the reason...

Teaching Update:

I figured you, as faithful supporters, may want to know how teaching is going since that is the ‘main’ reason why I am here.

Where do I begin? I think I could begin by complaining that we have no functioning printer or copier, I am missing curriculum, and have a class that continually beats each other up and are the meanest kids I have ever encountered.

BUT.

I would love to share with you some of the awesome things that we are learning.

In reading I am attempting to do literature circles with them (ghetto style, as we have no copier, so a lot of it is written by hand or they just don’t answer questions about the chapters). ALSO we only have one copy of each book, therefore the students aren’t getting the best possibly experience, but I’m introducing them to it. ENTONCES a lot of what I do is expose them to literature and books. I’ve been buying (thanks to many gracious donations) books for the kids that they have been EATING up (Seymour Simon, Captain Underpants, Magic Tree House, etc.) so that is encouraging. ALSO I think our library has just gotten set up, so hopefully soon I’m going to schedule a time to go to the library and have my students pick a book to do a book report on (when we are done with our lit circles)

Math is going well. I have students who have many, many gaps in their learning, therefore simple concepts like multiplication facts, are lacking. I get discouraged because I know my students are smart, but many of them lack motivation and the necessary skills to continue to grasp the new concepts as we go through the book. I’ve tried to tutor some of the kids (specifically 2) but they still just cannot grasp concepts. Multiplication and Division are my goals for the year…get those areas of mathematics mastered.

Language and Writing are the big struggle areas. I have no curriculum, therefore am making everything up as I go. I don’t know how to teach Language (please don’t be discouraged Dr. Quinn!). They don’t like to write, although I’m trying to think of creative ways to get them to write…

Basically, I’m struggling through my first year of teaching. Which I feel like is typical for any first year teacher. The lack of resources has made it challenging, but there are always ways around it. I’m trying to become a better teacher through it all, even if that means spending my entire Saturday morning at school…

God is faithful, and I trust that He will bless this year as long as I continue to pursue Him and His plan for these students this year…