Saying See Ya Later to my Squirrels

Friday was the last day for students. 

So I thought it'd be fun to take a trip down Memory Lane...

On January 7, I wrote a post telling the story of how I came to decide on coming back to Dakar earlier than planned. In a matter of a week, I'd emailed back and forth with the elementary principal, spoke to the school director on the phone, put in my resignation letter at my school in the States, and made plans to finish out the remainder of January in order to get my ducks in a row there and not leave them in any more a bind than I already was doing. My last day at that school was January 29. I boarded a plane on Febuary 1st, landed in Senegal February 2nd, and started teaching this crew on February 3rd.

It's been a whirlwind, but I'm so glad that God knows what's best and has perfect timing/planning. I am so eternally grateful for the time I've had with this group of kids!

Now on to the memories :)

Remember my Introduction post? I'd taught 2 of these kiddos back in 1st grade. And then I knew a few of them from ESL testing or Kids Club. But a few were newbies to me.



We were only in school for 2 weeks when Valentine's Day arrived. And since I'd just got here, most of my crew thought I was all about parties. One guy even responded to a friend in another class, Man, this teacher is so cool! We'll have parties all the time! Ha!

Next up was Olympics, a day where we get to run and race, compete in all sorts of events, and play and have fun with all our friends. My hyper crew LOVED it!

It only took me a few days before I realized how squirrely my crew was and I thus dubbed them my "squirrels." Thankfully Amazon.com came to the rescue and I ordered Squirrely, the hyperactive squirrel to use as our class mascot :)

But you know, as squirrely as they were/are, this class was full of hardworking students. And they truly LOVED to read. In fact, they'd beg and beg to have "free" reading time...

And just for fun... Here are a few of the silly faces I got blessed with this year :)

In April, we took the Terra Nova Standardized Tests. These tests make for long, sometimes very difficult mornings. So I thought a daily reward for making it through was in order...

Something this whole crew agreed on was the awesomeness of a well-timed treat, whether it was lollipops from my mom sent in a box from America, cake after standardized tests, a taco lunch on the last day of school, or something else...

One of the highlights of our time together was when my kids showcased their love for another person in such a sweet way. They chose to work their little tails off, learning words to a story, a lesson, and a song in ASL so they could help put on our "Super Secret Sign Language Chapel" service for all parents, but one special parent in particular.

A few days before school ended the 3rd grade teacher and I took our kids on a field trip. We walked from the school to the zoo, did a scavenger hunt there at the zoo, and then walked to a little pond area of the park and had a picnic together, before walking back to the school. There's no way I could've done this field trip without the help of awesome chaperones and a certain mom/grandma team who helped me prep 40 picnic lunches! What a blessing those 2 ladies were! And the kids had a blast on the trip. So that made the stress of planning all worth it...seeing their sweet, happy faces! I loved it!

One of my kids' mom took my 2 favorite pictures of the field trip, though...

And finally, on this past Friday we finished up our time together with them as 4th graders, as marked by the traditional last day of school picture, including our mascot :)

I'm going to miss this squirrely crew this summer. But I only had to say See ya later to them, and not goodbye because thankfully, I'll be following them to 5th grade. 

So yay for no goodbyes since goodbyes stink.

What's Up May

It's the last Wednesday in May, so it's time for this month's What's Up Wednesday post.

Aren't you excited? :)

*Linkup with Mel, Shay, Shay, and Sheaffer. 

Every month we answer the same questions based on how things are currently going in our lives. The questions are...

What am I eating this week?

I've been slowly working my way through the food in my fridge/freezer/cabinet, in preparations for moving to a new apartment. So the other day I ran to the store and got salad ingredients to pair with some chicken I had in my freezer. I also had a random packed of Trois Poivres (3 peppers) Sauce in my cabinet. So I added it to the chicken and it made a nice glaze type sauce. Throw in some garlic bread. And in the words of Rachael Ray... Yum-O!

 What am I reminiscing about? 

I've been looking over pictures from the past few months. I've so enjoyed my time with these 10 kids. Remember the post I wrote, introducing my crew? If not, you can read it here. And then a few days ago, I wrote about how I've been wondering why God led me to come back earlier than I'd originally planned. These 10 faces (well, 9 plus the 1 who was absent the day this photo was taken) are part of the reason why. What a blessing they've all been in my life!

What am I loving?

I am loving making plans for next year. I've been chatting with the current teacher, getting the inside scoop on all things 5th grade. Since he's going to be gone for a year, I'm moving up to 5th grade. It'll be fun to move up with my crew and to teach a new grade level. I'm excited for next year! In fact, I even wrote about this on my blog last Thursday. If you missed it, you can read it here :)

What have I been up to?

End of year stuff at school... It's hard to believe that this Friday is our last day of school (for kids).

What am I dreading?

I'm not necessarily looking forward to being cramped on planes for hours and hours next week. But the end result is totally worth it. So I guess it's not all bad :)

What am I working on? 

I'm reading through my Berean/Global University texts, prepping for assignments and tests to get me a few steps closer to earning my Ordination with the Assemblies of God. I'm learning so much through these 6 courses.

What am I excited about?

I get to see my favorites in only 11 days!!!!

What am I watching?

My crew is watching The Peanuts Movie on Friday as part of our DAY OF FUN for the last day of school. I love this movie! I let them give a few suggestions and then we voted. I'm glad this vote won :)

What am I reading?

At the moment, I'm reading through a catalog of Speech curriculum. Who knew there was so much to choose from?! Seriously, though... I am seriously loving learning so much about how we communicate through speech. Our body is a fascinating machine. And seeing how much is out there to help us improve our speech is just so overwhelmingly cool.

What am I listening to?

I've been listening to Rachel Platten's Fight Song quite a bit lately. I love the first bit of the song....

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

What am I wearing?

I wore tennis shoes yesterday for the first time in a while. I really do HATE wearing tennis  shoes. Anywho - I ended up with a few blisters and yet another confirmation that I really am a Flip Flop kinda girl :)

What am I doing this weekend?

I'm going to finish packing my stuff to move to my new apartment AND I'm going to pack for my trip to the States. On Saturday morning, I'm going to lunch and the pool with a few friends. And then that night, I'm going out to dinner with some really good friends who are leaving for a year (insert sad face here). And Sunday is church day. I'll have a few things to keep me busy, but nothing major.

What am I looking forward to next month?

Oh so much... I get to see my family. I get to attend my nieces' birthday party. I get to speak at 4 different churches (maybe more), which means I get to share my heart for Senegal and Dakar Academy. I get to go on a road trip with my mom. My BFF is coming to visit! And I get to experience life in America again.

What else is new?

I've been asked to help in July with the kids' part of a program AGWM is doing with a few of our families here in Dakar. Because of that, my time in the States this summer has been shortened by a few weeks. I'll be in the States exactly 6 weeks from the day I land 'til the day I take off. Therefore, I've got some major work to do. I still need approximately $300 in monthly commitments in order to be fully funded by the Assemblies of God. If you, your family, your business, your church, or any other group, would like to partner with me in raising the rest of my missions support so I can continue with the ministry God's called me to do, I'd be greatly appreciative. Just send me an email and I'll get you set up. My email address is enichols85@gmail.com.

And each month, there's a special question. This month's question is...

What are you most looking forward to this summer?

There's so much. But honestly... The thing I'm most looking forward to it having time with my family again. I may not have long in Alabama, but I'll make the most of what I do have. That's one of the hardest things in this line of work...being away from family.

 

Why'd I Come Back Early?

Back in January, I told a little "story" on here. It was the story of how I was leaving my teaching position in the States and heading back to Senegal much earlier than expected. I answered questions I'd been asked in regards to my return. I wrote about how I was going to miss the people and things who'd made my experience in Selma, Alabama a great one. And I answered a few more questions.
And then a few days after I landed, I wrote a post, exclaiming that I was finally back in this place I truly love. I talked about how people were asking me how it felt to be back in Dakar and each time, I'd respond the same way...

It feels normal. I feel like I'm home again.

I wasn't supposed to come back until August. I'd been talking with the school's director and elementary principal, making plans for next school year. But at the same time, having this feeling deep in my gut that God had a different plan. So when they asked me if I'd consider coming in February, instead, I prayed about it and said a definite YES. 

All the while, I had the same questions running through my head...

Why does God want me to go back so early? What's He planning?

And while I can't know specifically the answer to those questions, I've had little glimpses here and there since arriving back here...

And every single one has had to do with the 10 main reasons I came back to Senegal earlier than planned.

Throughout the day, in the midst of planning lessons, teaching, completing projects, "tutoring" in speech, watching my kids practice and play ball games, settling disputes, correcting behaviors, class discussions, sharing the Word, praying, and so much more, I see it...

I see so many reasons daily as to why God led me back here early. 

And I'm thankful.

I'm thankful God knows best.

I'm thankful that God's timing is always perfect.

I'm thankful God has a master plan for my life.

And whether I ever fully, 100%, know the reason He led me back here so early, or not...

One thing is for sure.

I will always be thankful that He did.

My life has been so blessed in the past few months.

Friday's Favorites

Happy Friday Ladies and Gents!

Today I'm linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea for this week's Friday Favorites.

So what's on my list of favorites from this week?

Getting observed/evaluated is honestly not one of my favorites. Put me in front of a group of kids and I'm fine. Throw a grown-up in the mix and I freak out. ...like seriously, I tense up. My stomach is tied in knots. And I feel like I sound like an idiot when I talk. Fun times, right? :) 

Anywho, yesterday was my last observation/evaluation of the school year. But I must not have done too bad, because my principal sent the following email to all of us, elementary teachers, not long after leaving my room...

FYI - He didn't add the blue squiggly outline or the happy face. I did because...well, why not :)

My favorite group of 4th graders did an experiment in Science today. We're learning about bones right now. So for our experiment, we did a test to see why our bones are the shape they are - how they are strong because of their shape. Honestly, when I was planning out my lesson, I kind of thought my kids wouldn't consider this a favorite and I thought they'd probably think it's a little lame. But I was so wrong. They absolutely LOVED it :) 

This guy's face is my favorite! Look at that smile!

I leave in 2 1/2 weeks, heading back to sweet home Alabama and some of my most favorite people in the whole wide world. But y'all... How is this possible? Didn't I just arrive? :)

Y'all, being the good ol' southern girl I am, you know that BLTs are one of my most favorite things to eat. Well, because of where I live, it's hard to find the good quality version of the B in BLTs. So imagine my total delight, when upon checking out the contents of my freezer, I find a bag of my favorite delicious goodness in the back, just begging me to fry up and add to the L and T of the BLT :)

The majority of my favorite group of 4th graders absolutely LOVE lizards/geckos/etc. So they were almost squealing with delight Monda afternoon, when they looked out the library's glass doors and saw this little guy just hanging out.

Missions is my favorite. I feel so eternally grateful to have the blessing of God calling me to do something I absolutely positively love. BUT the only way I'm able to stay on the field fulfilling this call on my life, is to be fully funded with the Assemblies of God.

To do that, I still have about $300 left to raise in monthly support commitments. Want to help me with this? That'd only be 30 people at $10 a month OR 20 people at $15 a month or 10 people at $30 a month or 6 people at $50 a month. Just click the link HERE and follow the prompts to set up a recurring gift. Or if you'd prefer to do a paper/regular mail version, send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com and I can get you set up that way.

And last, but certainly not least, this past Sunday was Pentecost Sunday. Well, the President of my 2nd most favorite country, Senegal, wrote the following on his Facebook page. How cool is this?!

5th Grade, Here I Come

It's Thursday. So that means I'm joining Annie at Home of Malones and Natalie from East Coast Chic for their Thoughts for Thursday link-up...

So what's on my mind today?

I'm going to be teaching 5th grade here at DA next year. That means I get to move up with my current crew. I'm super excited! And thankfully, they were all fairly excited about it too, with the exception of the boys who thought it'd mess things up because I couldn't teach them about "manly stuff." It took all I had in me not to bust out laughing right then and there :)

My very first teaching job was a long-term sub position as a 5th Grade Special Education Teacher. I loved working with those kids. And while in the States this past year and a half, the majority of my kids were in 5th Grade. So I've spent quite a bit of time with that grade level.

So when our current 5th grade teacher told us he and his wife were going back to the States for a year's furlough (or home assignment/itineration, depending on which group you're with), our principal asked if I'd be willing to move up to 5th grade next school year. I didn't have to think long about it. I jumped at the chance. 

5th Grade is a fun one to teach. They're old enough to do more involved work. They can do more of a variety of assignments. And when you have a class like mine, who truly loves reading, you can incorporate so many different reading projects too! I love it! 

It's been I have some great ideas for next year...

1. Wax Museum - I've seen a few different teacher friends on Facebook doing this with their kids. My goal is for us to choose influential figures from around the world and become those people. The kids can do research, write/type reports, and present their findings as they take on the persona of that person. This would help them in Social Studies, Reading/Writing/Grammar, Communication, etc. I think it'd be super fun. And my kids are quite the actors. So I know they'll love this!

2. Book Seller Convention - The current 5th grade teacher has done this for years. The kids choose a book, read it, and then not just write any ol' book report. Rather, they become the "seller" of this book. They have to give you so much detail and share all the goodness of the book so much, that you as a "buyer" want that book.

3. Sign Language Bible Memory - As I've mentioned, one of the resources our class has is a family fluent in ASL. One great way to memorize things is to add motion to it. And since I have a class full of hands-on/kinesthetic learners, this is a great way to help them.

4. Classroom Bill of Rights - I've seen classrooms that had this and I love it. On the first day of school, we'll learn what the Constitution/Bill of Rights of a country is. Then we'll write one just for our class. It'll be the rights (rules) of our class. The reason I love this so much is that it gives the kids ownership of the rules and the classroom. And typically, if they have ownership in the rules, they'll work harder to follow them.

5. Groups, Groups, Groups Everywhere - Since I'll have quite the wide range of ability levels next year, my goal is to do a lot of centers/work stations with my kids. I plan to definitely do this with Reading/Writing/Grammar and Math. And I may figure out how to make it work with Science and Social Studies as well. So for example... In each subject, we'll start in a whole group "setting" while I introduce the lesson. Then, they'll divide into groups and rotate through different stations (independent work, group work, teacher work, etc.). This will most definitely require a lot more prep on my part. But in the long run, in my opinion, it'll be the best thing for my kiddos and the easiest way to meet the needs of each and every student.  

6. STAR Binders - I used these with one of my classes a few years back, just with a different name. My goal will be to follow in the steps of the current 5th grade teacher and help these sweet babies get ready for the big world of middle school. So if I start giving them more and more responsibilities throughout the school year next year, maybe that'll help. Plus, it'll be so much easier to keep our desks neat if all those papers are nicely organized in a binder and not loose and falling out all the time. *Insert annoyed teacher face at the amount of papers EVERYWHERE. 

I also have to find a rewards AND consequences plan that would work with my kiddos. And I need to find a Speech curriculum to use with one student (maybe others). And then I have a few mini posters and things to make while I'm in the States and can print at home (or Kinko's) on a colored printer. But I'm excited. I can't wait to get back here in July and start putting everything together. 

5th Grade, 

Here I Come

Pentecost Sunday

Today is Pentecost Sunday. 

I saw the meme below on Facebook this morning.

And while it made me laugh at its accuracy, it also made me think... How many non-Pentecostals think this way? How many people hear I'm Pentecostal and automatically think my church handles snakes from the pulpit of that our women only wear long dresses, no make-up, and never cut our hair (all of which isn't true, by the way - well, except for the make-up which I never wear because I just don't take the time to do so)? 

Being Pentecostal is so much more than that.

I'm thankful for the gift and power of the Holy Spirit, today and every day.

I'm thankful the Holy Spirit isn't limited to a one-time act way back in the Bible days.

I'm thankful that its power is not limited to that day in July 2008 when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the physical evidence of speaking in tongues.

I'm thankful that being Pentecostal is more than just being of a certain denomination. 

I'm thankful that being Pentecostal is a way of life.

I'm thankful for the gifts of the Spirit...

I'm thankful for wisdom and knowledge, faith and healing, miracles and prophecy, speaking in tongues, and more.

I'm thankful for the characteristics of the Spirit...

I'm thankful for an advocate, or a helper.

I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit interceding on my behalf when I can't find words to pray.

I'm thankful for conviction when I sin.

I'm thankful for freedom.

I'm thankful for guidance.

I'm thankful for a special prayer language that's between me and God.

I'm thankful for a life with the Holy Spirit dwelling in me,  helping, guiding, teaching, correcting me, and so much more, all the while helping me to draw closer to my Savior. 

... a timely word from my Pastor in Alabama.

 
And lastly, I leave you with this picture...

A co-worker took this picture of the Senegalese Assemblies of God Pentecost Sunday service. The reports say there were approx. 3000 people in attendance.

What a blessing to see the works of the Holy Spirit!

Love and Language

Once upon a time I taught my 4th graders about showing love to their neighbors, as was required in my Bible curriculum. I didn't spend an exceptional amount of time on it, though. It was one of those topics that I hit on briefly, but moved on...

Well, fast forward a month or so. 

I inform my kids I've signed us up to lead Elementary Chapel one Friday in May. I tell them we have plenty of time to decide what to do. But I suggest utilizing the resources we have access to (a family fluent in ASL) and learning either a Bible verse or a short song in Sign Language. I said we'll just pick something short and simple (to keep it easy). 

But one of my kids isn't satisfied with that and raises his hand with a better idea. 

Ms. Nichols, You taught us before that we need to show love to our neighbors. And you know, one way we can do that is by speaking a person's language - like talking to our guards or the ladies that clean our classroom in French or Wolof. Well, J's dad is deaf so he doesn't get to enjoy our chapel times like the other moms and dads. So what if we did more than just a memory verse and song? What if we did EVERYTHING in Sign Language? Then we can show love to J's dad."

The other students quickly agree.

I point out it will take a lot of practice.

I need to make sure they'll put in the work required to make this plan happen. 

They all assure me they will give 100% in practicing and my friend says again, 

But Ms Nichols, Jesus showed love to all of his neighbors. We need to be more like Jesus and show love to everyone. And we can show love to J's dad by "speaking" his language.

Who am I to argue with that rationale?

So I emailed J's mom and set our Super Secret Chapel Service plan in motion. She agreed it was a great idea and contacted some friends to help us too. And for the past month, we've been practicing each week, learning Sign Language and other spoken words/motions to tell a story, sign a song, and to tell a lesson we learned from it all.

My 4th graders have worked so hard.

And it showed. 

Today was the day of our Super Secret Chapel Service. I stood to the side so I could signal each of my crew at the right time to come out on stage. So I got a view of everyone involved.

I watched as two introduced our Super Secret Chapel plan - one voicing and one signing. And later I watched them as they recapped the lesson/moral of the story. 

I watched as each one introduced themselves (well, their characters).

 I watched as they, as a group, acted out (through signing) the story of Jesus Walking on the Water. And then I watched as they signed the lyrics to a song.

They did an AWESOME job!


I have watched my kids work so hard for the past month preparing for today.

They've given up time in the computer lab (which they LOVE). 

They've given up free time in the afternoon (which they LOVE).

They've come straight from P.E., hot and tired, and worked for over an hour, stopping after each little part, tweaking it so it was as close to perfect as possible.

And why?

It all started because one boy (not from a Christian home, by the way) had the idea that we could be more like Jesus and show love to our neighbor by "speaking" his language.

And me?

I had tears silently falling throughout the entire program.

I have never been so proud of these 10 kids whom I call "mine."

They took a Biblical principle and applied it to life in a real way.

They showed genuine care and compassion.

They showed love.