Student Files: Kimberly

Haha! I can't even think of Kimberly without laughing!

She is so smart. She is so goofy. She is such a tomboy.

For the Science Fair I let 5B choose their groups to work in. They split into two groups; one group was all the girls and the other group was all the boys... and Kimberly. She was totally fine with it. I think Katherine teased her about it. Kimberly shrugged, sat down, and smiled.

Kimberly was named Star Student because of an incident that happened in class.

Alondra would NOT share her Bible book with Byron. Byron had forgotten his and I asked him to share with Alondra (it's punishment--I make the boys and girls share books if they forgot theirs... they do NOT like sitting with a member of the opposite sex! haha!). Well, Alondra didn't just complain, she flat out refused. Poor Byron looked confused and bewildered! Alondra moved her desk two inches farther every time he tried to even look at the book to follow along with the story.

I kept my eye on the situation--Alondra, displaying her stubborn streak, would not give in. Suddenly I saw Byron turn around. Kimberly nodded at me and handed him her book with a smile. She scooted her desk quietly next to Andrea's chair and kept following along. All without saying a word.

Oh, and she's a Math wiz like no other. I love having Kimberly in my class!

Copan!

Happy Semana Santa!

Last week kept me busy with recuperation tests and Parent/Teacher Conferences.

I can't believe it's April already! On Sunday Andrea, Kandice, and I took two buses and 7 hours to the little town of Copan Ruinas, on the Guatamalan border. It's the home of the famous Copan ruins, some of the most intricate Mayan ruins in Central America. We found our hotel and hunkered down for some real vacation time. On Monday we went on a horseback ride on tiny, but very determined horses. Our guide Ephraim explained history of the Mayans and pointed out notable sites in very very slow spanish. I felt quite accomplished when I understood almost everything he told us (or at least the main points! haha!)

On Tuesday we took a tiny little mototaxi to the actual ruins. I loved exploring the temples, seeing the famous ball court, and climbing the centuries-old steps! I can hardly believe how intricate everything is! We thought we were fortunate to have an overcast day for our exploring. Unfortunately, it started drizzling. Then it rained. Then it poured a good, sturdy rain-forest rain. haha! We took cover under trees on our way back to the museum at the entrance!

Today we're back in Comayagua because tomorrow is the big Semana Santa celebration. Comayagua's got the second largest celebration in Central America, so we have to see it! They decorate the streets with intricately designed carpets made out of colored sawdust. It sounds amazing!

On Friday I will have exactly 2 months left in Honduras and only about 8 weeks of teaching. I'm starting to think about what I want my kids to remember when I leave. I hope they remember the important things. Will they remember how to change an improper fraction into a mixed number? Or will they remember how much their teacher loved them?

Twenty-one.

I'm officially super late at posting this, but here it is.

On March 25, 2009, I turned 21!

I woke up to smiley-face post-it notes put up by my very awesome housemates saying "Happy Birthday." All the missionaries made me an awesomely huge breakfast. Aren't these girls amazing???

At school my 4th A girls came running up to me--"Miss! There is a cake!!" They were so proud of themselves. (Erick, the trickster, tried to take credit for it all. He said, "Miss, look what I did for you." Dariela and Raquel almost screamed, "Noooo, Miss! He did nothing!!! It was us!" haha!)

My 5th graders hugged me, sang for me, and in general were everything a teacher could want. Sally looked up at me with her mischievious eyes as she hugged my middle, "Miss, I forgot it was your birthday!" I should've suspected then.

As it was, Alondra found me after school. "Miss!!! We came back to the classroom from computers and there is a big frog in there! It's thiiiiiis big!" I had to smile to myself. (I'd seen them trick Miss Emily for her birthday). I have to admit, they surprised me with all the confetti they pelted me with as I opened the door! Balloons, confetti, Dunkin Donuts, and soda. I love my kids!

My 4A girls demanded that we cut the cake after school. I think their favorite part was smearing pink frosting all over Miss Kristen's face! haha. Kora said she liked my "make-up." :D

That night the Missionaries made me a surprise Italian dinner--I'd gone to a soccer game out in the country with Andrea (little did I know, she was babysitting me!) We ate such good food, took tons of pictures, and didn't stop laughing.

What a perfect way to turn 21!

Student Files: Geovanny

Ahhhhh.... Carlos Geovanny. This is the second Carlos in 5B, hence, we call him Geovanny.

I don't think I've ever met a crazier kid. He bounces off the walls, all over the place, touching everything, falling everywhere. I call him a sloppy genius--his Math book looks like he scribbled all over it, but all his answers are all correct.

Every week he comes to my desk to tell me the memory verse and puts on a show for the class. I need to take a video of it.

When I call him for his turn he shouts from his desk, "No! Geovanny no come today!" Then he stumbles out of his desk like he's marching towards the guillotine. "No, Miss!" He collapses against the wall behind my desk and waves his hands all over the place. He grabs my arm, pretends to cry, and more likely than not, falls on the floor in a pretty realistic panic. By this time most of the class has stopped working on their worksheet and is laughing histerically. Finally I say, "Geovanny, you have 20 seconds."

When the majority of the class finally ignores his show, Geovanny stands, back against the wall, swaying back and forth, waving his hands like a conductor, and repeats the memory verse flawlessly.

Messy + brilliant + wayyyy too much energy + performer + always happy = Geovanny. :D

Student Files: Daniela

Daniela. I think she's a new favorite.

Last partial Daniela didn't pass Math. This partial she's one of my few faithful participants.

"So what kind of fraction is this? Anyone? ....Daniela."

"An improper fraction."

"Very good! And how do we fix an improper fraction? Eduardo, turn around. How do we fix an improper fraction? Alessandro, where's your notebook?"

Daniela's concetrated expression reaches me from the back of the classroom. "Daniela, what do we do?"

"We divide?"

"Very good!"

Last partial her dad was in the US buying products for the family company. When he got back, she couldn't talk about anything else. A lot of families live that way--one parent, or even both parents, work in the US and send money back home, so our kids live in single-parent homes or with their grandparents, aunts, or cousins.

I adore her hardworking, non-complaining, positive attitude, not to mention her quiet teasing. Plus, she's always at the door when I come into class, "Miiiiiss. Good morning! Can I help you?" (As she pries the water bottle out of my hands.) :D

Parciales otra vez.

Hello from Partials week!

Last week we held our evangelistic series in the school auditorium! Every night the missionaries led song service (I had so much fun singing familiar praise songs in Spanish like ''Abre mis ojos, oh Cristo'' which is ''Open the eyes of my heart, Lord'') Kandice's brother flew down and did the preaching--it was so nice to hear sermons in English! The school arranged transportation, so every night a bus load of people poured into the church. I think there were 12 or more baptisms on Friday night--one of them was Sheila, one of my 4th grade girls, and her mom!

This past Saturday night the missionaries played a soccer game against the girls of a neighboring church. We tied 2--2, playing harder than ever. Those girls were good! After the girls game (while the guys showed us what a real soccer game should look like!) we played games with the church kids--London Bridge is Falling Down, En la Mar y En la Tierra (On the Beach, On the Shore--which I always knew as On the Line Off the Line), and Simon Dice (Simon Says). Those kids went wild!

This week I plan to kick back, relax, finish all my grading, and maybe see a little more of Comayagua. During Partials week we have only three class periods so my school day ends at 9:30! It's always a bit of mini-vacation! (Of course, this means we're starting the fourth quarter already... which I'm not quite ready to realize yet!)

Mindy and Karen (two girls who taught here last year) are visiting from Walla Walla during their Spring Break! It's been fun to compare stories and experiences with people who went through the same thing!

Happy Spring Break to most of you! I hope you're enjoying some much needed R and R.

Buses!

On Friday I named our new Star Students for the week. I came up with a new system--Emily and I decide on one student (one in 5A and one in 5B) who we've noticed and then that student gets certain privileges. We chose Keila in 5A. She'd been busily coloring her Bible worksheet and looked up in shock when I called her name. She ducked her head and smiled shyly the whole time I gushed about her helpful attitude. Made my day!

I spent most of the weekend on buses! Friday night we packed up and headed for Lake Yojoa again. When we got off the bus at the station I heard one of my favorite worship songs playing in spanish--we stepped right into a Friday night evangelistic series on the side of the road! I loved it.

We had our own church service (I read scripture) before heading down the dirt road. We stood next to the paved highway, waiting for the next bus to Peña Blanca. From there we hopped a Rapidito and then walked to the Centroturistico for the Puhlapanzak Falls. If you've never heard of this place before, google it! It's the biggest waterfall I've ever seen! Next time we go we're going to hire a guide to take us to the caves behind it!

Yesterday Bethani, Kayla, and I took a day trip back to the Valle de los Angeles. We went there 2 months ago to do our Christmas tourist shopping and since then we've wanted to go back. I bought myself a sarong for the soon approaching summer, we ate baleadas at a local Comedor, and hopped buses back and forth.
I'm beginning to understand the bus system here. The bus stops anywhere, as long as you're standing on the right side of the highway. The ''money man/guard" hangs out the door to see if you want his bus. You flag him down and the bus pulls to the side long enough for you to scramble onto the typical yellow high school bus that's been converted to a passenger bus. When you take your seat, the ''money man'' comes by with a stack of Lempira and collects your fare. Now you brace yourself to spend the ride (which can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 1/2 hours) trying not to watch the road curve around mountaintops and the pine trees pitch past you. As long as you don't watch where you're going, you don't have to worry! :D