My 3rd Graders :)

I was back at school this week, after a wonderful and relaxing Spring Break. It felt great to be back, I had really missed the kids and was glad to see them!! My class was scheduled to perform at assembly on Monday...and I was nervous that over break that would forget the songs and skits. But they didnt!! They did a great job presenting on the life of Moses, and I was so very proud of them. Seriously, they just did such a wonderful job acting, singing, and memorizing lines...they all worked so hard. Many parents came out, and I think they (as well as other teachers and students) were quite amazed with the performance! It reminded me of being at HCA and performing a play on the life of Moses in 2nd grade! I still remember my lines at Miriam. Here is a picture of my kids before the play in their costumes.

This past week my students took the Standford Achievement Tests. It was their very first exposure to standardized testing, and they did a great job. Towards the end of the week, the kids were all "mouthing" along with me..."You may check your work on these pages only, but do not go to any other part of the test....any questions? you may begin working." They couldn't really understand WHY they needed to fill in the bubbles completely or WHY they couldn't write in their test booklet. After about the 7th explanation I just started saying, "because." It was 10 hours of testing total (2 hours each day) and that is a lot for anybody, especially 8-9 year olds.

I really love my job. And love that I get to do something I really enjoy! These kids teach me so much everyday, and I take great pleasure in being their teacher. They have shown me so much grace and love, as I have attempted to teach them. They are patient with me when I totally blow a lesson or am not as organized as I should be. I will forever be grateful to them for the kindness that have shown me, as a 1st year teacher in a foreign country. Sometimes I even forget I am teaching in a foreign country...until yesterday! My kids were taking the Social Studies part of the SAT, and most of the questions were about American history, government, etc. Only about a fourth of my class knew answers to questions about Martin Luther King, what a mayor was, where the president lived, etc. I just told them it was okay if they didnt know the answers and to do the best they could!