wonderfully refreshing day, and renewed my desire to experience more of the beauty this place has to offer. Sometimes I forget I'm in a place where tourists come when I spend most of my time on campus!
I miss and love you all (well, I guess since I don't know who all is reading this I shouldn't be too general with that statement), and thank you so much to those of you who've sent me boxes! It's opening a little taste of home. Sometimes quite literally. ;)
Lest I seem too pessimistic, I am frequently reminded of what a wonderful group I am working with here. I've been surrounded by so much friendliness and thoughtfulness, and we've had many fun times together. Last Saturday night we celebrated the principal's wife's birthday at one of the hotels in town by eating pizza out on the dock. It was a great evening, and Jace (one of the other SMs) and I talked with the dive instructor there about getting dive certified. We're hoping to start on that next week. We're really excited about getting our and doing something in the beautiful water here! I'm learning that if you want to do something here you have to take it into your own hands as much as possible and not wait for the group to plan something.
A highlight of my time here is that last week the SM guys and I went out with the American couple who are in charge of construction here and a group of medical missionaries to a little island to snorkel there. It was a gorgeous day, and on the way out we saw dolphins! The men stopped the boat and we got out and snorkeled with them! It was definitely one of the most amazing moments of my life, and one I wouldn't mind having again! It was a wonderfully refreshing day, and renewed my desire to experience more of the beauty this place has to offer. Sometimes I forget I'm in a place where tourists come when I spend most of my time on campus!
I miss and love you all (well, I guess since I don't know who all is reading this I shouldn't be too general with that statement), and thank you so much to those of you who've sent me boxes! It's opening a little taste of home. Sometimes quite literally. ;)
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