The best of a teacher's world

Between facebook and the blog, I've shared the essence of my travels, the "exciting" part of my life. I shared the coffee and the beloved friends, some pretty pictures, good food, and just generally different sorts of sites. That covered my summer - EXCEPT.

Except. Teaching is a part of me. A tremendous part of my identity is that of "teacher." And for 6 1/2 blessed days of my "vacation," I taught. I had the best of a teacher's world, really: I walked into lesson plans made, all supplies ready, a well-trained classroom. Well, well-trained for Luz y Vida kids in first grade, anyway. We can disregard the random departures of a little girl who went to sit in the non-functional fireplace and the little boy who simply ran random circles. And we should be able to disregard the child who literally could NOT cease talking. Quite insignificant disruptions when you consider my last Luz y Vida class, or the fact that the first graders in Bible school were just as random, if not quite so ignorant of limitations.

Anyway, the best of a teacher's world: that it was. Spanish is a lovely language. The letters make the sounds, the sounds make the words. There are no dipthongs and exceptions and multiple ways to spell the same sound. These little first graders might have only been 10 or 12 weeks into the school year, but already they could read words. What fun to help them use a new letter in that process! What fun to have 6 students and, IF you stay on your toes, actually engage them in activities.

Luz y Vida is a ministry school. There are strengths and weaknesses in that statement. Pay is nonexistent for the "profes," and supplies are not abundant. But, like Spanish, it is simpler. The goal is that children learn.

Now, I am preparing for my school year here in the States. We have an online curriculum mapper. We have state standards. And core standards. And English language development standards. We have strategies for success, goals for AYP, and technology integration. I think our system is a bit like English: there are too many exceptions to find the rules, too many ways to success to quickly proceed in our process.

Complaining doesn't help. Cooperation does. I will pray for Luz y Vida, for volunteers, for strength and energy and wisdom, for children to hear the Word of God. And I will pray for Santa Rosa Elementary, for teachers to keep on, for strength and energy and wisdom, for Jesus' light to shine in a dark world.

That's the language of a teacher.

P.S. The best part of Luz y Vida: Two precious little boys, brothers, who were in my 4 year old class at El Otro Camino in 2008 were in the first grade. They've no structure, no money, no welfare, and no ideal parents, but through the work of the ministry, they can read. Thank you, Lord!