What's Up March

Happy Wednesday Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay, and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. 

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

The questions are...

 

Well, it's not actually eating. But still, I'm including it... :)

I've been saving this can of Dr. Pepper 'til Spring Break. It was going to be my Spring Break has arrived treat to myself. So I finally drank it yesterday, since I'm done with teaching 'til after Spring Break. I have meetings all this week (still in Senegal) and then this weekend, I'll fly out to the US for a couple weeks (during my school's 2-week long Spring Break). 

What am I reminiscing about?

Did you catch my post about my school's recent Service Day?

All of our staff and students (from K-12th grade) participated in various service projects both on campus and off, in our neighborhood, and elsewhere around the city. My group was tasked with making cookies and thank you cards and then giving those and some juice to each of our Senegalese Staff members. I loved watching all of our school family come together for such a special reason! 

 What am I loving?

  

We're in the middle of a unit in Social Studies on South American countries, so my class took a field trip last week to a local Brazilian cafe. Oh my word, y'all... It was such a fun afternoon. We had a tasty lunch. We practiced our Portuguese with the owners of the cafe. We chatted with each other about all sorts of fun stuff. There were definitely educational aspects to the trip.

What have I been up to?

My newest class started a few weeks ago. It's on Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. And the teacher nerd in me is absolutely positively loving all the reading we've had, the lessons we've learned, and the assignments we've been given. I have already learned so much in this class. And I know that'll continue over the next few weeks! Seriously... This is good stuff, y'all!

What am I dreading? 

April 19th will be the 4th anniversary of my dad's death. We've all heard that grief comes in waves. Well, lately, the waves have been crashing pretty hard. Lately, I've just been missing him so much. So yeah, I'm dreading the anniversary of his death next month. I so miss him...

What am I working on?


Thankfully, I'm done with it. But I did have to write 4 days worth of sub plans, so I could attend my AG conference/retreat this week. The woman subbing for me is amazing! And so is the woman who already works in my room every day, alongside me. But still... I forget sometimes just how many little things I do in a day until I sit down and actually write them all out. Also, it should be noted... I tend to go overboard with sub plans and include far more than most people. And the woman subbing for me (combined with the lady who already works in my room and knows the kids super well) have said that I don't have to go to the extreme in planning. But y'all... It's hard. I have just always had the mindset that more is better, when leaving plans for a substitute teacher. Plus I'd rather leave more activities than they need so to prevent the kids from having too much down time on their hands and then getting into mischief, while I'm not there. Anyone else like me?

What am I excited about?

I wrote/published my 1,000th blog post last week. In it, I shared about how this little corner of the internet has grown over time and how all the random memory-making moments of life have made for a nice creative outlet for me over the years. Did you catch my 1,000th post? If not, you can read it here.

What am I watching?

Thankfully, I planned ahead and worked super hard last week, working ahead on assignments for my class (as a student). And I did that, so I would be able to enjoy my Spring Break a bit more, knowing I didn't have to do too much while I was out. I won't be able to get away with totally ignoring it. But thankfully, the few small things I'll have to do aren't that bad. 

So, all that to say... I downloaded all past/current episodes of The Good Doctor so I could binge watch them while traveling. I've been wanting to watch it for a while. But I just never got around to it. So I'm looking forward to finally doing so.

What am I reading?

Did you catch my Reading Recap post the other day? I shared the books I've read in the last month. Past that, I got two new books in the mail yesterday. So I added those to the 2 others (3, if you count my Bible) that I packed to take with me (along with my textbooks and printed journal articles for my class). So I'll have quite the assortment of options for reading these next few weeks. :)

What am I listening to?

This is the first year I've given up something for Lent. I decided to give up listening to all secular music. Instead, I wanted (want) to only listen to Christian/Worship music. And y'all, I must say... I'm really enjoying it. I've also joined the world of Apple Music and signed up for that monthly subscription. So I've purposefully found and downloaded a few more upbeat songs (even some "old" ones) to play in the classroom. And my students are loving it, as well!

What am I wearing? 

A set of freshly painted toes. A couple friends and I treated ourselves to a pedicure a couple weekends ago. And thankfully, the guy who does it 1) comes to your house 2) is amazing and 3) charges very little. So, it wasn't a big splurge.

What am I doing this weekend?

I'll still be hanging out with my fellow AGWM co-workers at our conference/retreat. I'll also have a  a midterm to take this weekend. So, I'll be studying for, and then taking that as well. Then, on Sunday night, I'll head to the airport for a flight that leaves in the wee hours of the morning on Monday. :)

What am I looking forward to next month?

It's still Spring Break at the beginning of the month, so I'll be in my sweet home Alabama, living it up with family, missions supporters, speaking engagements, and Chik-fil-a. But past that... Once school starts back, we only have 2 weeks 'til Elementary Camp, which I lead each year. The kids love it and so do I! So I'm definitely looking forward to it! Oh, and there's also Easter and a few other fun things planned at school, as well.  

What else is new?

The blessing/surprise of a quick trip to the US which is happening in just a few days from now. It's happening due to the generosity of somebody who's super cool and super anonymous. But suffice it to say (suffice to say?), they're currently ranking in my Top People. Anywho - This trip will be primarily spent helping and hanging out with family. But I'll also be speaking at a couple schools and one church, as well, while I'm there. Because of the short amount of time I'll be there (just 12 days), I won't have time to see everyone that I normally do. But that can happen in the summer. But seriously, y'all... I'm so excited that God so generously blessed me with a gift of a plane ticket. A gift I'm definitely not taking lightly.

 

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

Question?

What's your favorite Easter side dish?

That'd be my mom's potato salad. No one can make it like her. And trust me... I've tried to make it, myself. But it's just never turned out the same. :)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Reading Recap

Happy Monday Everyone

 Today I thought I'd share a little reading recap.



I haven't read much lately because I've been so busy with school (as both a teacher and student). But I know I have some down time coming up, thanks to Spring Break and a bit of traveling, too. So my next Reading Recap post will definitely have a bit more in it. 

Anywho - On with the post.

For Fun

I started We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter But I just couldn't get into it. I mean, it was okay. But that was it. It was just okay.




And I know that's not a lot, but that was the extent of my "fun" reading.

For My Classes (as a student)

I'm taking a class on Emotional and Behavioral Disorders right now and have 3 books that are required reading for it... They are Characteristics of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Youth and Cases in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Youth, both of which, were written by Kauffman and Landrum and also, Lost at School by Ross Greene.




For Teaching

Considering how how my textbooks listed above do apply to my job, I think it still counts for this section, too. Right? :)

But past that, I did pick up a copy of Teaching to Change Lives by Howard Hendricks from the giveaway table at work last week. And I finally started reading it the other night. I've only made it part of the way through the first chapter. But I really think I'm going to like it. It's got some good stuff in it.

For Spiritual Growth


I've been slowly working my way through Holy Hustle by Crystal Stine. I saw a friend share about on Facebook not long ago. And considering my tendency to work, work, work and spend very little time in rest, I thought this book would be perfect for me to add to my To Read pile. I'm taking my time with it and really enjoying it. I'm also, learning to let some things go that aren't 100% necessary. I'm learning that it's okay to sometimes say no. Shocking, right? :) Anyways, I really am finally learning to embrace the act of spiritual REST. And it's so worth it.

What My Students Are Reading

With a couple of my kids, I've been working on pronouns.

The book, I and You and Don't Forget Who, by Brian Cleary is a good one. It's colorful. The characters are fun. And it helps teach about pronouns in a fun, easy to learn (and remember) way. I recently used it with one of my students, who thought it was a fun book. And I thought the same.

One of my students is absolutely obsessed with the movie and book, Matilda, by Roald Dahl. So he and I read through it together last month, stopping to discuss all the fun parts along the way. I love seeing a kid so on fire for reading! And let's face it... The story of Matilda is definitely a fun one anyway!

Another of my students just started working through a novel study of Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. He's only a few chapters in, but he is loving this book. And I'm loving seeing him love reading so much. :)

 We're in the middle of a unit in Bible right now with my older students, where we're focusing on why the Bible exists and how it helps us today. Plus, my kids are learning the books of the Bible in order. And every time we open these Bibles, I think of the generous church in Georgia who paid for these bright orange Bibles.

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And in case you're interested...

Here are my previous Reading Recap from earlier in the year.

February

1,000th Post

Guess what!

This is my 1,000th post!

I started this blog in July 2009. 

At that point, it was just something fun to do. 

Plus, it'd be a way I could keep my family, friends, and supporters up to date on my life and ministry here in Senegal. 

I honestly never thought of getting to Post #1,000.

And you know, I must say... 

It feels kind of cool. 

Because while I've never felt like a very creative person, this blog has been my creative outlet over the years.

And sure, a lot of my posts are full of randomness. 

But I love all the random times that make up all the memories I have written about on this blog. Random times like...

It's random times with my students in the classroom, laughing over something silly someone said. It's reading through a novel together and working on experiments and projects and solving complicated math problems. It's individualizing lesson plans and activities and advocating for services to be received.

It's events at school, like watching my student sing in a talent show. It's leading Kids Club and Elementary Camp and all the fun those provide. It's attending Movie Nights and Harvest Fest and school musicals or plays. It's Sunday morning church, held on campus. It's watching students play sports after school or on Saturday mornings and it's going to the Sunday morning church service held on campus.

It's random times spent shopping at an outdoor market or checking out a new grocery store in town, seeing what goodies are available. It's getting excited over finding a random can of Dr. Pepper or a pack of tortillas. It's buying strawberries and english muffins from the ladies who sell at the school gate each Wednesday afternoon. It's time spent chatting with the fruit guy who sits with his rickety old cart outside our school gate. Sometimes buying fruit and sometimes just chatting about our families or the school or life in this city we call home...

It's random conversations with people at an airport on my way back to Dakar or chatting with people at churches back home. Telling them all about the incredible ministry (work) God has allowed me to be a part of...

 It's random times spent with co-workers at conferences and retreats while on the field, learning all sorts of new things or just hanging out by a pool or around a table, playing a game and laughing 'til the wee hours of the morning.

It's having dinner together and chatting about school and life. It's taxi rides and softball games by the ocean. It's Bible Studies and trips to The Spot after a long day at work. It's navigating life together in a foreign country whose customs sometimes are a little confusing, yet you still love them all the same.

It's random life events with family and friends while in the US - like lunch dates and road trips, watching dance practice, and picking up my nieces from school. It's cooking meals with my Mama and going to family reunions. It's laughing with my brother and sister-in-law over old memories. 

It's all of those random times and so many more.

That's what's made this blog so much fun for me.

And that's why I continue.

So to all who read it

THANK YOU

Thank you for joining me on this "random" ride :)

World Down Syndrome Day

Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today is World Down Syndrome Day.



Why is this day celebrated on March 21?

The date for WDSD being the 21st day of the 3rd month was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down Syndrome. 

WDSD is celebrated to raise awareness of Down Syndrome.

I shared the picture below last year, but thought it was worth repeating...



And another good reminder for days like today (and every day)...



As I wrote last year...

Down Syndrome is a part of life. If you haven't met someone with it yet, you will at some point. And, for whatever reason, society has attached this stigma to a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. But the first step toward erasing that stigma is...

AWARENESS.

The next step?

ACCEPTANCE.

Be aware. Educate yourself. Get to know people with Downs (or someone who knows a person). And in no time at all, you'll realize just how incredibly wonderful these individuals are.

They might look slightly different... 

They might speak slightly different... 

They might learn slightly different...

But I guarantee that you will realize that these incredibly wonderful individuals are actually quite a lot like you and me. 

They just happened to have been born with an extra chromosome. 

So be aware.

Accept differences.

Be the change.

Spread the love.

And if you're like me, and you know and love someone (or many different people) with Down Syndrome, then know you are exceptionally blessed :)

School Service Day

Our school's motto is

So all can serve 

And in embracing that motto, two of our co-workers had an idea for a day devoted to acts of service. That way, our kids could take ownership in the school motto. Plus, it would be more than just us existing so their parents (mostly missionaries) could serve. But it was would be a way for them to serve as well.

All of my students were excited.

But leading up to it, one kid in particular, was super excited!

Want to know why?

He wanted to serve like Jesus. 

In his incredibly awesome mind, my student felt that by participating in Service Day, as we called it, he was able to be more like Jesus. 

After all, Jesus served. So we should do the same.

And that we did. 

We had students doing various service projects on our campus, in our community/neighborhood, and also spread out around the city.

There were groups picking up trash on campus, on the sidewalks outside our school walls, and in our neighborhood park.

There were younger kids washing toys, dusting chairs, cleaning out and organizing cabinets. There were also younger kids wiping down door handles and throwing out old papers and books that have been in storage for decades.

There were kids picking up rocks and moving them from ground that will soon house our new (second) campus. And while you'd think that wouldn't be the most enjoyable work, all we heard was good reports of kids laughing and chatting together as they worked, making games out of their work, and more. And all the while, they were working hard, getting the job done.

There was a group of boys that went to a local boys detention center/prison and did a major clean-up project there. And these boys came back laughing and singing and not complaining at all.

There was a group of kids who went to a local school for the Deaf, passing out mosquito nets for the dorm beds, praying over each bed, playing games with the students, interacting with them, and just having fun with them.

The group I led made cookies and Thank you (or rather, Merci) cards. Then they delivered the cookies, juice, and the cards to all of our Senegalese staff members, as a small token of appreciation for the incredibly hard work they do for us each and every day.



And I loved that all day long - even at the end, when everyone was exhausted after working hard all day - I loved that I saw smiles on almost every single face, whether it was a student or a staff member. It was such a great reminder for us all.

A reminder to

SERVE

You Might be a SPED Teacher If...

Happy Tuesday Y'all

Today, I'm joining Ashley and Erika for their monthly Tuesday Talk link-up, where we, bloggers, come together and talk about whatever is on our mind at the moment. I typically try to think of one specific topic to talk about.



In January, I shared an introduction of myself and in February, I shared a random list of little things that had made me smile recently. And here we are in March, where I'm talking about one of my favorite topics... Teaching.

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 You might be a Special Ed Teacher if...

You get excited about having a separate planning and lunch period. 

Actually, scratch that.  

How about... You get excited about just having a real planning period, with no students in your classroom.

You get angry when you hear the R word and you have to bite your tongue not to chew someone out right then and there for their disrespectfulness.

Your friends give you adaptive/loop scissors, velcro dots, and laminate sheets and you think you've hit the jackpot.

You struggle signing anything in any colored ink besides blue.

You have no choice but to stay in almost constant contact with your students' parents, more than other teachers. In fact, you chat with your students' parents sometimes even more than your own parents.

 Your eye twitches when a Gen. Ed. Teacher complains about lack of planning periods or the amount of paperwork she has.

You daydream of having no paperwork.

You can recite the differences between accommodations and modifications in your sleep. And it frustrates you when others can't do the same.

You automatically differentiate your lessons.

You get annoyed with teachers who do NOT differentiate their lessons. 

You know the value of a bouncy ball, some silly putty, or a sparkly pencil.
 

You know to celebrate the tiny victories.

And you know it can sometimes takes years for a student to finally meet a goal. so when they finally do, you are extremely emotional.
 

You can understand the following sentence...

The EBD child needs an FBA, using the ABC process done before a BIP can be written. Ask the OT and SLP if they have input.

You know there's actually 5 seasons... Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring and IEP.

People think you don't actually teach your students.

People think you teach the same exact thing to every one of your students because they have no clue how teaching IEP goals work.

You have had to fight for your students to get equality, to get into classes, to receive the services they both need and deserve...

You know the value of collaboration with teachers.

You're grateful for Gen. Ed. Teachers who work well with your students because you know this is, unfortunately, not always the case.

You know that your job might be 100% exhausting and at times overwhelming, but you also know you wouldn't change that for the world. You love what you do and who you work with. You know the difference you're making. And you thank God daily for the incredibly unique individuals you get to work with. 

A Short Q & A

Happy Monday Y'all 

Since telling a few people on this side of the ocean and back home, as well, about my upcoming (very quick) trip to the US over Spring Break, I've received quite a few questions. So I thought I'd answer them all here.

How can you afford a flight to the US? 
Didn't you just buy a ticket at Christmas time?

Someone is generously paying my flight. I knew I'd like to have gone. But I didn't seek this out. The only people that knew of this desire I had to go were God and my mom. And my mom was not the one that paid for it, by the way :)

Why are you going?

Multiple reasons...

1) Someone is paying for it. So I can afford to go.
2) My school is on Spring Break the first 2 weeks of April.
3) I can help my mom with some things around the house.
4) I will be able to speak at a couple schools and churches while there.
5) I can hand-deliver my papers to renew my AL Teaching Certificate (no small feat when you live out of the country and the AL State Dept. blocks you from accessing their website because of you being out of the country)
6) I can bring back fun goodies/supplies for my school's Elementary Camp.
7) Nieces, Chik-fil-a, and Diet Dr Pepper

Ok - That last one was meant to be funny.
Funny and true ;)

When will you be in the US?

If all flights go according to plan, I will arrive in the States around lunch time on April 1st and then I'll fly out around breakfast time on April 13th.

Can you visit me while you're here?

That depends.

Due to having such a short time frame in the States, my time will be limited. During that time, I'll need to cram in a trip to the AL State Dept to hand-deliver my certificate renewal paperwork, speaking engagements at 1 school and 1 church, along with enjoying some family time, too.

Will you still come back to the US in the Summer?

 Because this upcoming trip is considered a "vacation," I want to spend as much time as possible with my family. I'll be back in the summer for my usual longer time frame, where I will be traveling each week speaking at churches, connecting with supporters, and raising my missions support budget.

Why do you go to the US so often? 
Our family only goes once every few years...

This one has come from well meaning missionaries. And I typically just smile and bite my tongue. But here's the answer I'd like to give to this question.

My ministry is teaching, I'm allowed, by my mission organization, to go home during long school holidays (every summer and most Christmases if I can afford it). Going this time was an unexpected/unplanned blessing of a trip. And you know... God made it happen for me to be able to take it, so I am.

Because honestly... I don't have family here in Senegal. 

I am a single woman, living by myself, with my family living a few thousand miles and an ocean away from me. So any chance I have to see my family, I'm going to take it. Being single on the field is hard, y'all. It really is. I know we all live far away from family. And I don't want to diminish anyone's feelings of homesickness and missing family members. But I do want to say... Know that it is very hard for a single person who has literally no family members around to hear someone who lives with a husband and maybe children, as well, criticize them for their decision to go (yet again) to visit family in their home country. That's really hard. Just sayin'

How can you be gone from teaching (your ministry) for that long?

My school actually has a 2-week long Spring Break.

Yep, that's right. 

2 weeks :)

So because my ministry is teaching at my school, then that means my ministry basically pauses, so to speak, for those two weeks. So to be honest, the timing of this trip is actually ideal. It really is.

Why do you feel you have to justify yourself?

I know that technically, I shouldn't feel this way. 

But I do.

I feel the need to be accountable to the churches and individuals who have sacrificially given to support me and my ministry here in Senegal.

I feel I need to explain so people don't think I'm wasting the money they intended for ministry expenses (and again - those are in a whole separate account - untouched until a major ministry expense comes along). 

I feel I need to assure people that I'm using my own personal money on "vacations" like this... Although, again, someone paid for my plane tickets. But still...

So yeah - I know that I don't technically have to explain myself. 

But I still do it.

And now for some "fun" questions...

What's the first restaurant you want to visit when you land?

Uh, Chik-fil-a, of course :)


Where's your first stop after the airport?

Well, after Chik-fil-a :)... 
 
We'll go to my brother's house so I can see the rest of my family.

Do you need any supplies for your class to take back with you?

Well, I can always get more things. And I'll be buying a few things and raiding my storage bins at my mom's house as well. All in hopes of gathering a few needed (wanted) supplies to bring back. I'll also be gathering supplies for our elementary school's upcoming Elementary Camp, which happens 2 weeks after I return to Dakar. So all that to say...

First of all, thank you for asking. That is super sweet of you and means so very much. And yes... If you would like to help purchase supplies, send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com and I'll share my list with you.

How can we be praying for you (your trip)?

Help me pray for safe, uneventful flights (no delays, etc.).

 Help me pray for good, solid time with family. 

Help me pray for guidance and clarity, and no nervousness, in speaking to the school and church I have set to speak at. 

 Help me pray for NO jet lag. 

Help me pray for favor with the State Dept. of Education.

Help me pray for strength to get done all that needs to be done. 

Help me pray to say "yes" or "no" to whatever I need to, knowing that I have a short amount of time in the US and definitely cannot fit in every single thing that comes my way. And I need to be okay with saying "no" to some things :)

Help me pray for refreshment/relaxation.

Help me pray for hearts/eyes/ears to be open to hearing about this incredible ministry God has called me to be a part of here in Senegal. 

This Week's Top 5

 Happy Friday Everybody
 

Each week I share the my Top 5 favorites from the week in my classroom, in various activities at school, and in events happening on campus.

Here are my Top 5 Favorites from this week.

~ one ~


We did our Digging for Fossil (yes, "fossil" without the "s" at the end) activity earlier this week. It turned out super cute. And while it may have been a tiny bit lame, my kiddo still had fun with it. I'll be blogging about it next week.

~ two ~ 

We finished our last unit in Kids Club last week. And since I wanted to wait to start our next one 'til after Spring Break, I went online. I knew the topics I wanted to teach about. But I needed a couple good object lessons to go with them. Use chocolate and you have a sticky, messy, delicious object lesson teaching about sin and how we need to carefully "clean up" or else it will stick to us.

And yes... 

We did all get to eat/enjoy a chocolate treat.

~ three ~ 

This afternoon, our entire school is spending the afternoon doing various Service Projects around our school and in the community. I'll be leading a group making cookies and cards for our Senegalese Staff of guards, cleaners, gardeners, and more. One of my students has been over the top excited about this day for weeks and weeks. And his excitement has been contagious! I'm so looking forward to this afternoon!



~ four ~

One of my students doesn't have textbooks. And then the others do. But... Y'all, I forgot how nice it is to do lesson planning with a Teacher's Edition. I use the same textbooks as the other teachers of my students' grade levels. But I only have the student editions of each of them, since our school only has 1 teacher's edition per grade level and those are used by the Gen. Ed teachers... Not me. And honestly, that has been totally fine. It really has. BUT... I needed one, recently, to help me with a plan I have to turn into my administration (and more than that - for help in planning a certain activity for my guy in this grade). So I asked the Gen. Ed. teacher if I could borrow his Teacher's Edition. And wow! Seriously, it makes lesson planning so incredibly much easier! And yes, this totally 100% made my Top 5 Favorites list this week. Anything that makes life easier is always a favorite :)



~ five ~

I'm thankful for co-workers who share resources.

I needed to access a certain book for an assignment for the class I'm taking. I was struggling to find a version accessible online, even through my university's online library. So I asked around at school, to see if anyone had it. Someone told me that one of our principals had a copy in his office. Well, he was out of the country. So I shot off an email to him to ask if he did in fact have it, and if so, if I could borrow it over the weekend (knowing he'd be back in town before then). I got an email from his wife, a few hours later, telling me exactly where it was and giving me the go ahead to grab it. Y'all... I love that. I love that we can all help each other out in this work. I love that we don't have to re-invent the wheel, so to speak. We can put our heads together, share resources, and help one another out.

What about YOU?

 What were your favorite parts of this week?

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Today, I'm joining Erika, Andrea, and Narci and for their weekly Friday Favorites linkup. Click one of their names to and join in on the fun.