Today is the third day of classes at NOE for me. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays i have one class in the morning and three in the evening, all four of these classes are kids in their second year of English. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays i have 2 classes in the evening, one is primary English and the other is teaching the kids that are coming to portland next year about American culture. On Wednesdays i also help out with Exploradores, or the Mexican version of Kids Klub.
When i started teaching, i wasn't nervous at all. I have taught swim classes for years so teaching isn't new to me. However, in the classroom i felt very different. For every class, except the exchange group where Spanish is not allowed, i have to speak in Spanish at least part of the time. it is stretching me like crazy. I am worried that the kids won't respect me because they see me struggling in front of them. I pray that they will still respect me and desire to learn from me even when i make mistakes. I told them they could laugh at me when i make a mistake in Spanish, so they all enjoy that.
I also told them that they get to be my teachers as well, so they like the idea of that. I do too, i love to learn and i love to teach, so i love it even more when i can do both of those things at the same time!
It has been really cool to use my 10 minute walk to NOE as time for prayer for my classes, and then to feel God's presence in my classroom. Yesterday, the first time i taught the primary kids, i was scared to death!!! These kids have about the equivalent of a year's worth of English, so how can they understand me if i am only speaking in English??? but God provided. He allowed me to teach in Spanish and English, in Spanish with many words i did not know that i knew, and he also provided a girl in my class who is willing to help translate what i say to the rest of the kids.
My experiences here are showing me how much i LOVE teaching!!!! This is something i want to do for the rest of my life!!! There is NO doubt at all in my mind about that!!!
*Thank you for all the prayers about my family situation. Shortly after writing that last blog i had a 3-hour conversation with my family. We took turns expressing frustrations, reviewing rules, and letting them get to know me because before that they literally knew almost nothing about me. That conversation has made life here, since then, much easier for me. I pray that it will continue to get easier and that i will continue to become a part of this family.
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