Measure of Success

I was nervous this morning about teaching my math lesson.

I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to teach it, whether there would be language issues, if I was planning something too difficult and disorganized, and how it would go over.

We were just starting division, a very important topic in second grade.

Would they catch on?

Were the new English words too complicated?

What was I getting myself into?

 

 

The lesson completed.

Success? Yes.

How do I know?

 

The students were SO engaged in the awesome lesson, NO ONE asked to go the bathroom.

 

That, my friends, is the measure of success during second grade math.

 

Hurray for exciting math lessons. These second graders are going to rock division.

:)

Looking to the Cross

One of my favorite parts of my job is watching my students understand who Jesus is and what He has done for them. Before Easter break we had an opportunity to hear the Easter story in a special way presented through pictures. The students reflected on Christ's death and resurrection in a new and real way.  

 

 

After hearing the story from Jesus' birth all the way to his death and resurrection the students were asked some questions to think about.

Some of these questions included:

What is the most important part of this story?

Where do you see yourself in the story?

What is your favorite part of the story?

Could we take any part of the story out and have it still make sense?

 

It was so awesome to hear and see the student's answers, how they internalized parts of the story and saw the critical parts of Jesus' life.

 

 

 

Afterwards the students had a chance to draw on wooden crosses that my mom sent to me from America. Their designs showed what they had learned or were thinking about. I was so impressed by their thoughtful responses, drawings, and descriptions that they included on their crosses. It was so evident that the students really took what they had heard and seen to heart.

 

 

 

It is one of my greatest goals this year that the students come to understand how great God's love is for them and that his love will never leave them.

 

 

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

 

 

 

Hoping that this Easter is a special reminder of Christ's amazing love that knows no limits, language, boundaries, or ends.

He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter! 

Blessings :)

 

Second Grade Goes Around the World

Each year at CSK we take a break from our normal routine and take special time for Theater Week! Grades 1-5 all begin work on a special theater production that will be performed at the end of the week. This means that everything form line memorization, stage direction, props, costumes, and scenery, all gets accomplished in the span of a week!

 

Working on our props and scenery for the musical

This year second grade performed a musical written by my partner teacher. Our theme was "All around the World" and the second graders visited different places around the world that students or teachers in our class have either lived in or have a special connection to.

 

The students learned the words to "This is the Day" and a "Good Morning Song" in six different languages that we sang as we traveled to the different countries and they also learned a fun song in Swahili!





Opening slide of our powerpoint backgrounds for our play :)



We traveled to China, Nepal, Samoa, Niagara Falls (representing USA and Canada), Brazil, Kenya, and then back to Germany all in under 30 minutes. The students learned a little bit about each country, some words or customs from that place, and where it was located. We had a blast imagining what it would be like to really visit all these unique places.



Students traveling around the world in our class airplane



 

Second graders acting in the musical!

 

I also had to include these precious photos of the first graders performing "The Three Little Pigs". They did a wonderful job and it was so much fun to watch. I loved their little houses for each of the little pigs. When the wolf huffed and puffed, the house really would fall down! (Well, except for the brick one!)

 

 

One of the best parts of Theater Week is seeing the students' language abilities really shine. Almost all the students in all the grades recited their lines in their non-native language. It is such a joy as teachers to see how far our students have come in their language learning. Performance builds so many great skills and really helps the students work on their fluency. I was so impressed with the German and English language abilities by all the students. It was so fun to hear and see. The really have learned so much!

 

At the end of the second grade musical, the students sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" in English. It was the perfect closure to our trip around the world. After visiting Kenya, China, Brazil, and coming back to Europe, the students had met and seen many people and places. The song reminds the students that no matter where we go, what language we speak, what a place looks like, or what the people wear, God is present. He knows, cares for, and understands people from all nations. It's an awesome reassurance to know that God can be present in all places and at all times. It is His love and His grace that can truly unite us.

 

It is this promise that often reassures me as I live far away from my wonderful family and friends back home. And it is God's continual presence that comforts me in places near and far when loneliness or homesickness can kick in. It is my hope and prayer that the children carry this message with them wherever they go and that they continue to remember it as they learn and grow.

 

 

 

 

High School Retreat 2014

This weekend was the BFA High School Retreat in Nuremberg, Germany. I was able to travel with 300 high school students and staff to spend a great weekend together!

I had been looking forward to the retreat for several reasons:

• Quality time with my 8 awesome sophomore small group girls.
• Great conversations
• A nice change from my second graders :)
• Some new scenery (I hadn't left town for so long!)
• To see God at work in the hearts of the high school students!

I definitely wasn't disappointed! This weekend was filled with lots of great moments. The speaker challenged the students and staff with a message to stay "rooted" in Christ. His message was based out of the first two chapters from the letter of Colossians. "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him , strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Col. 6,7.
We were challenged throughout the weekend to stand firm in Jesus and to let our roots go down deep in our understanding and relationship with Him. It was a beautiful reminder of who Christ is as the Creator and sustainer of everything.
 

Listening to the speaker in the meeting room.

 

Worship time!

 

300 students and staff members at the retreat!

I was really blessed by some quality conversations with my small group girls and to watch them as they learn what it means to grow and remain rooted in Christ. They each have such unique stories and backgrounds and I'm so thankful for each of them.

My lovely small group ladies!! Love them so much :)

 Another awesome part of the weekend is that we got to stay right next to the Nuremberg castle! The castle's horse stables have been converted into a modern and unique youth hostel. We filled almost every room and had amazing views of the city. It was so much fun to feel like we were staying in a castle for the weekend!


The hostel where we stayed. It was so fun to explore!

I was so thankful for the opportunity to go to Nuremberg for the retreat and to spend time with some wonderful people in a special place! I was reminded again throughout this weekend of God's unending grace, my need for His guidance and leading in my life, and the vitality of letting my roots go down deep into His provision, love, and foundation.



English Kids Club



This year I helped to start Kids Club, an English class after school once a week for elementary aged children in my town. These kids don't go to the bilingual school and so they aren't learning English in school. It is so much fun to get to know more kids in the community and to interact with them each week!

 

Playing Twister! A great way to practice colors, shapes, and body parts all in English!

Having fun and learning English!

We have explored lots of great topics like numbers, colors, family, clothing, body parts, and animals! I am continually amazed at how fast children can learn (and remember!) language. It is such a gift to be able to learn a new language young and to practice and use what they learn. Especially when the students are motivated and enthusiastic they can certainly learn a lot! These girls are also learning French in school so often times all three languages come up during our time together! :)

 

Learning about different animals! (They made their own masks.)

 

She loves bunnies!

Every week we all have a blast learning together and building relationship with these fun girls! They LOVE learning English which makes teaching them even better. This week we got to talk about "love" as we made Valentine's together. It is our hope that as we spend time with these girls that they will come to know the unending love of God who deeply cares about them.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.

 1 John 4:7

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hoping that you know how much you are dearly and truly loved!



Elementary Chapel Band

Last year the elementary school started a special program called "Creative Arts". On Wednesday afternoons grades 1-5 divide up into special classes that enable the students to let their creative juices flow!

During the fall all the classes were working towards our school Christmas Program. Groups such as choir, theater, technology, dance, and art all worked on performances or creative pieces that would be presented for friends and family at Christmas! It was lots of fun.

 

This year, we are all working towards our special "Summer Open House", but with a special theme. All groups are exploring the arts through the theme "Around the World". In light of the upcoming Winter Olympics, soccer world cup, and international nature of our school, it is already turning out to be a fun topic!

We asked our students to write down countries that they and their families have lived in to see how many different countries were represented in our school. This year we have just under 100 students grades 1-5 at the elementary school and there are over 25 different countries represented from where our students and their families have lived!

 

I have had so much co-leading the Creative Arts group, Chapel Band for the last few months. These students have the opportunity to try out different basic instruments as well as sing and lead worship during our school's chapel time.



 

 

 

The students enjoy coming up with easy motions for the songs, learning to advance the powerpoint slides with ease, and working with various rhythmic instruments to ensure that all classes and students will be able to participate in our singing time. It is our hope that the students in chapel band begin to understand more and more that their gifts and talents, their singing and their playing, is all for God's glory and to truly praise Him.

What makes our worship time unique is selecting songs in German and in English and seeing the students learn to praise God in both languages. I love hearing the students sing the songs around the school for the rest of the day!

 

 

 

Already, our second group of Chapel Band students are doing a wonderful job leading worship. I am looking forward to finding even more songs that fit our "Around the World" theme and as we remember that all nations and languages can sing praise to God!

 

"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together."

Psalm 34:3

 

Jesus at the Center

If I'm honest, this was supposed to be a Christmas time blog. Then, I thought perhaps it could be a "Looking at the New Year" blog. And now it's a week after New Years Day and I'm wondering, "Where has all the time gone?"

 

In any case, I'm way overdue for a blog post and I have been wanting to share some adventures from December and the last little bit of school with my faithful blog readers and friends. So here is my first week of January blog that takes a look at focus and direction going into this New Year.

 

It was over a month ago now when second grade had the opportunity to go on a special field trip. Last year we took our kiddos to a special exhibition in a nearby town where the students got to see little replicas of familiar Bible stories outlining the life of Jesus. Because this was a one time exhibit, we knew we wouldn't be able to go back again. (See pictures of last year's field trip here!) So this year when we heard about a special exhibitions of nativity scenes from all over the world that would be in Basel this year, we thought, "How perfect!"

 

With some careful planning we managed to take 22 seven year olds into the nearby city of Basel to get a tour of special manger scenes collected from six continents and many different countries!

Giant rotating nativity in the entry way

The students could walk around and use a handout provided that matched with numbers on the displays to figure out which country each scene was from. We asked questions, made unique observations, and tried to guess which countries the scenes were from before we looked at the paper.

 

After visiting the museum, we came back to school to discuss our experience and the many beautiful pieces of art we were able to see. We discussed what was so different about each one and the ones that were our favorites. We tried to remember all the various materials the scenes were made of and even drew some of our own.

 

Then, we talked about what was the same about each nativity scene. There was one thing that was true no matter where it was made, what it was made out of, or what it looked like. The students knew. They had seen. Jesus. Jesus was at the center of each scene. He was and is the reason many gathered that night so long ago. He was and is the reason we continue to gather to celebrate the amazing gift of His life and death.

 

For some of my students this is a truth they have grown up with throughout their young lives. For others, they are hearing and seeing if for the first time. What an awesome opportunity to show once again the great love of God in the gift of his only and precious son.

Enjoy the photos below!




Unique nativity scene from Africa

Student looks checks his paper to see which country the nativity scene is from

The students loved getting to look at the various scenes. Each was made of unique materials from the region in came from such as nuts, metal, wood, ceramics, glass, and more. The manger scenes reflected elements of each culture including the clothing the people wore, the animals next to the manger, and the overall appearance of each display. For instance, a tiny nativity scene from China had two panda bears coming up to the infant child and one from Peru had the wise men arriving with llamas!
 

Giant camels impress these boys!

Bear nativity scene from Canada

I really enjoyed going around with the students and talking to them about the different scenes and noticing different parts of each one. At times, it was just like playing "Eye Spy!"
 

One of my favorites!

Another special beaded scene from Africa

A scene from Haiti out of a coconut!

Enjoying the candles and scenes

Student checks his paper to see where the next one comes from

As I go into this new year, I want my focus and my direction to be like these nativity scenes: focused on Christ. I often get distracted, side-tracked, and lose sight of what is really important. My needs, wants, and desires start to take priority over others. And I forget who is supposed to take the center place.
Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, wise men, sheep, donkeys, cows, even panda bears, llamas, and angels all knew where to look. They put their focus in the right place. The baby Jesus took priority. He was the King of Kinds and Lord of all sent right in their very town and lives and was destined to change the world. Later in His life Jesus reminds me, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33

 

May this be your focus too as you go into this New Year!



"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Luke 2:10