I love all my classes and I love all my kids-truly. However, one class above the others sticks out in my mind. It stands alone because of how insane the class can be and how utterly clueless I sometimes feel teaching them!
Which class? My Potato Pals 1 class (aka the one that I started 8 weeks ago/the ones that I got to name/the ones that are 4-6 years old and are in their first english class ever). So it makes sense, right? They are babies!!! Of course it would be a crazy class!
Anyways, the point of that matter is that that class is SO up and down. I will have a great class and come home so encouraged-feeling like we are getting somewhere. Other days, it will be as if we went back in time. Like we digressed by a few weeks...which leaves me wondering if they are absorbing anything at all that I am attempting to teach.
Last week especially was pretty rough. There was one day in particular that I was feeling rather discouraged. After my first class, I ran downstairs to grab something for the upcoming class. In the process, I ran into a mother of one my Potato Pals students. She speaks some English and thus I was able to converse with her for a little bit.
I told her how I said seen a lot of improvement in her daughter "Karen" (yes mom-the little girl named after you!) as of late and how much I enjoyed having her in class. Karen's mother was so sweet as she thanked me for teaching her daughter and said how much of a difference she has seen in her confidence level!
She went on to tell me how Karen won't let anyone go drink water or go use the restroom at home until they have said "excuse me". You see that is one of our class rules...if they need to get a drink of water or use the bathroom during class they have to say "excuse me" before they are allowed to go.
I walked away from that conversation absolutely floored! Karen understood what was going on in class enough to implement class rules in her home! Ha! What wonderful news (I mean, I feel bad for the family that they now have a water and bathroom passwords...but what great news on the teaching level :)
I entered into my next class at a much better place emotionally. Then after all the kids had gone home for the evening, my TA for the Potato Pals class came into my classroom to tell me that one of my student's mother's had called her. My initial reaction was "Uh oh." But she quickly reassured me that it was a good phone call.
The mother wanted me to know that her son Tom will no longer brush his teeth before he eats breakfast...he vehemently insists that he eats breakfast first and then brushes his teeth...a rather strange message to pass along, right? To me, it meant the world though! You see, the curriculum-the Potato Pals 1A book is called "In the morning". It consists of sentences and vocabulary associated with morning routines. In the book "In the morning I eat breakfast" comes before "In the morning I brush my teeth" and apparently my student Tom really took that to heart :) Adorable. Simply adorable.
Such simple little things...but they were the exact encouragement that I needed. Thank you Lord!
Though a seemingly slow process...my students and I are both learning...and what a beautiful and messy journey it is proving to be.
Grace and peace,
Kait
