Teaching in Year Two

Now that we have officially been in school for a month now, I'm finally taking some time to update you all on how it has been!  It has been SO different from last year; and definitely in a positive way!  I am the ESL teacher for the entire district which means I serve grades PreK through 12!  Thankfully, I only have 1 PreK student and 2 high schoolers but I have 37 students in between!  Making my schedule was not the easiest to say the least.  I do small group pull-out by grade level, except for a few of the upper elementary/middle grades which I group together.  I have been getting my exercise because I go pick up my students which means walking all over the school sometimes to find them.  I really enjoy the flexibility and although not having much guidance makes it really hard sometimes (as far as planning and knowing what all I need to do), it also allows me to do my own thing and the way I want to.  Lesson planning for so many different age groups and levels is definitely the hardest part.  There is also just a lot that they need to know (Kindergarten mostly since most don't really know any English) so it has been hard prioritizing concepts and words I want to teach them.

My kids are all pretty awesome.  I love my Kindergarten and first grade groups the most.  They are a lot of fun and you can really see them learning things from one day to the next.  There is just so much you can do with them and they love songs and games.  Most of my students in 2nd grade and up are fluent speakers and listeners, they just need extra support in reading and writing.  One of my high schoolers came to the United States during the middle of last year so he is still a beginner.  I spend about 3 hours a week up at the high school working with him.

If you read one of my previous posts, I think I shared how nervous I was about working with the families in this new position.  Even though I still sometimes get a knot in my stomach when I get a phone call from a parent or get called to the office to help translate, once I start talking with them, it goes away.  My Spanish still needs a lot of work and I have been using it a lot and learning through that, but I know that God is giving me every single word I need and helping me understand what they are saying.  Some of my Kindergartners though...not so much...their little kid voices make it really hard to get what they are saying.  So that is when I just nod my head and say, "cool!", or "oh no!".  All the parents are really understanding and know that my Spanish is still in the works, so we are definitely making it work!

So yeah, that is how my year has started and although I am still at Hazlehurst and sometimes I am shocked by the things that happen, or don't happen, I am really and truly enjoying what I do on a daily basis (definitely not what I would have said last year).  On a completely different note, my roommate, Angie, will be getting married in late December, so more changes are coming our way!  I am very thankful that one of the other Kindergarten teachers, Rachel, moved in with us back in May so I will not be all alone when Angie moves out after the wedding.  Please be in prayer for us as these changes are happening and also as we are thinking about what happens after this school year.  It seems crazy to be thinking about it in September but our commitment to Teach for America ends in May and we are trying to figure out what is next.  I am currently praying over staying in Hazlehurst for a third year and several international opportunities.  Pray for wisdom, discernment, and peace in walking in God's will for me and all my TFA friends here in Hazlehurst.

Oh, and go Vikings!! If you haven't seen the flash mob from Viking Venture this year, you need to!
WE ALL ROW!