Alexandra * Herrera: Vacation Shmacation- boo!

It's week 5. Half my team left on Monday, and as we chased after the truck that was taking them away from us, I wondered why I hadn't just signed up for 4 weeks. However, even though I miss our people, this week has been my favorite.

New Wave School update:

Thursday after school, we found out that the school will be closed on Friday because of Mother Theresa day and Monday and Tuesday because of a Buddhist holiday.

I bounced out of the hut delighted because learning had taken place, only to be hit with the holiday news. In America, I would have immediately checked my bank account, "can I take a trip?" But, here, my eyes welled with tears. I begged the teachers to reconsider! They laughed and one touched my arm in understanding. I marched back in the hut and told my kids (teacher helped) that if they studied their words over the weekend, bright sparkly stickers awaited them. We'll see.

I'm shielding the kids who quickly/correctly write the word I say from the masses of children who are trying to copy in hopes of a star! I usually get about 12 minutes of teacher directed teaching/trying to get them to think time before pure chaos ensues. For example, Chris, who has the bestest smile and usually tries to please me, will punch one of the little boys (they smile at me constantly with beautiful little innocent faces that make me want to pack 'em in my suitcase...ah! digressing.) and they will cry. The girls who don't receive my direct attention will start to draw, stab each other with rulers, or stare off into space. Sometimes, I will notice, "there are seriously only 7 kids paying attention right now." I guess that's the same in the US. To reget their attention, I have resort to the repeat after me game.

This picture is monumental. Why do you ask? Because, I got about 27 seconds of "uninterrupted" reading time with David. Do you see the kids behind me working on an assignment independently (involving colored pencils, but still!) that hasn't happened til this week! They are so used to sitting in one spot, their books open, repeating exactly what their teacher says with zero critical thinking skills, that whenever I give them any kind of mini-assignment, they want immediate feedback. I have to limit my star drawing on their papers, or then the chaos creator is me.

The little one directly to my right is John. He was absent for 3 days, and I slightly embarrassed him by hugging him tightly the second I saw him today! He barely left my side. :) He's painfully smart and quick, so I would write little sentences for him to read. He then had to draw a picture to prove to me he understood.

I twenty-seven second read with several kids today!

Meanwhile...

Kayla's 7 kids (They're mine now, but they were hers for a month, so technically, they're still hers.) gathered around 1 iPad, and with zero bickering worked on a noun sorting activity I left for them, while I ran back to my kids, whom can't be trusted to be on their own for very long.

I teach 2 classes at a time now that 2 teachers have left. Originally, it was decided that I would teach 2 45 minute classes, however, the other group has no teacher for 45 minutes. So, I bounce back and forth. It's wild. Wild and wonderful.