July 2, Saturday Morning

I am on a real computer today and actually know the date. I think I was off before.

We are officially half done with summer school. I was sharing some of my antics with my students with my parents and they asked if I was taking pictures. I said that I was taking pictures, but I don't think I should legally post them on facebook without parental or student permission. The same comes here. I am cautious about what I share just due to what is right for the kids. However, that said, I can give you a little of the flavor of my classroom so you can know what it is like.

The mornings at school start with one 2 teachers and some student helpers on recess duty. The kids are dropped off by the busses or by parents somewhere between 7:30 - 8:20 AM. Our littlest kids (3 - Kindergarten) play on the kindergarten playground, and the older kids (1st - 5th grade) play on the elementary playground. This past week I had recess duty two of the mornings. I love watching the kids play. They form these little groups and everyone has their own thing that they like to do. One group plays over on the slide. A couple of groups of kids like to play four square. Then there is the lego contingency this year. The kids bring huge sets of legos and play in the breezeways many mornings. Finally there is the bug collecting group. The kids run around and collect everything from cicada bug shells (they can't seem to catch the real bugs - at least not that I've seen yet), grasshoppers, roly-poly's, to pointing out the dreaded caterpillars. For the most part they all seem so happy. My heart, however, has gone out more and more to the very few kids that seem withdrawn and not connected with someone else. I have one extremely shy 4th grader that doesn't seem to play with anyone. She sits by herself most of the time, so lately I have gone to sit with her. She told me she really isn't quiet but is very noisy at home. I don't see that at school, however. I think she's a little hesitant with her english and just doesn't say much here. (I can relate to that on a very personal level.) I pray for her to feel comfortable and accepted every time I see her. She seems happy, but I want her to feel connected.

From recess the kids all go to chapel. The current music teacher of the school leads the kids in singing a couple of songs followed by a Bible story. They are learning aboaut the book of Acts this summer and I am always surprised by how much the kids remember and retain from the stories. Lately, they have set up chairs for the 4th and 5th graders to sit in. One of my 4th grade girls prefers to sit on the floor with the 3rd graders, and I'm fine with that. The rest of the kids all sit in the back on the little chairs. Then, after the younger kids are dismissed the 4th and 5th graders are supposed to pick up their chairs and put them away. All week I wathed one of my 5th grade boys voluntarily (without being asked for even hinted at) willingly pick up three extra chairs just to help out. He carries them over and puts them away without a single word. Then, he happily gets back in line and proceeds. I have made a big deal to try to commend him for it the past few dyas too.

After chapel we walk the kids up to their classrooms for class. I meet first with my 4th graders. I do only have 5 kids in that class. They are a good group of kids. I have one little live-wire who always keeps me laughing. God intentionally made him as cute as a button, with huge dimples on both cheeks, because he knows how to walk the line. He does EVERYTHING in fast speed. He lines up fast, he gets a drink fast, he uses the bathroom quickly, he reads fast, he completes his math fast, he talks fast. Everthing is fast! I would slow him down, but he's accurate and usually gets 100% on all he does too, so my challenge is to keep him busy. One day as we were walking to class he announced to me, "I like to talk," his huge grin splitting his face. I looked at him and said, "I can tell." He always has some sort of story for me, and it makes me smile. My other students in that room are much quieter and more thinking than acting. My one young boy, the one who had behavior challenges during the school year, has been a real treat in summer school. He really does seem to love Jesus, and asks some very good - thinking questions after chapel. Three of the kids in the room are just great at math and could really be doing some upper level math acceleration, but the other two are struggling with the basics. My challenge with them is to keep them all happy and learning.

At 10:00 I send the kids downstairs for recess break and a chu-chu (a frozen juice popsicle). When they return at 10:15 the kids switch rooms. I get the 13 5th graders in my room at that time. The energy level does increase with the additional bodies. It is amazing how much difference a year does make, academically speaking and in size of the kids. This group of students has to work hard to listen to and follow directions. Several of them are talkers, like my one 4th grader. Also, similar to the 4th grade class, I have a range of abilities. This class could easily be split into 3 sections. 3 - 4 of the kids struggle with basic math facts, about 3 are performing at grade level, and the rest are really high fliers. I try to give each group a little something to keep them learning.

My 5th graders really wanted me to bake them something as a treat last week, so I made a loaf of bread to share with them on Friday. They really seemed to appreciate it and were thankful and kind. The anecdotes they tell me every day keep me laughing. I have quite a mixture of kids in that room, but the majority speak Japanese at home. I have one girl with some sort of Slavic heritage, one American, one Chinese, one Korean, and the rest - I think are Japanese/Okinawan.

I work with the 5th graders until 11:30 and then I walk them down for lunch. One of the kids in that class is only half day, so she heads home at that time and the rest are in the lunch room. Each teacher has lunch duty once a week. My day is Thursday, but the challenge with Thursdays is that the kids head to the swimming pool on Thursdays at noon. I have to encourage them to eat quickly and then chaperone little energetic bodies as they attempt to change clothes to put on their bathing suits. At noon, the offical hand-off to the afternoon staff takes place. My kids want me to go with them to to pool next week, however, so I may join them for one week.

That's pretty much what the days at school are like - it may guide in knowing what I am doing?

As for outside activities? I have been staying busy. I have taken my friend Lisa's electric assist bike out to use a few times this week. Once I biked up to the pottery village and yesterday I biked up to Onna Village where a friend is house-sitting at a place with paddle boards.

I went Snorkeling from land on Wednesday after school with a group of people, at Maeda Point (for those familiar with the area). It is amazing to see God's creative handiwork undewater. Every color of fish and creature possible!

Thursday, I went by boat with a different group of people up to the same area to snorkel again. We went a bit further North so I was able to see even different sea life. Max, the friend who owns the boat, caught a puffer fish for us all and we kind of played with him in his puffed up state for a while. He deflated and swam on his merry way after a while. On the boat home we watched the sun set around us. Again, what an artist our Lord is!

Friday, I biked up to go paddle boarding and then was going to go night snorkeling. I guess I missed my group by a matter of minutes. They were late, I was early . . . whatever the case. I missed out on that opportunity, but I had an amazing and full day anyway.

Now today is Saturday. I am sitting in my kitching writing now. I just went out for breakfast with one of my friends who works in the office. We were able to reconnect and share stories from the past several years to catch up. Now, I am just keeping my eye on a baby gecko that is on my counter here in the kitchen. He knows I'm not overly keen with having him here, but it is preferable to have geckos to roaches, so I know I"m supposed to leave him alone. I just don't like seeing him! I keep telling him to go away, but he's not listening.

The rest of the day? I have been asked to go to an American style bath house up North with a friend. I have been informed I get to keep my bathing suit on the whole time, so . . . I think I will give it a try. It is a beautifully sunny day and I would hate to waste a moment of it!

My itching continues, but it is so much better. The redness has almost disappeared entirely. I still take allergy medication at night and rub some medicated ointment on two or three times a day. It seems to keep the itching in check.

Other than that, I pray that I continue to live in the moment. Savor each day that the Lord gives me and do His will as He requests.