I have often heard the saying "many hands make light work" in reference to housework. I've used it myself when helping my dad build a swing set/play area in our backyard. The most recent use of it was in response to my thanks to a friend for their help with my family's move from one house in Colorado Springs to another just across town. And it is so very true: heavy cleaning around the house becomes lighthearted fun with several people chipping in; the stacks of 2x4s that I could not have ever lifted on my own became fairly light burdens when Dad held one end; and the speed of packing, loading cars, and unpacking at the new house is at least doubled with every extra set of willing hands. What a blessing!
Similarly, I was able to witness firsthand another setting in which this phrase is applicable while volunteering my services in St. George. Although there really aren't that many students at WCS, the teachers there always have their hands full. (For example, even on Thursdays, when a volunteer takes the kids for P.E., Aunt Tara's "free time" is full of trying to catch up on grading and making sure all her lessons are prepared.)
Even with my help, such as it was, everyone kept quite busy. Nevertheless, Aunt Tara, Sarina, and Mrs. Wright all noted that by simply having one extra person around (me!), they were able to do their work better, and that without much stress (if any).
And so I'll say again, many hands do make light work. Or more accurately for those three weeks, an added set of hands make lighter work. :)
12/20/13
11/25/13
Serving My Supervisor
I ought to confess right off that "supervisor" is just my fancy title for my Aunt Tara. She is one of the teachers at WCS, and as such, really needs a down day (or hour, even!) every now and then. My visit gave her two reasons to have a few down days: 1. my help in and outside of her classroom sped up the work and she was able to leave earlier than usual from the school more often than not, and 3. she REALLY wanted to show off her pretty town to me. ;)
One Saturday Aunt Tara and Sarina (who also could use more down days than she normally gets), Brittany and Gary (two of the head pastor's kids; Gary is a student at WCS, and Brittany is near my age), and Andrew (another WCS student), and I went hiking.
[Off we go!]
[Snow Canyon Overlook ahead! (Brittany)]
[Aunt Tara at the overlook (Brittany)]
[Aunt Tara and me! (Brittany)]
[...and from my angle!]
[What a view of God's unique deserty creation in the southern end of Utah:]
[Brittany]
[Don't look down!]
One Saturday Aunt Tara and Sarina (who also could use more down days than she normally gets), Brittany and Gary (two of the head pastor's kids; Gary is a student at WCS, and Brittany is near my age), and Andrew (another WCS student), and I went hiking.
[Off we go!]
[Snow Canyon Overlook ahead! (Brittany)]
[Aunt Tara at the overlook (Brittany)]
[Aunt Tara and me! (Brittany)]
[...and from my angle!]
[What a view of God's unique deserty creation in the southern end of Utah:]
[Brittany]
[Don't look down!]
11/21/13
Operation Iraqi Christmas: A project within my project
While helping Aunt Tara and Sarina clean out their garage one Saturday morning, I received a call from my sister, Chaela.
Let me interrupt myself for a moment here and quickly mention that our dad is on a year-long deployment to Baghdad right now. Okay, interruption over!
She told me that she and Mom had been talking about doing what they titled "Operation: Iraqi Christmas," which is a little thing Chaela and I did for Dad last time he was deployed over Christmastime. What we did was send Dad a "winterization kit" that contained a dozen or so paper snowflakes, string, and tape, with instructions to hang the snowflakes from his tent's ceiling. After hearing about the struggles many of those working with Dad are facing, they thought it would be a nice little encouragement to send them a bit of white for their Christmas.
Chaela's additional idea was to have the WCS students contribute some snowflakes to send over. Aunt Tara loved the idea, and let me take a few minutes here and there between classes to explain the project to the kids and help them make snowflakes. They all had so much fun, and especially liked the idea that they could send something to someone so far away to cheer them up! I showed the younger kids a picture of my dad to help them realize that their little works of art were being sent to real people.
[Syrie, Santiago, Chris, and Koven wanted me to take a picture of their work.]
[I personally LOVE doing artsy-crafty type things, so I just HAD to add some snowflakes, too!]
In the end, I left Utah with 55 snowflakes in all. It was such a blessing to me to see everyone chip in with such enthusiasm!
Let me interrupt myself for a moment here and quickly mention that our dad is on a year-long deployment to Baghdad right now. Okay, interruption over!
She told me that she and Mom had been talking about doing what they titled "Operation: Iraqi Christmas," which is a little thing Chaela and I did for Dad last time he was deployed over Christmastime. What we did was send Dad a "winterization kit" that contained a dozen or so paper snowflakes, string, and tape, with instructions to hang the snowflakes from his tent's ceiling. After hearing about the struggles many of those working with Dad are facing, they thought it would be a nice little encouragement to send them a bit of white for their Christmas.
Chaela's additional idea was to have the WCS students contribute some snowflakes to send over. Aunt Tara loved the idea, and let me take a few minutes here and there between classes to explain the project to the kids and help them make snowflakes. They all had so much fun, and especially liked the idea that they could send something to someone so far away to cheer them up! I showed the younger kids a picture of my dad to help them realize that their little works of art were being sent to real people.
[Syrie, Santiago, Chris, and Koven wanted me to take a picture of their work.]
[I personally LOVE doing artsy-crafty type things, so I just HAD to add some snowflakes, too!]
In the end, I left Utah with 55 snowflakes in all. It was such a blessing to me to see everyone chip in with such enthusiasm!
Little Things
The first week of my project - the first few days especially - I noticed that the students I worked with all had that funny, antic-filled attitude whenever I was near. I recognized it from so many first-time babysitting jobs. The little bobbing head of messy hair and exuberant face begging me to run after them to see their bedroom, playroom, latest masterpiece, favorite toy. That was the sort of excitement I saw in these kids' faces.
Later, when I looked in the mirror as I brushed out tangles in my own hair before dinner, I saw that expression there, too. I could not wait to get back to the school building the next morning, see what new things awaited me - whether challenging or simple - and discover new things about the students and myself.
Then IT happens. By the second or third time babysitting, by the fourth or fifth day at school; when my presence is no longer a novelty, routine sets in. I see this more strongly in hindsight, how my aunt's students were easier to calm down after goofing off, how they weren't as distracted by my every activity during their lessons, and how I actually had to try to hold their attention when I was in charge of a class.
So it went for me, as well. No, the students never ceased to intrigue me. Rather, I noticed as I reached the middle of my second week that I felt more worn out than excited, and more like I was facing another day of School: 8-3:30 (teach, grade work, and monitor recess as needed), Tutor/Babysit: 3:45-4:30, Grade Papers: 4:00-5:00, Go Home and Make Dinner: 5:15ish... more that than wonderment at all that was taking place. Fortunately for me, my tasks were rarely dull and I had many opportunities to do new things, which certainly kept me on my toes! (I suppose that's part of why I felt so worn out.)
The little things were no longer fascinating in and of themselves.
This is one reason I am so thankful for the reflection points, whether I have been carrying them out the way I'm supposed to or not. After the school day was over, it was far too easy to go home and have dinner, do the dishes and play a game or complete extra grading or work out the details for tomorrow's lessons or watch a movie. It was far too simple to let my brain shut down and not consider the day and absorb what lessons I had learned.
The reflection points encouraged me to look into the day as it had passed and both laugh over the silly little things the kids had said or done, and contemplate what little and big things I had learned while teaching them.
I found that so many of those little things were huge.
Later, when I looked in the mirror as I brushed out tangles in my own hair before dinner, I saw that expression there, too. I could not wait to get back to the school building the next morning, see what new things awaited me - whether challenging or simple - and discover new things about the students and myself.
Then IT happens. By the second or third time babysitting, by the fourth or fifth day at school; when my presence is no longer a novelty, routine sets in. I see this more strongly in hindsight, how my aunt's students were easier to calm down after goofing off, how they weren't as distracted by my every activity during their lessons, and how I actually had to try to hold their attention when I was in charge of a class.
So it went for me, as well. No, the students never ceased to intrigue me. Rather, I noticed as I reached the middle of my second week that I felt more worn out than excited, and more like I was facing another day of School: 8-3:30 (teach, grade work, and monitor recess as needed), Tutor/Babysit: 3:45-4:30, Grade Papers: 4:00-5:00, Go Home and Make Dinner: 5:15ish... more that than wonderment at all that was taking place. Fortunately for me, my tasks were rarely dull and I had many opportunities to do new things, which certainly kept me on my toes! (I suppose that's part of why I felt so worn out.)
The little things were no longer fascinating in and of themselves.
This is one reason I am so thankful for the reflection points, whether I have been carrying them out the way I'm supposed to or not. After the school day was over, it was far too easy to go home and have dinner, do the dishes and play a game or complete extra grading or work out the details for tomorrow's lessons or watch a movie. It was far too simple to let my brain shut down and not consider the day and absorb what lessons I had learned.
The reflection points encouraged me to look into the day as it had passed and both laugh over the silly little things the kids had said or done, and contemplate what little and big things I had learned while teaching them.
I found that so many of those little things were huge.
11/17/13
Reflections #4
4. What (I) specific skills and (II) new knowledge did you apply/acquire through this experience?
(I) I admit that I came into this project with a slightly overconfident attitude where my abilities are concerned. That is to say, I figured this wouldn't be too challenging since I have worked and taught with my aunt before, am familiar with the main curriculum WCS uses, and I tend to mesh well with whatever kids I happen to be around. Well, I have definitely learned a lot about how a multi-grade classroom is run.
(II) One skill I believe I have acquired here is the ability to keep track of what's going on in the classroom with, say, the third grade boys while teaching a second grade class. I would call this a form of multitasking, but it is certainly a form I have never before dealt with as I have in my aunt's classroom.
One piece of relatively new knowledge I have applied is how to improvise in a classroom setting. This is something I learned mainly while teaching an art class in Papua New Guinea last summer: I had prepared a few well-rounded classes for the younger children, but realized at the last minute that none of them were really interested in what I had planned to teach them, so I quickly thought through what their teacher had mentioned would more likely interest them and proceeded through a rather successful class (if I do say so myself). Now - here in Utah - I have been able to put that knowledge to practice while teaching first grade classes. One prime example is from my first day teaching handwriting to the little girls. I hadn't considered before that I really didn't know what the handwriting they're learning is supposed to look like, and therefore did not know how I could teach them that handwriting properly. What was my improvisation? I had the girls teach me what each letter ought to look like! This turned out quite well, as they not only practiced the letters on their own, but they also had to think carefully through what those letters should look like.
(I) I admit that I came into this project with a slightly overconfident attitude where my abilities are concerned. That is to say, I figured this wouldn't be too challenging since I have worked and taught with my aunt before, am familiar with the main curriculum WCS uses, and I tend to mesh well with whatever kids I happen to be around. Well, I have definitely learned a lot about how a multi-grade classroom is run.
(II) One skill I believe I have acquired here is the ability to keep track of what's going on in the classroom with, say, the third grade boys while teaching a second grade class. I would call this a form of multitasking, but it is certainly a form I have never before dealt with as I have in my aunt's classroom.
One piece of relatively new knowledge I have applied is how to improvise in a classroom setting. This is something I learned mainly while teaching an art class in Papua New Guinea last summer: I had prepared a few well-rounded classes for the younger children, but realized at the last minute that none of them were really interested in what I had planned to teach them, so I quickly thought through what their teacher had mentioned would more likely interest them and proceeded through a rather successful class (if I do say so myself). Now - here in Utah - I have been able to put that knowledge to practice while teaching first grade classes. One prime example is from my first day teaching handwriting to the little girls. I hadn't considered before that I really didn't know what the handwriting they're learning is supposed to look like, and therefore did not know how I could teach them that handwriting properly. What was my improvisation? I had the girls teach me what each letter ought to look like! This turned out quite well, as they not only practiced the letters on their own, but they also had to think carefully through what those letters should look like.
11/13/13
Reflections #3
3. Did you gain more or less sympathy/understanding for the problem you addressed or people you served? Give a meaningful example(s).
I have absolutely gained both sympathy and understanding for my aunt and the other teachers both here and elsewhere who teach multi-grade classes in little, understaffed Christian schools. Not that there are that many of them, but still, I believe I do understand now a bit better the energy, creativity, awareness, and patience that goes into this form of teaching.
Picture a room, colorfully and cleanly decorated with an alphabet border and all sorts of fun odds and ends, heavily filled book shelves marking the room into sections (reading corner, word games center, craft station) that border ten desks in two rows. A white board fills the wall facing a long window that lets in the uninterrupted Southern Utah sun. In front of the white board is a yellow felt-covered bench for the two little first grade girls and a music stand overflowing with notes and assignments and teachers' manuals. In the far corner of the room looms the teacher's desk that folds around her and serves as a secondary desk to the second and third grade kids while the fifth and sixth grade kids do English or the eighth graders do pre-algebra. Now imagine the teacher - tall with curling brown hair and gentle or piercing blue eyes - chiding one boy for tipping his chair as she points out a mathematical mishap to a thin girl with purple glasses, just before handing two squirming second grade boys their handwriting assignment.
If you can picture that, add to your vision a young college student crouching over the only empty corner of the big desk, grading away at five different grades' home- and desk work, balancing a first grade history book on her lap (she forgot once again to prepare for the little girls' lesson in advance) and giggling at one of the older boy's antics in the back row of desks.
The teacher is my phenomenal aunt. The partially distracted girl is yours truly. This is her everyday scenario. This is my short-term visit.
I have absolutely gained both sympathy and understanding for my aunt and the other teachers both here and elsewhere who teach multi-grade classes in little, understaffed Christian schools. Not that there are that many of them, but still, I believe I do understand now a bit better the energy, creativity, awareness, and patience that goes into this form of teaching.
Picture a room, colorfully and cleanly decorated with an alphabet border and all sorts of fun odds and ends, heavily filled book shelves marking the room into sections (reading corner, word games center, craft station) that border ten desks in two rows. A white board fills the wall facing a long window that lets in the uninterrupted Southern Utah sun. In front of the white board is a yellow felt-covered bench for the two little first grade girls and a music stand overflowing with notes and assignments and teachers' manuals. In the far corner of the room looms the teacher's desk that folds around her and serves as a secondary desk to the second and third grade kids while the fifth and sixth grade kids do English or the eighth graders do pre-algebra. Now imagine the teacher - tall with curling brown hair and gentle or piercing blue eyes - chiding one boy for tipping his chair as she points out a mathematical mishap to a thin girl with purple glasses, just before handing two squirming second grade boys their handwriting assignment.
If you can picture that, add to your vision a young college student crouching over the only empty corner of the big desk, grading away at five different grades' home- and desk work, balancing a first grade history book on her lap (she forgot once again to prepare for the little girls' lesson in advance) and giggling at one of the older boy's antics in the back row of desks.
The teacher is my phenomenal aunt. The partially distracted girl is yours truly. This is her everyday scenario. This is my short-term visit.
Reflections #2
2. What have you learned about yourself (your personal or cultural values)?
As far as my personal values go, I believe I am beginning to see some areas that my values may be somewhat out of proper balance. For example, I witnessed one teacher at WCS stop in the middle of a pre-algebra lesson after a number of the students expressed irritation and dissatisfaction with the way things were going in the class. This teacher stopped the lesson not only to reprimand the students' behavior, but also to remind them of the privilege they have in being able to attend a Christian school. Since that incident every one of those students has displayed more gratitude toward their parents and teachers. All that to say, I tend to value efficiency in almost all things (thanks in part to my military family background, I think). I normally would chafe at the thought of stopping a lesson - albeit for just a few minutes - to lecture some teens about their attitudes; now I hope I would react in the same way as this teacher did.
I have also learned that I am not quite so capable with managing children as I believed. Yes, I do think I've got it when it comes to playing or doing other things that a babysitter would, but I now know that I have much to learn about keeping peace and order in a classroom.
As far as my personal values go, I believe I am beginning to see some areas that my values may be somewhat out of proper balance. For example, I witnessed one teacher at WCS stop in the middle of a pre-algebra lesson after a number of the students expressed irritation and dissatisfaction with the way things were going in the class. This teacher stopped the lesson not only to reprimand the students' behavior, but also to remind them of the privilege they have in being able to attend a Christian school. Since that incident every one of those students has displayed more gratitude toward their parents and teachers. All that to say, I tend to value efficiency in almost all things (thanks in part to my military family background, I think). I normally would chafe at the thought of stopping a lesson - albeit for just a few minutes - to lecture some teens about their attitudes; now I hope I would react in the same way as this teacher did.
I have also learned that I am not quite so capable with managing children as I believed. Yes, I do think I've got it when it comes to playing or doing other things that a babysitter would, but I now know that I have much to learn about keeping peace and order in a classroom.
Reflections #1
1. Explain what you did in your service. Next, tell what you did that was effective or ineffective in serving others. Finally, describe any incident that occurred today that was meaningful to you.
Over these past two weeks (one week left!) I have primarily worked as teacher's assistant at Westside Christian School (WCS): I have taught the first grade class, the first-third grade Bible class, and have occasionally taught the third grade reading class; I have administered more spelling tests than I could say without the aid of a running tally; I have stood watch (and have run, skipped, hopped, and laughed) while monitoring recess for the elementary kids; I have graded what must amount to a mound of homework pages and have tutored kids anywhere from first-sixth grade, and helped my aunt watch/tutor three children who are in her care most every day after school is let out; and I have done whatever I can to tidy up the classroom in my free time.
I have not only worked inside the school itself, but I've also helped one student as she did some school fund-raising in her neighborhood. On two or three occasions I have gotten to run errands (it was only this morning, in fact, that I discovered the panic of having left a pre-algebra teacher's workbook on the kitchen table).
Finally, I have participated with activities for the church affiliated with WCS, Westside Baptist Church. As is more thoroughly described in my previous blog post, I participated in the church's Halloween outreach, have sat in on and participated in the Wednesday night prayer service, and by the day after tomorrow, will have sung a special in church with another young lady.
One thing I've done that seems to me to have been especially effective while serving at the school is this: I came intending to alleviate whatever workload-related stress my aunt and the other teachers have been experiencing. Because of the timing of my trip, I have been able to act as substitute teacher for the first grade class (their teacher, the head pastor's wife, had been wanting to go visit her out-of-state mother who is battling Leukemia). My aunt and both other main teachers have noted that they feel more relaxed since I’ve been around, and facetious plots have been circulating about how to keep me around longer. At least I do hope this is all pointing to the fulfillment of my intentional help being what they need!
On the other hand, I do think my very presence creates a bit of a distraction for a number of the students. Fortunately the majority of the buzz has died down, now that I’m not 100% new and exciting, but still it can be more than the usual hassle at times to get the classroom to quiet. Also, I realize that I do not yet fully understand how to keep a proper balance between being friendly to the kids and teens at the school while maintaining a level of respect as someone almost on the same level as their teachers. This hasn’t caused any real issues, but it does make me feel like my help loses some of its effectiveness.
A meaningful incident from today? Oh my goodness, so much happens every day that is meaningful in some little way or other! I am working with children, after all. Alright, I suppose one special incident that is seems particularly meaningful to me is from just after today’s lunch break. A little four- or five-year-old sister of one of the students rushed to me the moment I stood up to clear away my lunch things, and glued her little arms around my knees in a sweet embrace. (I had seen her before and knew her name is Gracie, but hadn’t interacted with her at all until this instant.) She pulled away with an adoring gaze cast up at me, and begged me with her expression to come and play. Forget that I was in a skirt that was NOT intended for play of any sort; how could I resist? Long story made quite short, by the end of the break, she had hardly left my side. I didn’t hear her speak much until it was time to clean up and one of her big third grade buddies came over to the gym doors. She tugged his sleeve and said excitedly, one tiny finger aimed at me, “Santiago! I want you to meet my sister!” I only just managed to hide a giggle before correcting her that although yes, she does have a lot of sisters (three or four, I think), I am not one of them. She just sighed and nodded, “Oh, okay. I still like you.”
Why is this meaningful? It struck me at the moments when Gracie hugged me, and again when she identified me as her sister... God won’t always send me to those who need me or need my help. Sometimes He will send them to me, and I need only recognize them for who they are and for what they need. In this scenario He also showed me that huge blessings sometimes have very little and rather unexpected packaging. Here I was not the blessing, but the blessed one.
Over these past two weeks (one week left!) I have primarily worked as teacher's assistant at Westside Christian School (WCS): I have taught the first grade class, the first-third grade Bible class, and have occasionally taught the third grade reading class; I have administered more spelling tests than I could say without the aid of a running tally; I have stood watch (and have run, skipped, hopped, and laughed) while monitoring recess for the elementary kids; I have graded what must amount to a mound of homework pages and have tutored kids anywhere from first-sixth grade, and helped my aunt watch/tutor three children who are in her care most every day after school is let out; and I have done whatever I can to tidy up the classroom in my free time.
I have not only worked inside the school itself, but I've also helped one student as she did some school fund-raising in her neighborhood. On two or three occasions I have gotten to run errands (it was only this morning, in fact, that I discovered the panic of having left a pre-algebra teacher's workbook on the kitchen table).
Finally, I have participated with activities for the church affiliated with WCS, Westside Baptist Church. As is more thoroughly described in my previous blog post, I participated in the church's Halloween outreach, have sat in on and participated in the Wednesday night prayer service, and by the day after tomorrow, will have sung a special in church with another young lady.
One thing I've done that seems to me to have been especially effective while serving at the school is this: I came intending to alleviate whatever workload-related stress my aunt and the other teachers have been experiencing. Because of the timing of my trip, I have been able to act as substitute teacher for the first grade class (their teacher, the head pastor's wife, had been wanting to go visit her out-of-state mother who is battling Leukemia). My aunt and both other main teachers have noted that they feel more relaxed since I’ve been around, and facetious plots have been circulating about how to keep me around longer. At least I do hope this is all pointing to the fulfillment of my intentional help being what they need!
On the other hand, I do think my very presence creates a bit of a distraction for a number of the students. Fortunately the majority of the buzz has died down, now that I’m not 100% new and exciting, but still it can be more than the usual hassle at times to get the classroom to quiet. Also, I realize that I do not yet fully understand how to keep a proper balance between being friendly to the kids and teens at the school while maintaining a level of respect as someone almost on the same level as their teachers. This hasn’t caused any real issues, but it does make me feel like my help loses some of its effectiveness.
A meaningful incident from today? Oh my goodness, so much happens every day that is meaningful in some little way or other! I am working with children, after all. Alright, I suppose one special incident that is seems particularly meaningful to me is from just after today’s lunch break. A little four- or five-year-old sister of one of the students rushed to me the moment I stood up to clear away my lunch things, and glued her little arms around my knees in a sweet embrace. (I had seen her before and knew her name is Gracie, but hadn’t interacted with her at all until this instant.) She pulled away with an adoring gaze cast up at me, and begged me with her expression to come and play. Forget that I was in a skirt that was NOT intended for play of any sort; how could I resist? Long story made quite short, by the end of the break, she had hardly left my side. I didn’t hear her speak much until it was time to clean up and one of her big third grade buddies came over to the gym doors. She tugged his sleeve and said excitedly, one tiny finger aimed at me, “Santiago! I want you to meet my sister!” I only just managed to hide a giggle before correcting her that although yes, she does have a lot of sisters (three or four, I think), I am not one of them. She just sighed and nodded, “Oh, okay. I still like you.”
Why is this meaningful? It struck me at the moments when Gracie hugged me, and again when she identified me as her sister... God won’t always send me to those who need me or need my help. Sometimes He will send them to me, and I need only recognize them for who they are and for what they need. In this scenario He also showed me that huge blessings sometimes have very little and rather unexpected packaging. Here I was not the blessing, but the blessed one.
10/31/13
Christmas Caroling on Halloween
Yes, you read that right. About 25 members of WBC (and I) went Christmas caroling tonight as a community outreach. Basically what we did was this: We went off in groups of seven or eight around a couple of neighborhoods. Instead of going trick-or-treating and receiving candy at people's doors, we would sing a few lines of "Joy to the World," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," or "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" then hand over a gift bag of hot cocoa, an ornament, information about the church, and such.
Most everyone we encountered seemed pleasantly surprised by us and our ever-so-slightly off-key singing. A couple of sweet elderly ladies even joined in with us! One of my favorite moments was when one couple asked us which ward (of the local LDS/Mormon church) we were from. That question gave us the perfect chance to tell them a little about Westiside Baptist!
Another thing I especially enjoyed was that I got to spend time with some a few of the junior high students from WCS and a couple of elementary students while walking around. It really was a nice change of pace to get to be a little more relaxed, since these kids - particularly the younger ones - have only seen me as their teacher/teacher's assistant.
Speaking of teaching, it looks like I've landed my very first substitute teaching position! Wow, what an honor. ...And what a responsibility, even if I will only be in charge of the two adorable little first grade girls.
Well, it's 9:30 pm and I have an early morning ahead, with a full day at the school followed by getting to help get things ready for WBC's 20th anniversary banquet. I'm off!
Most everyone we encountered seemed pleasantly surprised by us and our ever-so-slightly off-key singing. A couple of sweet elderly ladies even joined in with us! One of my favorite moments was when one couple asked us which ward (of the local LDS/Mormon church) we were from. That question gave us the perfect chance to tell them a little about Westiside Baptist!
Another thing I especially enjoyed was that I got to spend time with some a few of the junior high students from WCS and a couple of elementary students while walking around. It really was a nice change of pace to get to be a little more relaxed, since these kids - particularly the younger ones - have only seen me as their teacher/teacher's assistant.
Speaking of teaching, it looks like I've landed my very first substitute teaching position! Wow, what an honor. ...And what a responsibility, even if I will only be in charge of the two adorable little first grade girls.
Well, it's 9:30 pm and I have an early morning ahead, with a full day at the school followed by getting to help get things ready for WBC's 20th anniversary banquet. I'm off!
10/27/13
Starting Off
Yesterday was all sort of rushing-running fun; today is Sunday and is much more peaceful.
Before I blog using different names, let me be playwrite for a moment and introduce some key characters and likely key supporting characters. (I think I may have read a little too much Shakespeare on my flight last night...)
Tara Liston - My mom's younger sister; my aunt. Elementary school teacher and one of three teachers at Westside Christian School [hereafter referred to as WCS].
Sarina Moyer - Another WCS teacher. Aunt Tara's roommate.
Angela and Tug Miller - Members of Westside Baptist Church [hereafter referred to as WBC] (the church affiliated with WCS). Their son is a cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and my family is his sponsor family.
Laura - A student at WCS who is staying with Aunt Tara and Sarina while her family is in the states on furlough (they're missionaries to Ecuador). I was once Laura's summer camp counselor, so we already have a bit of a friendship.
Pastor Greg and MerriEllen Wright - He is head pastor of WBC; she is the third teacher at WCS, teaching 1st grade language arts in the morning.
There you have it! I may add more people as I learn the main "characters" as they come into my realm of this story. But for now I'm off to actually do a little work: Aunt Tara is having me help her grade some papers and (I believe) compile report cards.
Before I blog using different names, let me be playwrite for a moment and introduce some key characters and likely key supporting characters. (I think I may have read a little too much Shakespeare on my flight last night...)
Tara Liston - My mom's younger sister; my aunt. Elementary school teacher and one of three teachers at Westside Christian School [hereafter referred to as WCS].
Sarina Moyer - Another WCS teacher. Aunt Tara's roommate.
Angela and Tug Miller - Members of Westside Baptist Church [hereafter referred to as WBC] (the church affiliated with WCS). Their son is a cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and my family is his sponsor family.
Laura - A student at WCS who is staying with Aunt Tara and Sarina while her family is in the states on furlough (they're missionaries to Ecuador). I was once Laura's summer camp counselor, so we already have a bit of a friendship.
Pastor Greg and MerriEllen Wright - He is head pastor of WBC; she is the third teacher at WCS, teaching 1st grade language arts in the morning.
There you have it! I may add more people as I learn the main "characters" as they come into my realm of this story. But for now I'm off to actually do a little work: Aunt Tara is having me help her grade some papers and (I believe) compile report cards.
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