*This is a long post but I think it's worth reading to help you understand some what some of my hardest challenges have been*
As many of you know, teaching English was a huge challenge for me last year so I thought I'd write a little bit more about how teaching English at Anija and why it was so challenging.
In general, the government requires fifth through eighth grade to take both English and French classes in school, but at Anija we start English class in third grade. This year we have two third grade classes so we are teaching 7 separate grades, each twice a week. I'm not sure about you, but I had "Spanish class" in elementary school once a week and after 5 years all I had learned were some colors, numbers, and the days of the week. So let's just say I had a goal to teach the kids more then that but also understood that it's very hard to learn a language (in general) and especially when you only have classes two times a week (sometimes only once a week) for 40 minutes.
Since Anija isn't a bilingual school and the kids really aren't around English all the much, to get anything done, I felt it was best to instruct in Spanish. For example, I wanted to do a crossword puzzle for review one day and knowing that doing crossword puzzles may be confusing, I had a Dominican teacher explain the instructions (in Spanish of course), do an example, and get them started as I knew my Spanish instructions could confuse them more than help them. And what happened? It was like they hadn't listen one bit. They didn't match up the numbers and clues with the numbers in the puzzle or match the numbers across with the numbers across in the puzzle AND they just squeezed the word they wanted to use in the boxes with two or three letters in one box! This was with the seventh grade class. Needless to say, if I only taught in English I think we'd still be working on the same crossword puzzle.
Another reason teaching English was challenging is that I didn't have curriculum to use so I had been coming up with lessons for each grade without using a teacher's manual or textbooks! We have a set of Side by Side textbooks but after looking at the first chapter and seeing themes like 'learning your address, filling out a form, and what's your social security number' I thought, "There aren't even addresses in Jarabacoa! No way am I using this book." And that was it until I spoke with a fellow KAI missionary and English teacher (in Monte Plata) who told me she loved the Side by Side textbooks except for chapter one and that there should be a teacher's manual somewhere in my office. After looking and looking I finally found the teacher's manual under a box in another box and boy did planning get a lot easier!
One of the biggest challenges teaching in the DR was learning and adjusting to Dominican culture, specifically in a school setting. Learning that only 5-7% of all Dominicans graduate from high school and considering the kids we are reaching out to (abandoned, abused, neglected, those from the poorest communities) opened my eyes to the fact that these kids are most likely not getting very much support at home. With all the home visits I've done I can attest that there are very few or no books in most houses, kids are taking care of their siblings instead of doing homework after school, kids are playing in the streets until their parents come home from work, and these kids have many other things on their minds other than school.
In the classroom, kids are LOUD. No, I mean LOUD. Kids are use to yelling out instead of raising their hands, then the teacher tries talking over them, and the cycle continues. I had just graduated from a teaching credential program (with a concentration in MATH not English) with an intense course on classroom management and I think most Dominican teachers would say, "What's that?" if you asked them about classroom management. So between not knowing very much Spanish, not using any curriculum, and figuring out Dominican culture, I had my work cut out for me.
I can honestly say, after many tears throughout the year (thankfully none in the classroom), I made it through by the grace of God. Many days as I went to an empty office, set my stuff down, and asked God, "What am I doing here?! This is NOT how I expected to love these kids and I definitely didn't expect to struggle so much with the way I've been given to love these kids." I would then look at a verse posted on the wall that reads, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23 I knew I was fulfilling a need for Kids Alive and that by being patient with the kids and not giving up on them like other people have done and by showing them my imperfections like struggling with speaking Spanish but persevering were ways I was working for the Lord and loving these kids. After finding a hint of motivation, I would then ask myself, "How in the world am I going to manage these crazy kids?" and more importantly, "How am I going to do that and teach in SPANISH?!" God was always good and would bring to mind, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness..." 2 Corinthians 12:9 and boy was He faithful and gracious every day! My favorite moments during the day were those 30 seconds of silence (more or less) during class and I would just take a deep breath and say, "Thank You God, I give You the glory for these 30 seconds of calmness." And sure enough when I would come home from a rough day, I would have an email, facebook message, or comment on my blog ensuring me that I have an army of friends and family surrounding me in prayer.
So now as I'm helping the new English teacher go through some of the same struggles and as I take on the new role as the librarian (and now I can't even use the excuse of 'I'm the English teacher' for speaking English when I don't know a word), I know that God will be faithful in being my strength and ability to continue serving Him and loving these kids.
