my own classroom!

This last week, the third classroom in our school was completed. The remaining “walls” made of tree leaves were put up and the classroom was enclosed and ready for use. (The question was… was I?)

My co-teacher Salena has been joking with me that every time we get a new student it is like I have “birthed” another child and its because I’m not taking family planning courses. Family planning is something that is much needed in this area and I love that she jokes with me about it because I know that means she’s comfortable enough with me to do so. Since I’ve returned we’ve gained at least 10 kids on our roster putting our count up to 46! (I wonder where this class is??) J

46 kids ranging from 2 years old to 8 years old in one small classroom with not enough benches and enough noise and needed attention make 2 teachers crazy at the end of each day. Wednesday we had a conversation and decided it would be good for me to take my own class.

So Thursday morning we met altogether for devotions and then split to two rooms. We took roll call and then she looked at me and said, “So you are going to take a class together of your own?” I smiled and said, “sure” with a grin of uneasiness and knew the task that was ahead of me was not going to be easy! We together choose 12 (now 13) kids who we call the “playgroup/baby class” and I took them to the newly finished classroom.

To say it was wild is an understatement! As I sat on the floor with maybe 8 of them paying attention, a few outside running around and a few climbing the walls (literally) I thought to myself, “this was a really bad idea!” I attempted to review the letter sounds of a, b, c, and d and the objects that go with them…apple, ball, cup and duck. I then asked for their books and drew pictures of each one for them to color.

As I handed out crayons and saw them independently working in their books, bringing them to me to show me how well they’ve done and then going back to do more made my heart so happy! Many of these kids (because of their young age in a class with so many other kids) had spent more time crying and fighting than learning. So to see all of them working on the ground, mumbling to themselves quietly, and running up to me with smiles instead of tears was amazing. I know we are going to have difficult moments but it was times such as these that I must cling to.

After language it was time for PE and so I took them outside where we jumped, stretched and did some running. I had them run to a tree, go around and then come back, and as they did they gave me a high five.

This little cutie below is my youngest, his name is Denis and this was the first smile I had seen all week. The other little boy Humphrey is his neighbor and has been his buddy since he started. He was there cheering him on as he finished, so awesome!

As the older kids came out to join us I released them for break time to play until the porridge was ready. It was at this point I realized I was exhausted! Between trying to keep 12 kids in the class, trying to come up with the Swahili to teach them and also the words to keep them under control… it was quite a lot of work!

As break came to a close I had just over an hour to until school was out. We sang a few songs, worked on counting a bit and then I gave them each a coloring picture from one of the coloring books I have for them to do some more independent work. They love this time and so do I!

For the last 10 minutes we all sat together and I asked each one of them (one at a time) to stand up and show up their paper they had colored. I complimented their work in front of all the other kids and we did our little clap that goes like this, “Well done well done try again another day, a very good boy/girl, a very good boy/girl, keep it up, keep it up”. I loved seeing them get the attention they so need, the positive reinforcement they crave and the opportunity to show off their work. Their faces during these last few minutes were priceless! (And I’ve decided this is how we will end each day).

It was now time for them to go home so I told them, “Tuomba” –let us pray, “funga macho” –close your eyes, and said a line in English and then translated it into Swahili. As I say Amen it is a tradition that we do to say “grace”… “May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever, Amen.” They repeated each line after me and as we finished I looked up to none of the kids moving! I’m not sure what they wanted but I’m so used to the kids dashing out of the classroom that I wasn’t sure what to do when they all stayed! I waived and said goodbye and they repeated after me, we all smiled, shook hands and then left the class pamoja(together). I would say that is a success!

To say Friday went as well as closing time would be a lie. They are definitely trying to get away with whatever they can but I reward good behavior and efforts with a little treat (sweet or nuts) and I hope and pray that within a few weeks we can have a great class that is structured, that is fun, and that promotes great amounts of learning! May God receive all the glory as He works in us all to be more like Him.