My 5 Favorites

Happy Friday Y'all

Today's our last day of classes. Next week, I'll have half of my students here and they'll be taking their last 2 exams. And then I have a couple of required Teacher Work Days, before I'm officially on Summer Break.

Every single year I say that my students at the time are my favorite. And this year was definitely no different. Honestly, this school year has been kind of tough. It's been a year of ups and downs. But teaching these kids has definitely been my favorite part of this school year and has produced so many favorite memories. 

 

  

 

 



   I'll be sharing more about my favorite memories of this school year on Monday. So be sure to come back then. But I wanted to go ahead and write today to say, once again, that these 5 favorites of mine have made this school year amazing.

And now, I need to put the finishing touches on our Last Day of School party and Class Awards Ceremony. And I should probably find some tissues because any time I talk about my incredible group of favorites, I get all teary eyed. So I imagine I'll be doing that while talking to our kids' parents this morning :)


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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 the fun

What's Up May

Happy Wednesday Y'all

I have a couple questions. How is it only 2 days from being the last day of May?! Didn't 2019 just begin?! I say it every year. But I swear May just flies by.

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...

 

What am I eating?

We're having our End of the Year Kids Club party this afternoon. So this past weekend, I made 7 dozen cupcakes. And then this morning, I made 2 lbs of popcorn. Then a friend made the frosting and will be decorating them later today. And we'll all share this tasty treat together as we wrap up another year in Kids Club. 

 

  What am I reminiscing about?

All the fun times I had this school year with my crew... I'll be writing far more about it on the blog on Friday and then again on Monday. So be sure to come back on those days for more details and pictures. But I'll say this. This year has been the most difficult of my 10 year teaching career. But even so, I have had so many good things happen this year. And I can honestly say that I have absolutely, positively, thoroughly loved spending time with and teaching the absolutely incredible students God has sent my way.

 What am I loving?

I can't say I love exams (creating, administering, grading, etc.). But since one of my guys had to take his a week early (this week), I'm done far more in advance than I, otherwise, would have been. So I'm loving that. And while exams may not be the most fun ever, I love seeing my students studying for exams and proving to me (and others who may end up seeing these finished exams) just how much they've learned throughout the course of this school year.

What have I been up to?

I've been hanging out at Drama Team practices the past few weeks and I got to help out at this past weekend's big end of the school year performance, all since I'll be leading the Drama Team next year. I've so enjoyed learning from the current leader. For 9 years, she's done such an incredible job leading her team of super talented high school students.

What am I dreading? 

Nothing at the moment... And do you want to hear something fun? Normally at this time of year, I'm dreading the soon-to-be-said goodbyes to students leaving me at the end of the year. But for the first time in probably my entire teaching career, I have literally no students leaving (our school) at the end of the school year. So normally I would be sad and emotional and ready to cry, thinking of saying those dreaded goodbyes. But I don't have to do that. So I'm over the moon! :)

What am I working on?

I'm staying a little over a week longer than I usually do. And I'm doing that because I plan to use that time working on Kids Club lesson prep while I have a big, chunk of time with far less interruptions than normal. My goal is to do enough of this ahead of time, that I can so I can hopefully free up a good chunk of my time normally spent sitting at a computer at the beginning of the school year. Wish me luck :)

What am I excited about?

Summer Break and multiple days with no alarm clock :)

What am I watching?

I watched the last ever episode of Big Bang Theory a couple weeks ago. And I must say - I'm going to miss watching this show each week...

What am I reading?

Yesterday, I posted my latest reading recap. If you missed it, you can read it HERE. And then past that, I read an article about Home Assignments last month, which lead me to writing THIS post of my own on that subject last week, which you can find HERE. And I also wrote THIS post about the need for energy at the end of the school year, after reading THIS incredible letter written by a future teacher.
Also, did you catch my students' "The Best Part of Me" project recap, which shared about a fun project I did on that same titled book?  If not, you can read it HERE.

What am I listening to?

I'm trying to do better about listening to God and learning the lessons He has for me. Sometimes, I just have to be reminded by God to shut up and let Him talk. I just need to be still and listen. Anyone else? Or is it just me?

What am I wearing?

Our school shirts came in earlier this month.

What am I doing this weekend?

I'm going to finish sorting through things in my apartment, packing away stuff I don't want to get dusty when my apartment is closed up all summer. Then I have some other things planned, too. We'll see how everything pans out.

What am I looking forward to next month?

A lot... 

While still in Senegal, I am looking forward to the last few days with my students and to having some uninterrupted work time on my computer, and to some fun times with friends, as well.

Then, once I'm in the U.S., I am looking forward to a Summer Break that includes me seeing family, friends, and missions supporters, to speaking engagements at churches around Alabama, to trips to Chik-fil-a and fountain drink Dr. Peppers loaded with ice that's actually safe to enjoy, and so much more.

What else is new?

I know my counts for my class next year now. So as of now, I know how many students I'll have in August. It may change. But for now, throughout my day, I'll be teaching 8 students, ranging from grade 3 to grade 11, coming from 5 different countries and 4 different continents. Such a cool thing!

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

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Reading Recap

Happy Tuesday Everyone

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



For Fun

 This month, I read The Taster by V.S. Alexander, In Another Time by Jillian Cantor and Promise by Minrose Gwin.

 For My Classes (as a student)

I actually finished up my class on the last day of April. So I'm actually "free" in terms of being a student until July. Woohoo!! :)

For Teaching

I read Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers by Debbie Silver. It was on sale on Amazon a while back, so I snagged it, thinking it would be a good addition to my teaching repertoire. And I was right. It was full of all sorts of good ideas for inclusion and dealing with "students who march to the beat of their own drummer." 

For Spiritual Growth

If you remember... In last month's post, I said I wasn't having much luck in the book department for this section. But that changed this past month. And it was the same this month. I don't even want to list the one I read, because I don't want to recommend it to others.

What My Students Are Reading

One of my kids has been reading Star Wars Rebels: Rise of the Rebels for his latest "free choice" novel study in Reading. It may not have been my book of choice. But it's on his reading level and he's enjoying it. So I ran with it and created a novel study/assignment packet to go along with it. And he absolutely loved it :)

I also did a fun writing project with my class, based off the book, The Best Part of Me, by Wendy Ewald. I wrote about this project a few weeks ago. If you missed it, you can read it HERE. This book has such a good message - It's all about embracing the goodness that makes each of us unique. A lesson all of us could stand to remember from time to time... :)

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And in case you're interested...

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

February

March  

April

16 Years Ago

On this date, 16 years ago, I graduated high school.

I was 17 years old.

I was sad to be leaving friends.

I was sad to be leaving teachers who I knew loved and cared for me.

But past that... I was happy to be out of high school.

I was nervous but still looking forward to college.

There were so many different emotions swirling through my brain/heart as I put on that green cap and gown.

I knew life was about to change. 

It was huge.

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So, fast forward 16 years. 

Since I graduated high school, I've earned/received 2 degrees.

I've taught for 10 years.

I've become a Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God.

I've become Licensed with the Assemblies of God.

I moved to Senegal, West Africa to serve as a Missionary Teacher.

 I've become an Aunt (to 2 of the most adorable little girls ever).

I lost my Dad.

Life’s had it’s ups and downs.

And I can’t say life is exactly like I thought/hoped/imagined it’d be at this point. But that’s okay. 

Life is good.

God has richly blessed me the past 16 years.

Home Assignments

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. In March, I talked about being a Special Ed. Teacher. And then in April, I shared details from my super short, but super nice Spring Break trip to the US.

So what's on my mind today?

It's Home Assignments.

For those in the non-missions world, a Home Assignment, or Furlough (or Itineration as it's called in the A/G) is a time when you leave your field/place of missions service for an extended period of time (typically at least 6 months to a year - sometimes more). Now, because I'm a teacher, my missions organization doesn't typically require me to take the year or longer version of Home Assignment. Instead, I typically spend 6-8 weeks in the summer each year in the U.S. Now... If my missions account were to drop significantly, this would change.

A few weeks ago, I read an article about Home Assignments by Krista Horn on The True Purpose of Home Assignment and it caught me by surprise just how much it spoke to me. I'd definitely recommend anyone interacting with missionaries on Home Assignment read this article at some point.

And yes, a few of the details might be slightly different for me since I don't have a husband or children. 

But still... 

This article is so true. 

I love my times at "home." 

But my times at home aren't just for "vacation."

And sure there's some, but my times at home rarely include a lot of rest/relaxation. 

They're busy and full of traveling, making phone calls and attending various appointments/meetings. 

I spend almost every single Sunday and Wednesday on the road, speaking in churches, in Sunday School classes or Youth Groups, or at Bible Studies, and sometimes even over coffee or dinner.

I'm sending and reading and replying to emails, staying in contact with supporters and missions leaders.

And this doesn't count the other responsibilities I have due to the teaching side of my job. I'm planning ahead for the upcoming school year - planning lessons, researching and creating, attending workshops and meetings, prepping IEPs, reading and staying current, and so much more.

Plus, when I'm back in the US in the summer, I have to shop for 6 months to a year at a time, planning every purchase carefully. These school, food, and household supplies come out of my pocket. They're not paid for with mission funds. So those big shopping trips have to be planned very carefully. Plus, it takes time and energy to do that. Not to mention all the time it takes to pack...

And during that time, I still enjoy spending time with my family and friends, packing in all the memory-making time I can, so I can use those memories to hold me over until I'm able to see them again.

And I feel like I need to clarify a bit... 

I don't say these things to complain. I'm just writing this to clarify how things are (for me) and to answer some questions I know others have had.

Home Assignments can be a confusing time for missionaries and non-missionaries alike.

But Home Assignments aren't all bad.

In fact, if you ask most missionaries, we'll tell you the same thing.

Sure, it can be hard. But it's worth it. It's worth it to reconnect with supporters. It's worth it to meet that new niece or nephew who was born while we were on the field. It's worth it to cross so many things off our To Do List. It's worth it to eat Chik-fil-a. Ha! :) Seriously... It's worth it to do all the things we can to connect with the men and women who love and support and encourage us while we're on the field. So yes, Home Assignments are indeed worth it.

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Missionary

Happy Friday Y'all

Last week, I shared a few things I wish I'd known before becoming a teacher. And since I had so much fun making that list, I thought I'd do another one, but on another of my favorite topics of discussion...

Missions 

Almost 10 years ago, I landed in Senegal, West Africa for the first time. And from that moment, my life/perspectives/worldview was forever changed.

And over the past almost 10 years, I've learned a LOT. 



There are so many things I wish I would've known before becoming a missionary. 

Things (in no specific order) like... 

1) Goodbyes are hard.

Oh dear me, this is so true. I had no idea how hard it would be until I held my 4 month old niece in my arms, crying my eyes out because I knew I'd be missing the majority of her little life while living/serving far away.

Or when I said Goodbye to sick family members after a summer of visiting them regularly, not knowing if they'd be alive when I returned again.

Or each and every single time I say goodbye to my mom and my brother and sister-in-law and my nieces (along with all the rest of my extended family members), not knowing when the next time I'll see them will be. 

Goodbyes are just so hard, y'all. 

2) Not all missionaries are out there building literal church buildings and preaching from behind a pulpit.

Ok, so I did actually know this. But so many do not...

Missionaries wear all sorts of hats.

* preachers * construction workers * teachers * doctors * coaches * orphanage managers * photographers and videographers * school directors * coffee shop owners * psychologists * 

 Etc. Etc. Etc. 

 3) Sacrifices Made

Missionaries make many sacrifices. 

We miss important family events - births, deaths, weddings, birthday parties, graduations, important family milestones, etc.

Many of us give up the gift of consistent electricity and water.

Many of us give up access to good medical care.

We give up comforts of home. For many of us, that means living in a place with no American foods/restaurants, nothing that reminds us of "home." 

Many of us give up a lot of our independence. We can't drive in our host country. We can't fluently speak the language/communicate with our neighbors. We can't do all the things we used to be able to do so well back "home."

But ask any of us about this and we'll tell you the same thing...

The sacrifices are worth it. 

They're so incredibly worth it for souls won for the Kingdom.

4) You learn to appreciate the seemingly little things.

I still remember the day I found a chocolate cake mix at the store. It's a little sad how happy that made me. And yes, I did pay far too much money for it. And it was worth every single penny. 

Or how about when our American Food Store started carrying kale or Vick's Vapo-rub or my favorite Ivory Body Wash. Y'all have no idea...

Or when you're in the States, fundraising, working to raise your missions budget and people you don't even know stop you in Sunday School or after the church service or even in the aisle at Wal-Mart... They stop you to tell you they've been praying for you or they stop you to give a donation to your missions budget or to give you some school supplies for the class you're starting overseas. 

5) Technology is a great thing.

Plus, in terms of missions, specifically... I can email pastors and supporters and set up speaking engagements and meetings, even before I make it back to the U.S. I can send newsletters and prayer updates. I can share pictures and stories and more, keeping my supporters up-to-date on my ministry here in Senegal. 

And on a more personal side... Y'all, we live in a time when I can be 4,000 miles and an ocean away from my mom but I can call (or video chat with) her and talk 'til my heart's content. Now... It may cost a lot. But it's so worth it.

Also, I can receive adorable videos and pictures of my nieces, allowing me to keep up-to-date on their sweet little lives even though I'm not physically there to experience all the birthday parties and dance recitals and all of that.  

6) Singleness on the field can be hard.

It's hard sometimes to be single on the mission field. This is especially true when you're the only single person on your team. There are a zillion and one reasons as to why this is true. But I'm not going to get into them here.

But know this... It's hard. So if you're on the field and you have a Single on your team, check in on them periodically. Invite them over. Make sure they feel included.

7) Planting/Growing takes a long time.

There are missionaries who have been on the field for decades who have yet to see the fruit of their labor. A co-worker's parents recently FINALLY finished the translation of the Bible in a certain people group's heart language. And y'all... It took 30 years! Yes, 30 years of pouring their heart into this work.

8) Learn the language

For most missionaries, you don't have a choice in this. But come on. Even if your ministry is like mine and you work in English, you can still learn the language of the people around. Speak to the shopkeepers and the artisan vendors. Speak to the guys carting vegetables around your neighborhood and the taxi drivers taking you around town. Speak to the nationals who work in your school/office. Speak to the servers at the restaurants where you eat. Speak in their heart language.
 

9) Flexibility is key.

 It seems simple. But it's so true.

Life is so not the same overseas. But that's good. It's worth it to step out of your comfort zone from time to time. Go with the flow. Be flexible.

10) Dig into the Word.

Seems like a no brainer, right?

Speaking from experience... When you move overseas, you may not have access to a church with preaching and worship like you're used to. And that's not always a bad thing. But I promise you. It can be hard. 

And it's times like that, especially, when you find your soul feeling dry/thirsty, that you need to dig into the Word even more, clinging to The Father, and allowing Him to re-fill your cup. 

So, stay in the Word. Stay praying. Stay close to God. Don't forget to replenish your own soul in your pursuit to filling other's...

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And then, because why not...

Here are a few "honorable mentions" I thought I'd add to the list.

Set boundaries.

Know the culture.

Home

And so much more...

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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 the fun

The Best Part of Me

Happy Tuesday!

The other day I did a fun writing activity with my students, based of the book, The Best Part of Me, by Wendy Ewald.

After looking through the book, my students and I chatted about how God made each of us to be the unique beings we are. We chatted about Psalm 139:14...

"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Then I asked them to think of the best part of THEM. 

It was easy for them to think of ideas for their classmates. My class is definitely very complimentary. They have no problem showering praise and encouragement on their classmates. But thinking of something for themselves was a little harder...

But they did it.

And it turned out so much better than I could have imagined. 



And in case anyone's wondering, all I did was help spell a few words. The rest - The thoughts and sentences - They were all them. 

And I love it.


 
I love the genuine beauty of their writing.



I love to see their thinking put onto paper.



I love seeing their love for others and themselves.



I love seeing them recognize their own talents and giftings.



And sure... This writing project did get them a writing grade.

But it was more than that.

It was a way to open their minds and their hearts to recognizing the unique way that God created each and every one of them. It was a way to open their minds and hearts to not just loving others, but also to loving themselves.

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Teacher

Want to know what one of my favorite topics of discussion is?

Teaching.

I have always wanted to be a teacher.

That has never changed.

 Some of my earliest memories are of me standing in front of a neatly sat row of stuffed animals and baby dolls, teaching my pretend students or forcing my little brother to sit still and quiet and listen to me teach him his ABCs :)

And now, I have a Bachelor's Degree, a Master's Degree, and what started as a few more classes to renew my teaching certificate is looking more like a second Master's in my somewhat near future. 

Over the past 10 years, I've taught 100+ kids, having taught General Ed. (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th), ESL (1st - 12th), Inclusion-based Special Education (1st - 5th), and Self-Contained Special Education (5th-10th).

I've taught under 8 principals in 3 schools in 2 countries, in 2 public schools in Alabama and in a Christian International school in West Africa.

And along the way, I've learned a LOT. 



There are so many things I wish I would've known before becoming a teacher. 

Things (in no specific order) like...


1) Set Boundaries and Prioritize

The To Do List will continually grow. You need to set boundaries for yourself by learning it's okay to say "no" sometimes. It's also okay to occasionally let things go and pick them up the next day. Prioritize that To Do List. What absolutely 100% must get done first? Second? And so on... 

2) The Hours 

People will make stupid (yes, I said stupid) assumptions in response to the amount of time (hours) teachers spend working.  

Teachers are so lucky. 
They only work from 7 to 3 every day. 
Teachers have all summers and holidays completely free.

Blah, blah, blah.

I made some of those same assumptions myself before becoming a teacher. I had no idea the extra hours I'd put in. Almost every teacher I know either comes in early or leaves late every day (sometimes both) and works some on the weekends as well. During school holidays and summers, teachers are prepping for the next year, out buying supplies for their students, attending workshops/seminars/conferences, earning professional development (CEU) hours, studying, etc. They might be on their school campus working or they might be working from home. But I guarantee you, they're working.

Now, with that said...

Not every teacher does this. There are the rare teachers who refuse to work extra hours. They literally put in the required amount of time and no more. I really do not see how this is possible. But hey, if they can do that, great. But I'd say that would definitely be extremely rare.

3) Lesson Planning is hard y'all.



Oh my word, y'all... Good lesson plans are not quick writes.

And when you're like me and teach students in 3 different grades (working at a wide range of ability levels) for multiple subjects a day... Well, it's like a jigsaw puzzle, trying to get all the pieces to fit together just so. And it's hard. I literally (yes, literally) plan 18-20 lessons a day, depending on the day. 

And if done well, lesson planning is more than simply writing down a page number or copying a worksheet. You're working through a set of standards that tell you what each student needs to learn each year. You have your school's "mapping" which shows the ideal time frame for each topic/standard to be covered throughout the year. You have a stack of textbooks and other materials to use. And if you have students receiving ESL and/or Special Education services, you also have a plan, you must follow to provide them with appropriate modifications and/or accommodations to the "normal" curriculum. 

And this doesn't factor in changes to the schedules, which you may or may not know about ahead of time, days when half of your class is absent, times when technology doesn't cooperate forcing you to go to Plan B, and so on and so forth.

So while it gets more routine over time, truly good lesson planning is never, ever a quick process.

4) The paperwork can be unreal.



If teachers could just teach their students and not deal with paperwork, well life would be absolutely amazing. But alas, that's not the case. 

There is a LOT of paperwork.

And if you're a Special Education Teacher, there's a zillion times more.

And it feels as if it's never ending.

5) You have to be "on" all day long.



Y'all, I didn't realize how exhausting it is to teach all day. And it's more than just teaching... You're playing the role of counselor and nurse, confidant and protector, nurturer and guide, coach and computer technician, and sometimes, you even have to play the role of surrogate mom and dad. And it's hard.

As a teacher, you can't really have an "off" day. If you do, trust me. Your students will know and feed off of that "off-ness." And then your day just kind of goes downhill. And yes... I do realize that no one is perfect. Sometimes those "off" days happen in life. But as a teacher, it's far more difficult.

6) Teachers NEED help/support.

Teachers NEED help and support from...

* administration * fellow teachers * support staff * parents * society *

7) Flexibility is key.

Nothing ever goes according to plan all the time. 

You have to just roll with the punches.


8) Be prepared for anything to happen during school.

  I've been peed on, pooped on, bled on, and thrown up on.

I've gotten sick (throwing up) and had to send a sweet little 1st grader running to the principal's office to get help. That was fun... Not.

I've been in school in a room with a glass door, right by the exit, waiting with a class of medically fragile students with severe special needs, as we were on lockdown, waiting for the shooting happening a few feet away from school.

I've taught without electricity and without water.

I've taught in the Hot Season in West Africa, with temp's at or close to 100F with ridiculously high humidity with no A/C.

 I've written 20+ worksheets and tests by hand when the copier was broken.

I've had a bus not show up to take us to a field trip, leaving me scrambling to find drivers to transport my 16 students and myself where we needed to go.

I've gotten multiple new students who spoke absolutely no English whatsoever, with no warning and no ability to converse with them.

Teaching is full of all sorts of unexpected things.

And instead of letting it stress you, learn to laugh at the insanity :)

9) Breaks? Ha!

Not every teacher has a lot of free time. I have one break a day, in which I'm supposed to do lesson prep AND eat lunch. And I often am required to have meetings during that time, which means I don't get a break at all. 

And I know of teacher friends who have even less than me.

So yeah... Future teachers should know that multiple break times, or even a break time in general, are definitely not guaranteed.

10) Remind yourself of your why.

When times get hard, remember WHY you started in the first place.

You're there for the kids.

And you're there because God placed you there.

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And then, because why not...

Here are a few "honorable mentions" I thought I'd add to the list.

To get respect from students, a good teacher should show respect.

 Finding a job is often difficult.

Sometimes, you feel like a one-man island. 
 ** This is especially often true for Special Education Teachers. 

More degrees/experience mean more pay.
** Well, it does in the States. Not where I am now. Ha! ;)

A "thank you" from a student or parent is the BEST.

Getting supplies/materials sometimes (a lot of times, actually) requires teachers to spend their own money.

The internet is a valuable tool.

And so much more...

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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 the fun