Sunday, April 25, 2010

Grading Papers

I have discovered that I do NOT enjoy grading papers. However I do enjoy placing stickers on all of the A papers :)

I found out on Friday that I passed the Virginia Reading Assessment. That means I have successfully passed all three of my teacher liscensure exams! I have two weeks left of student teaching and three weeks left of the class I am taking. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Loving Math and Africa

Last week I actually had FUN teaching math! Yes it’s true. I believe many students don’t like math and think it is too hard because their teachers don’t like math and think it’s too hard. I don’t EVER want to be one of these teachers. As challenging as certain things may be for me, I hope I will always have the desire to make my lessons as engaging as possible; because it is more fun to teach the engaging lessons anyway.

Well last week in math I was teaching about preimages, images and reflections using transparent mirrors. It was really cute fun stuff and there were a lot of games that went along with it. It was the perfect topic since we had been on Spring break the week before.

For the next couple of weeks I am doing all of the teaching. I feel good about it though. I am becoming more comfortable with the 4th grade curriculum and I have gotten to know the students and their personalities a little more.

For the past year+ I have been in touch with World Harvest about missions. I have basically been having conversations with them as I was exploring what I wanted to pursue a career in; with the goal of missions eventually. Now that I am finishing my master’s degree I have been talking to them more. I am hoping to go through the formal application process this summer. There are a couple of opportunities in Africa, one in Sudan and one in Uganda. Both opportunities would include teaching missionary kids. The Sudan opportunity would be for THIS fall, which feels very soon to me. The Uganda opportunity would be summer 2011. I would love to teach in the States for a year and pay off all of my schools loans and raise support. All of this hinges of course on the application process and whether or not I am a good fit for one of these teams and vice versa.

I would love to go to Africa like yesterday. I LOVE Africa and I can’t wait to get there. In my mind I have this whole plan worked out that I will get a job in the States, pay off my loans in one school year, raise support, and go next year. And this will all work out perfectly. I mean it could happen that way. But, it might not happen that way. I know it is up to God and even though it is good to think practically and be wise with my money and other people’s money, God knows what is best. I always think I know what’s best, and how ridiculous it that really.

I would appreciate prayers for putting this all in God’s hands and trusting that He will put me where He wants me when He wants me there.