Reading is still going very well. I am amazed at how much my kids are growing. Please, please pray for a miracle: that ALL my children would be on a fourth grade reading level by year's end.
Social Studies was both good and bad today. On the bad side, most of the 3rd grade did very poorly on their tests. I was very disappointed. They had a million reasons why they didn't study but they were just excuses. It was a wake up call for both of us.
Also, two of my students were talking during the test. I told them to stop once. Then I told them I would give the both Fs if they said another word. To my surprise, they did again! And so, I got up and took their tests. They both looked a little stunned. I simply said, "I warned you." Later, one of the girls timidly came up to my desk. There were tears in her eyes. She told me "Miss Brendsel, I was only asking how to spell a word." I explained to her that I had no way of knowing if she and T were cheating. Also, I had warned them not to talk anymore. But then as I looked into her very remorseful eyes, I remembered a time in second grade when a sub grabbed by the arm and told me to "keep my eyes on my own paper." I was mortified. I remember that the only reason I was looking at the kid's paper was because I had bet him that he couldn't get every word right on his test and I was just checking his status. I was NOT cheating. I was humiliated by her accusation and when I looked at W, I remembered that moment and felt a wave of compassion and grace. I told her that I believed her and that I would give her grace this one time. I therefore allowed both children to retake the test at lunch. After all, the purpose of the test was to see what they were learning, not determining if they were getting into Harvard.
And finally, today I got offered the JV Girls Basketball coach position. The school secretary and someone from HR plotted together to get me to fill this vacant position. To take on this job, I would have to quit the after school program. It would also require that I leave school early on game days and attend practices every day until however long. Worst of all, it would require that I interact with teenagers...Yikes! I went over to the high school and met the head coach--the cousin of one of my students and the secretary's son. He seemed nice enough and like he knew his stuff. As for the girls, I will admit that they scared. They looked like a tough bunch. Natives are naturally built taller than most people from back home and this was very evident from the team. I am fairly tall but many of the girls towered over me and looked as if they could break me in half and eat me up for dinner.
I'll be honest-- I was afraid. I was not afraid that they would hurt me, but that when (not if) they were disrespectful, that I would not know how to deal. I can't exactly tell a 17 year-old girl that she is not being "a world changer." Can you imagine her reply? I can, and it includes a lot of expletives. I have known this for a long time--my gifting is with younger children. That is where God has called me. I am not willing to miss class time and abandon the after school program to coach, even if it is a sport I once loved. I am called to love my babies. And so, I am going tomorrow I am going to respectfully say No--a big deal for me.
Well, I had better get back to work!
B
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