End of Summer School

Done! Finito! Complete! The summer school program at school has come to a close! Today was the last day! We had so much fun finishing our books and coloring different dinosaurs. The kids have learned so much this summer!  

Our school had an assembly to show off everything they had learned. Let me just say it was chaos! LOL. But that seems to be the norm in Asia. In the States when we hear assembly, we think a small school thing where parents are invited but there isn't much preparation for it. However in Asia, they don't really know the word assembly. Here it's a program/performance. So the English teachers did short songs to show the parents what we were doing in class (assembly). The other teachers did performances. These performances would have been spectacular had there been more than 1 week to prepare. I guess it's just cultural differences. Hopefully next time we will have more time to prepare and it with be worthy of being called a program. (Trial and error; the joys of starting a new school)

So the kids have off for the next two week! But teachers still have to work. So I will be at school (8am-4pm) everyday getting ready for the upcoming year! I have to set up our library (Thanks again to everyone who donated books!) and getting our curriculum together for the English program! Lots to do. Oh and teacher orientation begins on the 11th! Yay! I am hoping for a couple of mornings off to go see some of the sights here! 

I haven't had the opportunity to travel much but I am enjoying getting to know my way around! I walk to and from school every day (the school is literally 1km from my apartment). Sometime I can get a taxi but they usually don't like taking such short trip, but I tip them really well if they do :). Good thing it's not too hot in the mornings or evenings so I don't mind walking. 

The only downside to walking, everyone stares! Also the guys at the "restaurants" I pass usually always have something to say. Sometimes it just makes me uncomfortable. Hopefully this will stop soon, as for now I will continue to listen to music on my walks home. 

til next time!

First week

Wow. I can't believe I have been here for exactly a week! This is crazy! I am having to adjust to everything all over again. A lot of things remind me of China but other things are so new! 

I went grocery shopping on Saturday to get some basic necessities for the apartment. That is an experience in itself. I will have to post again later to just derail the shopping here! 

I went to church on Sunday and loved every minute of it! I really think I am going to like it there (cue song from "Annie" I think I'm gonna like it here). The worship was amazing and the message was great! Then after church we went to the restaurant downstairs and had my first local cuisine. It was delicious!  

Then on Monday, I started teaching! Only 3 days here and I was teaching! Crazy! But I enjoyed it! The kids were great for me and I just really think I am going to love it here! I am constantly lifting these kids up in prayer, they are just so adorable and sweet! I would love to see every one of them come to the Lord!  

My day is actually pretty laid back because this is summer school. I teach for 3 hours straight in the morning (advanced English, beginners English, and then intermediate English). Then the afternoon is spent planning my lessons for the next day/week. I am teaching them dinosaurs right now. There are tons of crafts to do, but I don't have the luxury of going to Walmart or something to get the supplies so we are doing a lot of coloring and cut & pasting! But the kids enjoy it!  

So far I think I am doing pretty well. All I really have to compare it to is China and there I cried almost daily for the first month! I am happy to report that I haven't cried since the first night. I have to give all the glory to God. It is by his strength that I am able to do this and succeed. I am also surrounded by some awesome people here, have a great support team, and all of your prayers! I am praying for you daily! Thank you for your love and prayers (I feel them!)   

First Day Teaching...

I know everyone has been wondering how my first day of teaching went. Well here it goes....

Thursday July 10th was my first day at SmartKids Kindergarten (yes that is the name lol). I was super nervous that morning. I was afraid anything and everything would go wrong and I did not really know what to expect. I felt like I was going in blind, which I was, but Jesus was with me. 

So at 8:30 in the morning I left my apartment to catch the yellow bus my school uses to pick up students. I am so thankful that they let me on! My recruiter said that my school is not very good at communication so I did not know if they knew I was allowed to ride. But they let me on so that was a good start, and an answer to prayer! The bus picked up 4 kids at 4 different stops, then we were off to the school, which is literally maybe 5 minutes from my apartment!

I arrived at the school and I didn't know where to go. I went and looked for the boss. It always feels weird observing a new classroom because you don't know where to stand or what to do and all the kids are staring at you. The boss took me to the classroom that I am going to be working in for the next year. The teacher of the class right now is Korean but her English is very good. So I watched her do a lesson, it was very simple but the children seemed to enjoy it. After the lesson the students played. Then after play time they have a Chinese lesson. After their Chinese lesson they go and play in the playground area (kind of like a recess). By this point in the day I am asking myself, "What have I gotten myself into? I can't do this for a year." I honestly was wondering why I came to China. I would much rather have my own classroom in the States, one that is more structured and I know what they are doing and there isn't so much playtime. Also I would know where to get the materials I would need to teach the class.  

After the students played on the playground they came back into the room to watch some English videos. The videos are cartoon episodes about a bus named Tayo. I think the cartoon is from Canada based on how they say some of the words, like Sorry :). After watching 2 episodes (about 30 minutes) it was time for lunch. I ate lunch at the school. Yes I tried everything that was on my plate, except for the carrots. Things were touching but I still ate most of it. Since being here in China, my appetite has not been the same as back home. I have been eating small portions and not even finishing them. 

After lunch, the teacher asked me to try teaching. I was like WHHAATTT?!?!?! but I did it. I didn't have a lesson plan, all I had was the book that they are using for curriculum. So basically, I taught by the seat of my pants and surprisingly it went well. The students were responsive and seemed to really enjoy the review lesson. I basically structured it off the way she did the lesson earlier in the day. Once I was finished it was play time again. (I am not a big fan of all the playtime these kids have. I think there is something much more structured and educational for these students to be doing.) While I was playing with the children I was thinking about other things we could be doing instead of playtime such as story time or music time. Maybe this is something I could implement in the future. 

After the last playtime of the day, it is time for fruit. Today it was cantaloupe, I ate it and I am still not a fan of it but I ate all that they gave me. Then it was time for writing. During writing time the students wrote the words on the board in their journals 3-5 times depending on how many stars they wanted to receive (5 stars is a sticker, it's a big deal to get stickers!). These kids actually have good handwriting, well most of them anyways. Once they finished they were allowed to go with the other teacher and play in the playground area. At around 3 students came back and it was time to get ready to go home. This includes getting all of their stuff (toothbrush, water bottle, shoes, etc.). After that they have another snack (these kids do not go home hungry! LOL). At around 3:15 they watched some more episodes of Tayo. I think they only good thing about the videos is that it is in English and when I pause the video the students repeat after me.

At 3:50 it is time to go home. I had finished my first day! YAY!!!! Now it was time to figure out how to get home. They said I would be able to ride the yellow bus home, I was just hoping that was still allowed. I was! I take the 3rd bus that leaves the school. I get to sit by other kids from the school on the bus ride home. They are really funny. They are asking all kinds of questions and being silly. 

So all in all it was a good day. However, I don't think I could stay at this school for more than a year, but who knows that could change over a year.

My second day teaching was good too. I was nervous at first because it is still unfamiliar. But I taught one lesson and played with the kids the rest of the day. The kids are starting to warm up to me and they played and talked to me more today. Maybe by next Friday I will be familiar with the students and the school!

I think I am starting to like China more and more as the days continue. I am just hoping it continues to get better. :).