Week One: Getting to Know the Basics!

So it's been a whole week since school started, and what a week it has been!

I am the Creative Arts, Music, and ICT teacher for Basic 1 (B1) and Basic 3 (B3). Plus I am to help out wherever I can in the Nursery classes. It's alot to cover so I will break it down for you guys.

• Nursery-There are two roughly 30 student classes. I go in on my free time to help out wherever I can. I also help them with motorskill activities, so basically I get to play a variety of games with them! :) So far we sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" then a quick ound of "Simon Says" (most just follow what I do), ans then some "Red light, Green Light" (Modified to dancing on green, and slow-motion dancing on yellow). I make sure to throw in lots of silly faces for them, and pretty much try to get them to have fun while developing those motor skills. One of the nursery classes needs more help on thinking up activities for the kids, and I am more than willing to be able to help out with that! :)
• B1-Made up of 38 5-6 year olds. On the first couple of days they were ROWDY! I'm sad to say that I even yelled at them on the 2nd day! My patience had been worn thin, and I even noticed that it also affected how I treated my B3 class. So after that "fail" Lizziey and I both decided "No more yelling, no matter what". This meant that we had to find different, more creative ways of getting their attention. So I got to work and found some cool tips that have been working so far. I say "Give me 5 (loudly, and showing 5 fingers)" and then we all start counting down to a quiet "One". Another trick I learned was to start clapping some random beat, and soon everyone has stoppe what they are doing and are trying to copy me. I also do "Signals on" (a trick form the B3 teacher Mimi) which I raise one hand above my head and the other hand making the quiet signal (index finger to my mouth). If they are being loud, I speak louder in a monotonous/robotic voice, so that they can hear me over the noise without my yelling. :) 
• B3-Made up of 36 7-8 year olds. They are by far my favorite class! I do have time when they are too loud or do ot pay attention, but they are the best behaved kids I have. All I need to do to get their attention is to sit in a chair in front of the class that faces them with my "signals on". I quietly and patiently wait for them to settle down. If that doesn't work within a couple of minutes, I just start giving out worksheets to those who do have their "signals on". Then they all quiet down so that they can get a worksheet. Easy as pie!Again they do have their ROWDY moments, but what class doesn't?

I am not expecting any of my classes to be quiet on every period. In fact I allow them to talk amongts themelves, as long as it doesnt get too loud, on certain subjects or activities. I am trying to stress the importance of "there is a time for everything". So they can be loud outside, but quieter inside; they can be be a little louder for music time, but need to be quieter for creativity. Yesterday was a success for B1, because I got them to be mostly quiet for library time, in which they read books individually in their classrooms while "pretending" to be in the library. 

One thing I will say about all of these kids: They absolutely LOVE to read! Which makes me super duper happy! :D I am still working with Lizziey to get the library finished. It is A LOT of work, and it's usually the last thing on our long list of things to do, so it gets cancelled often. We will not give up! We will keep working on making a good library for these kids, but in the mean time they are still learning about libraries and books in general. 

I've learned a lot in this first week, and I know that I still have a lot more to learn. God has been there with us every single step of the way. Every day I do my morning devotional, and every evening I manage to fit in some bible study time. I'm so glad Lizziey showed me Osward Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest", it has quickly become one of my favorite devotional. :D There have been more than one occasions where God sends us "little gifts" that brighten up our days. Both Lizziey and I feel a special connection to God through nature (especially with the stars), and on that day when we got to see them (stars) I remember that Lizziey was having a pretty bad day. After the stars came out, our of al worries just melted away and we remembered that God was in control of our lives and that He has the best of intentions for all of us. I loved something Lizziey said that night, and it's that "God can see our entire life, like we see the stars in the sky".  Meaning that our past, present, and future are just one to Him and He sees it all at once (and everyone's life) , maybe similar to how we see the stars. That though just amazes and humbles me! It lets me know that even though I am small and insignificant to the world, I am unique and significant to Him. How amazing that of all He created, He chose to love US, despite all of our flaws!  :)

Well, today we finally get to go to Accra. Wonder what adventures we will have there...

Madasi for reading. God Bless,
Jamie