Being an Art Teacher (and other stuff)

Three weeks in........

I love my job! Sure, there are difficult classes and kids I wish I could send right back to their classroom teachers instead of having them in mine! But life as an art teacher is wonderful. I get to see 60-80 different kids each day. I have 4th and 5th grades for two periods in a row, and 3rd graders twice a week. They are eager to learn, excited to see little drawing tips I give them, and they sometimes even applaud if I draw something on the board for them. It's a fun job. I love the opportunity I have to be creative every day, to bring that out in kids, and to see so many different kids.

I miss the bond I had with my own class, though. I have so many special relationships with kids I've taught in the past--we keep in touch through email, facebook, and myspace, and some of them have even babysat Luke! I don't think I'll develop that kind of bond with these kiddos simply because I don't see them enough--but there are some great kids.

I'm having a hard time learning names. I know the names of the kids who are different-looking (meaning they have blonde or red hair, darker or lighter skin, super-curly hair, etc) or the ones who are behavior problems already. I also know the names of the ones who are already behavior stand-outs in a good way. The others...there are so many kids with the same color of black hair, and beautiful caramel colored skin, with dark brown or black eyes and they all resemble each other...and too many are named Hussein or Youssef or Mohamed to keep track...or Noor or Yasmine...slowly I am getting them, but it's taking quite a while. I've asked the kids to test me--come up and ask me if I remember their names--and I am doing better with them this week!

I had been forewarned about behavior--these kids are so social, they don't listen, etc. I am finding that they are indeed social, but so far respond well to the boundaries I've set, the incentives I've given, and the behavior plan I've implemented. I have had to adapt a lot from what I used in my regular classroom, but so far, things seem to be working fine.

My classroom is less decorated than any I've ever had. Part of that is because I have just not had a lot of decorating time--other needs were more pressing, like cleaning out my monster of a storage closet (more on that later), part of it is because I didn't bring much from home in the way of decorations, and the other part is that I'd like the walls to be filled with student work. We have only worked on portfolio decorations so far, so there's nothing to hang up. Maybe at the end of next week I'll have some. However, here are some pictures of my room right now. There are lots of tables, so I have lots of possibilities for ways to set up the room. The chalkboard and whiteboard are hung vertically, which limits my space for drawing, but looks interesting. Here is my storage closet NOW--I should've taken a picture before. There were tables all around the edges where the shelves are now, with everything sitting on top of the tables or under them. Five years' worth of dust covered everything. There was some organization, but not much. I spent about 4 solid days dusting stuff off, pulling it out of the closet, waiting for shelves to be built, and reloading the closet. It is so organized now--I love it! I even made labels for where everything goes so I won't forget. The person who comes here after me will LOVE me for it!

Luke is still doing well at school. He is doing better when we leave, too. He insists that he wants to get up and kiss us goodbye before we leave. If he's still asleep, I go in and kiss him and try not to wake him, but sometimes he wakes up, sees us off, and then starts his morning. Leni is still a dream. She's great with him and she takes good care of us. The food she makes tastes like Sunday dinner every night!

Many of you know how I agonized over coming back to work on MANY levels--leaving Luke being most important, but also because I just wasn't sure I ever ever ever wanted to teach again when I left teaching three years ago, and also because I was unsure of the students here. I was anxious much of the summer, but, guys, God is so good--He is in control of the details. Looking back, I see His hand at work preparing me for this job, for these students, for leaving Luke. He allowed me to do this in baby steps by sending Luke to school 3 days a week last year, then working at the library with him, getting used to being back in a school. We also met Leni when Luke got to go play at a friend's house where Leni was the nanny. When that family knew they were leaving, they asked us if we'd consider hiring Leni. Then the list of available jobs came out last spring, and something told me just to ask for the art job. If I didn't get it, no big deal, but just ask. I did, and my principal was willing to take a chance on me. Thank God for that. I am in a position I never dreamed of being--one where I look forward to going to school each day, and though I have the occasional twinge of wishing I could be home with Luke, I am content to leave him with Leni and satisfied that he is happy, healthy, and well-cared for. As I look back at these events, I am amazed and grateful. Anyone who heard me declare three years ago that I planned NEVER to go back to teaching can be pleasantly surprised right along with me!

We have a busy week coming up--we're starting a new home group Bible study with several other families from our church. This is something we've needed and missed since we got here. There are very few couples with kids who teach at AIS, and I want to know other families in Cairo with young kids. We asked the church to consider starting a "family" group where kids were welcome to come play while the adults were together, and this year they've done it. I'm excited to meet them on Tuesday.

We also get to go to the school's annual Iftar feast on Sunday night. The breaking of the fast meal each evening during Ramadan is called Iftar. The school hosts one for all its employees each year. Jason and Luke went last year, so this will be my first year to go.

And, on Monday night, I audition for the church's worship team. Wish me luck on that one--at this point, I have no voice! I've got a sinus infection/cold that has had me feeling really crummy all week long, and I am hoping my voice will be well by Monday and that I can sing on pitch Monday night!

No travel plans until the end of the month. We get a long weekend at the end of Ramadan, and we're going to Dahab on the Red Sea with some friends from school. The snorkeling/SCUBA diving there is supposed to be second best in the world--The Great Barrier Reef being first. We are going to get a little mask and fins for Luke and let him try snorkeling with us. We brought a life jacket from home. We'll let you know how that goes!

I will leave you with a few pictures of Luke. One is Luke and Leni on Luke's first day of school and the other is Luke with Mohamed Policeman, the man who guards our street. He is very kind and loves Luke a lot.