Read the Directions

3rd Week: check

Where has the time gone?? I am equally amazed that the time has flown by and thankful that each day ends when it does. God clearly knew what He was doing when He created days. We have 24 hours in the day. Approximately 6.5 of those are spent at school. (students, at least; teachers, much more) Boy am I glad when that 2:30pm bell rings and I walk my kiddos out to carpool. Good-bye.

Until the next day at 8am.

That's the beauty of each day. It's brand new. We get to chose how we spend it. What do you do? Mine consists of spelling words, math facts, Roman numerals, the Associative and Commutative Properties of Addition, capitalization rules, comma rules, the proper way to write cursive, the nervous system....I will stop before I mention all the random things my students share with me on a daily basis :) Then after my day ends, the other part begins. Thankfully, my aides help by scoring most of the students' work for me and I can jut go over it quickly to see if I need to review more on a certain area. The days go smoothly. Except when someone misses half of their Language questions because they underlined the word that needed to be capitalized instead of circling it. They didn't read the directions. Then it gets erased and they do it again. To me, it's slightly frustrating. But I think I am that way too. Not necessarily about school, but other places. So often I forget to read my Directions. It's called the Bible. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. It's called Prayer. It's called Godly friends and family you can talk  to. Those things are my Directions and to my chagrin, I realize that I don't read.follow them like I should. Daily I need help. My fellow teachers are an invaluable asset to me and I realize now that I did not understand the depth of work that my teachers did for me while I was in school. So now, I say, "Thank-you." For all the behind-the-scenes work you did, and for teaching me how to read the directions on my work.

Oh, and I learned that sometimes it's ok to forgo the schedule of time for a certain subject to make sure they understand the concept. Such as when the I in front of the V in Roman numerals it means 5-1. It seems like a "Duh, Lydia" moment to most of you, but I am a schedule-oriented person. Or at least a person who "does lists." The learning process never ends, even when you become the teacher. I "knew" that when I started; boy was I wrong. I really don't think you ever stop learning. Not really, anyway. Teaching definitely keeps your brain moving. That's why I am so exhausted every night. I'm brain tired. Staying one step ahead of 11 kids all day is tiring. But I love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything. At least not yet. Check back with me when I am trying to teach the 4th graders long division.

My list for Labor Day weekend is:
> do the 6 or so things you need to get done
> sleep
> read some of the new book you got
> sleep
> read
> go to church
> sleep
> read
> sleep
Common theme?? Anyone? Anyone at all?? If you said sleep, YOU WIN A PRIZE!! Although I am not sure I have anything to give. Hope you all enjoy your 3-day weekend!! Unless you are an almond farmer...or just don't have the day off. Then you can think of me and all the sleep my body will be accumulating. Wouldn't it be neat if we could somehow store it?! Ok, I'm rambling now because my brain needs sleep at this present moment. (dramatic pause) Thank-you, and goodnight.

                                                                                                        ~Miss Kelley

Who Knew?!

Who knew that bodily functions/sounds could be so intriguing to little boys???

 I sure didn't. Not until today at least. Man, did the little-boy giggles erupt!!!
SSHHHHH.
Was my teacherly response, when really I wanted to laugh at the cuteness of their giggles. Then it happened again. The same two little boys could not contain themselves. The girls complained that they were being really loud and couldn't concentrate. This much was true, and two green tallies(disruptive in class) were distributed. That got the attention of the whole class. Harsh? I pondered this to myself, but came to the conclusion that they have to learn that the classroom is for quietness and work. Outside is for noise and loud giggles. Maybe now, they got an example that "I mean business" when I say to be quiet. :) Consistency, I'm told, is key when establishing control in a classroom. I hope I can stay consistent!!

I learned that, at this age, their "sorry-ness" is real. 
One of them drew me a picture with the words "I'm Sorry" on the top with a little boy's face who was crying. crying so much that he created a waterfall and a river.
Well, at least I know that he got the picture.

I think we can learn from children to really mean it when we apologize. To genuinely be sorry for what we did. Or for hurting someone. Don't give excuses. Just be sincere.

I learned that I enjoy weekends more now than when I was in school.
Believe me. I love my "kids" but I'm ready to talk to people my age. And to rest my weary bones. Mostly my feet. Speaking of feet, I'm in the hunt for a couple of good-for-your-feet shoes that don't look like grandma shoes. Don't get me wrong, I love grandma shoes. On grandmas of course. I'm open to suggestions if you have any(non-grandma shoes preferably).
                                                                                            
I learned, on the way home from school, to not rubber-neck at someone who rear-ended someone else. You may, in fact, almost rear end someone yourself. 
                                                                                                   Until next time,
                                                                                                          Miss Kelley

Today's Lesson

It's amazing what prayer does. Today we gathered in the High School classroom to pray for our Principal who has been in the hospital since last Tuesday(I think). He missed the first day of school and every day after that so far. He had been having bowel problems. Anyways, he had surgery a couple days ago and they repaired 5-7 hernias. All was ok.

Or not.

Yesterday we learned that he had a major bacteria infection ans would be staying in the hospital even longer! This morning we found out that he is in isolation, being pumped with 3 different antibiotics. So today we gathered together, as a school, in the High School room to pray. A few of the older boys prayed and some a of the teachers. As I was peeking at my students to see if they were behaving and to my shock i found every single little body standing still with its head bowed. Then it came to me how much children understand about God. They know that when we pray we are talking to the Creator of the world. They know He hears and cares. Or maybe it was awe about being the High School room :). But they aren't worried about trying to impress others with fancy words. They just pray. And the 4 little kindergartners were bowed on their knees with their little hands clasped before them. Don't try to tell me children can't understand things of God.

Then about 15 minutes before school got out, a fellow teacher told me that He was doing a lot better. Not ready-to-come-home-tomorrow-better, but much better. WOW!! Needless to say the children were delighted. I was too. As a first-time teacher, I cannot convey how odd it is to not be able to ask him things though out the day. It is something I will never again take for granted. He does so much for the school.

Today, I was re-taught about the power of prayer. 
                                                                                         ~Miss Kelley
P.S. Please continue to pray for his continued healing and a speedy recovery.

Week One!

Well the first week is done! Wow! That flew by without so much as a see ya later. I loved every moment so much. I think i finally found my "calling" in life. To teach 8-9 year old what society deems necessary. And what the Father calls for as well. It's all a big juggling act. And this "clown" is only getting started.
Me on the first day -------->

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be a teacher, I would have had a good laugh. But I have learned that God has a good way of silencing me. A year ago, I was wetting my feet in the area of dating. It was all fun and exciting and I had grand ideas of spending the next summer(that would be this past one) in Ohio since that is where he was from. That continued until January of 2012. It ended with a huge crash. I went home to California, from a Ohio Christmas visit, with a broken-shocked heart. A broken heart that soon had mile-high walls built around it from betrayal after betrayal. Then I was immediately thrust into college classes that I did not want to be taking. I wanted to nurse my wounds, hold a grudge, and feel sorry for myself. God had other plans. He used those classes to help me heal. He used the energy I put into the homework to get my mind off myself. I shall refrain from gushing about all He used in my life. :) You see, God is amazing like that.

It's true that sometimes you can only see one set of footprints in the sand(like the poem). All I know is that God carried me. He also had a way of providing that only He could have done. I didn't have a job for about 8 months before I started teaching. Just when I needed money, a babysitting or cleaning job would come along and I'd have enough. I learned He provides. In a way that humbles me. Now I like the privilege to be able to give back to Him. Things were placed into my life that I didn't think were fair. "God, why me?" I wondered. I learned that God has a way of answering prayers that is truly wonderful. Only He knows how He will answer them. rarely are they answered with a yes or a no. They aren't audible. But He does answer. I picked up things along those places that I hold dear. I learned the tremendous blessing of friendship. They are the ones who lifted me up when I was so low and licking my wounds. I love them. I enjoyed this past summer with "reckless abandon" with those friends.

When this opportunity came along, I thought "I'll give it a try," because my tentative major in college is elementary teaching. God opened the doors and I began preparing myself for the fact that I would soon be responsible for the education of 11 little people. 11 little people that need education and Godly instruction. I am not worthy. I had and continue to have the blessing of learning from and working with the previous teacher. She has been a true blessing and example.

I love the eager eyes I see in the mornings when they all sit in their desks and write down their daily goals. I love the questions they ask. I love how they are eager to learn. I love them. You could say that I have a peace about where GOD has brought me. The road to this point has been in no way smooth. It was filled with wrong turns, detours, and plenty of potholes. I'm sure God shook His head at me more than once, and said to himself, "Lydia, why do you rush. Why are you not waiting on Me?" Like I said, He carried me. He also drug me from the bottom of those potholes, filled with doubt and anger, and set me on my feet and pointed me in the right direction.
"Dear Lord, please keep helping me."

Already, my students mean the world to me. I know there will be hard days when they just don't seem to understand long division no matter how many times I explain it. There will be days when the attitudes are smelly and they don't listen. But that's when I fall to my knees before the God of the world and plead for His help. And patience, lots of patience.
Until next time,
                      ~Miss Kelley

(I'm sorry if this was bit scattered. I keep rambling.)