It's the little things in life

As some of you may know, we had accepted some lower end second graders this year who had been struggling with reading (or not reading at all). I've been trying to spend as much extra time with them as possible, and pretty much started from scratch with them on their reading. 

It's been a little tricky, and at first I was getting discouraged because they just didn't seem to be getting it, but slowly by slowly they've been coming along. 

Anyway, today they all took a huge leap, and understood the concept of short vowels and long vowels, and were doing very well in reading groups today! As one of them confidently read a sentence containing short and long vowel words, I was literally holding back the tears. 

So much of teaching is the same old, same old, and since you are going along at the same pace as the kids it's hard to sometimes see the progress. It's just those little glimpses here and there that give enough encouragement and joy to keep chugging on!

Not a Football Fan Until Today

I've never really cared for American Football....too much tackling, and men wearing tight pants, and people getting hurt. Normally on Superbowl Sunday I could care less about going to a party, and for the last few years have stayed home, quilted, and watched Pride and Prejudice or something.  

Today however, I would want nothing more than to sit down and watch the Superbowl. There's something about knowing that almost every single American is doing the same thing at the same time, and not being able to do it too and be American with them makes me a bit homesick.

Oh well...I'll live. Maybe I'll get a game of rugby going or something. :)

The Joys and Humors of 2nd Graders

Today I got a sweet note from a student with whom I'd spent a couple of extra minutes this morning going over a "challenging" math concept. The note goes something like this:

"Dear Miss Garcia, I love you very much. You are a good teacher. You have teached me well...."

It made me chuckle...apparently now we need to start working on the past tense!

God's plans with my failures

vs.1: I'm lacking in patience
        I'm lacking in grace
        Starting to doubt why I'm here
        Am I in the wrong place?
        The joy that You'd given me, Lord
        Is falling away
        I feel like a failure
        At the end of the day

chorus:
         Maybe You're humbling me, Lord
         And bringing me low
         Maybe You're humbling me, Lord
         And making me grow
         Maybe I need this lesson
         Maybe You've got some big plans
         Maybe I should trust You
         And leave this all in Your hands

vs.2: Still feel like a failure
        But starting to see
        That maybe this process
        Is to refine me
        And maybe the hard things, Lord
        That You put me through
        Are only to make me
        Become more like You (chorus)

vs.3: So give me the patience
        And get rid of my pride
        Let me fight all my battles
        With You by my side
        Let me rejoice in the struggles
        Cause me to give You my best
        And though it's not easy
        Please let me pass this test (chorus)

Thursday

T - teachers teach

H - hoping for ribs or lasagna for lunch

U - unhappy that we have to write long letters today

R - racing bikes in games

S - Sunny every Thursday

D - dodge ball in P.E.

A - at Assembly we sing songs

Y - yogurt for breakfast

-Written by the grades 2 and 3 this morning 

An old blog post that I forgot to post

About five years ago I made a mission statement for my life that is located somewhere in a notebook, somewhere in my closet back in NY. I've never committed it to memory, but it has impacted my life to some degree. 

It's mostly based off the passage in Matthew 25: 31 - 46 about the sheep and the goats, and specifically based off the verse Matthew 25:40 which says, "And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." NKJV

Who are the "least of these" anyway? I think that there would be a group of people that we would generally label "the least of these". Maybe people who are really poor, or disabled. I guess I always had an idea in my mind what the "least of these" really meant....and to a certain extent, that idea is true....but there is another aspect that I never really thought about. I think that anyone who I am struggling to love for any reason could be the "least of these". In God's eyes each person is important and unique...so important that if someone did the smallest thing for them in God's name it would be as if it were done for God Himself! God doesn't see people as greater or lesser...aren't we the ones deciding that?

I don't know....just some random thoughts....but it got me thinking. The "least of these" doesn't always just mean the blind beggar lady who sat in the park in Tlaxiaco....it's anyone that I struggle to love and accept because I don't deem them important enough for my love. And if loving and serving the "least of these" is my life mission statement, then I need to start applying it to all areas of my life. 

A second grader perspective on life...

Today in spelling class (while we were supposed to be talking about the spelling words) one student's random question changed the whole course of class and led to a somewhat interesting discussion about my life. 

Student: Miss Garcia, how long are you going to be here?

Me: I'll be here the whole year.

Another student: She means, will you be taking a new class next year?

Me: No, I'm planning to go home next year. 

Still another student pipes in: And get married!!!!

(All students react, girls giggle, boys nervously laugh)

Student: Where will you get married?

Me: In New York, in America.

Several girl students: And you'll invite all of us to the wedding?!!!!

Other students: Awwww....why can't you get married here??? I love going to weddings!

Another student: No, don't leave Miss Garcia!!!!

Other students: Who are you marrying? 

They've somehow figured out that Chris' last name is Blue, and so other students pipe in: She's marrying Mr. Blue

Then the next question: Well, when will you come back? 

My answer: I don't know....maybe I will come back after a while. 

Student: And will you teach us then?

Me: I don't know....but we really need to get back to spelling now or we won't be able to go to tea!


Working with a younger age group has its challenges, I must say, but sometimes it's fun to just chat with them, and hear life from their perspective!