I'll be home for Christmas...
You can count on me. Please have SNOW and mistletoe and... whatever else... although really I can do without the mistletoe, I'm not one for surprise kisses. =)This has been my theme song as of late, being that I am beyond excited to go home for Christmas!
But seriously, please have snow. Please have delicious homemade food. Please have the fire going and please have flannel sheets, boots, and warm pajamas to wear. Please have quiet streets and peaceful walks.
Lately I've realized wanting to go home isn't an indication that it's bad here, simply that I miss it. I am a person who tends to make a home quickly in new places and quite honestly it has taken me quite a while here. It may always be difficult but it will also be entirely worth it. I thought I would start by sharing some fun quotes from my students.
It's cooled down a little here. (Note: I did not say get cold. So do not be all over me, people in cold places) However, I frequently wear sweaters and jackets in the morning and have been wearing pants a bit more frequently. I have had to sleep in a sweatshirt and sweatpants at night because our house get's cold. Ok this isn't a quote I'm going into too much background.
1. ME: So why didn't you bring your homework?
Student: Miss, I had to go outside to do it and it was too cold to go outside.
(While it may have been outside, really like 50's and 60's is stay in your house weather?)
2. Me: So in 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. It went something like this: (I then recited the first few lines from memory. Yes, from 8th grade Social Studies)
(My students look at me in awe.) Student: Miss, You WERE THERE?
Me: REally? Did you look or listen to the date?
3. A current test was about pollution and garbage. I asked a student what one thing was they could do to help our environment.
Answer: Stop buying fast food and disgusting the world.
4. Me: Don't forget that you need to bring drinks for the party tomorrow.
Student: I can't remember.
Me: Why not?
Student: Miss, I have the memory of a chicken.
5. 3 girls entered my classroom after school and asked if they could sit together in the new seating arrangement
Me: No, You'll talk.
Student: No, Miss We won't talk. I pro-MYSE (spelled this way for pronunciation's sake) you. Shake my magic finger, I won't break the pro-myse. (She holds out her pinky to me)
6. Practicing for the Christmas program, the students were told that they are all stars.
Me: Did you hear that!? Do your best! You're all stars!
Student: Miss, I was born a star.
My female students have also been incessantly asking to listen to Justin Bieber. When I say no, they say "Why not miss, he is so cute. You do not think he is cute?" Oh fifth grade.
In other notes, I ended up having an enjoyable birthday. Thank you to my wonderful coworkers and friends here. Although several students brought me presents (including a night gown. Which was a little strange to me, but according to some other teachers considered culturally appropriate), they did not listen well. My housemates threw an awesome party for me, another housemate, and another teacher on Friday night, which was a lot of fun.
I have been having a lot of problems with my students in the past few weeks. They simply don't care if they get trouble. They will tell me to my face, "I don't care if I have detention." And they really don't. I hate admitting it because I want so much to love my job because I do love my students. But their actions break my heart. I am still in the process of learning that it doesn't matter what they think or say I can't take it personally. Unfortunately this means I will need to become a very strict teacher until they can behave themselves which is extremely difficult to do at this time of year because of the inconsistent schedule. It's also very different from my personality. I don't like being a teacher that is yelling. I realize that being stern and yelling are different, but I must raise my voice frequently to be heard over the talking. Talking is probably the number one problem in the majority of classrooms at the school. To a certain extent, this is a cultural thing and I try to not make unrealistic expectations, but it becomes a problem when it interferes with their learning.
So on that note, here are some prayer request for right now:
- The ability to be firm and kind.
- The opportunities to form good relationships with students
- chances to minister to my students who aren't Christians
- patience with my children and myself
- joy and peace to make it until Christmas break
- safe travels for me and the other teachers as we travel home
- continued wisdom in seeing the larger picture and knowing that God is using my life for a purpose.
But seriously, please have snow. Please have delicious homemade food. Please have the fire going and please have flannel sheets, boots, and warm pajamas to wear. Please have quiet streets and peaceful walks.
Lately I've realized wanting to go home isn't an indication that it's bad here, simply that I miss it. I am a person who tends to make a home quickly in new places and quite honestly it has taken me quite a while here. It may always be difficult but it will also be entirely worth it. I thought I would start by sharing some fun quotes from my students.
It's cooled down a little here. (Note: I did not say get cold. So do not be all over me, people in cold places) However, I frequently wear sweaters and jackets in the morning and have been wearing pants a bit more frequently. I have had to sleep in a sweatshirt and sweatpants at night because our house get's cold. Ok this isn't a quote I'm going into too much background.
1. ME: So why didn't you bring your homework?
Student: Miss, I had to go outside to do it and it was too cold to go outside.
(While it may have been outside, really like 50's and 60's is stay in your house weather?)
2. Me: So in 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. It went something like this: (I then recited the first few lines from memory. Yes, from 8th grade Social Studies)
(My students look at me in awe.) Student: Miss, You WERE THERE?
Me: REally? Did you look or listen to the date?
3. A current test was about pollution and garbage. I asked a student what one thing was they could do to help our environment.
Answer: Stop buying fast food and disgusting the world.
4. Me: Don't forget that you need to bring drinks for the party tomorrow.
Student: I can't remember.
Me: Why not?
Student: Miss, I have the memory of a chicken.
5. 3 girls entered my classroom after school and asked if they could sit together in the new seating arrangement
Me: No, You'll talk.
Student: No, Miss We won't talk. I pro-MYSE (spelled this way for pronunciation's sake) you. Shake my magic finger, I won't break the pro-myse. (She holds out her pinky to me)
6. Practicing for the Christmas program, the students were told that they are all stars.
Me: Did you hear that!? Do your best! You're all stars!
Student: Miss, I was born a star.
My female students have also been incessantly asking to listen to Justin Bieber. When I say no, they say "Why not miss, he is so cute. You do not think he is cute?" Oh fifth grade.
In other notes, I ended up having an enjoyable birthday. Thank you to my wonderful coworkers and friends here. Although several students brought me presents (including a night gown. Which was a little strange to me, but according to some other teachers considered culturally appropriate), they did not listen well. My housemates threw an awesome party for me, another housemate, and another teacher on Friday night, which was a lot of fun.
I have been having a lot of problems with my students in the past few weeks. They simply don't care if they get trouble. They will tell me to my face, "I don't care if I have detention." And they really don't. I hate admitting it because I want so much to love my job because I do love my students. But their actions break my heart. I am still in the process of learning that it doesn't matter what they think or say I can't take it personally. Unfortunately this means I will need to become a very strict teacher until they can behave themselves which is extremely difficult to do at this time of year because of the inconsistent schedule. It's also very different from my personality. I don't like being a teacher that is yelling. I realize that being stern and yelling are different, but I must raise my voice frequently to be heard over the talking. Talking is probably the number one problem in the majority of classrooms at the school. To a certain extent, this is a cultural thing and I try to not make unrealistic expectations, but it becomes a problem when it interferes with their learning.
So on that note, here are some prayer request for right now:
- The ability to be firm and kind.
- The opportunities to form good relationships with students
- chances to minister to my students who aren't Christians
- patience with my children and myself
- joy and peace to make it until Christmas break
- safe travels for me and the other teachers as we travel home
- continued wisdom in seeing the larger picture and knowing that God is using my life for a purpose.
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