Rollercoaster Ride

In August I resigned from my teaching position. It was nothing against the school, students, or staff. For the most part it was a very positive experience. However, it wasn't for me.
Quitting a for-sure job without having a back up was not easy. All summer I applied for positions (not that there were many to apply to) hoping and praying for something. But nothing came up.
I returned to Alberta at the end of August to move my stuff into storage, I had initially left my stuff in my house hoping something would come up and I could move it straight from one house to the next. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Instead it was a LONG 2 days of packing, driving, moving, squeezing, and cursing. But I finally got my stuff into [two] storage compartments in Edmonton.

I stuck around the area for a number of reasons. I wanted to visit my friends and Mason, I wanted to help Mason get settled into his classroom, and I wanted to be around for the slight chance I'd get an interview.

Despite Mason constantly telling to me to "be calm and patient, something is going to come up," I couldn't help but worry! Thanks to a friend of Mason's at school whom I had previously met, their principals interviewed me. It wasn't for any specific position, but they wanted to get to know me, and if a position DID come up, then they'd have someone to stick in it right away.

Well apparently I interview well, and made a good impression, for these two lovely ladies called the elementary schools in t ]he area and told them not to ignore my name and if they had a position open then to definitely meet with me.

A principal at one of the elementary schools called me (it was actually in response to a call I'd made to him when I first came to town for the initial interview) and said he didn't have any current positions, but would love to meet me and put a face to a name.
I met with him on Tuesday for a few minutes. He said there was nothing available, but there was a slim chance that a position would come up in the next few days due to numbers, and for me to keep an eye on the job postings.

Two days later (last night) he called me saying they'd decided to add another grade 4 class, would I be interested in coming in for an interview! So this morning I left Edmonton to make the 2 and a half hour drive back to the town for an interview.

At 6:30 tonight I was offered the job!

It truly astonishes me how quickly things can turn around!
Tomorrow morning I'm meeting with one of my grade partners. She will be giving me a tour and sharing some vital information. Monday I start, I get a few days to prep my room (which is currently being emptied) and on Wednesday or Thursday I get my munchkins.

It's all happening so fast! I have very little stuff here, school supplies as well as clothing (while mostly shoes...) and I have nowhere to live. These next few weeks are going to be hectic. I'm already overwhelmed and a touch emotional... Needless to say, Mason is excited for me to be here.


~Loops, dives, and big steps: all in a short amount of time~

One of Life's Cruel Games

There will always be at least one or two students that drive you CRAZY. And that's not to say that you will necessarily dislike those students, but your patience with them maybe continuously on this ice. One of these students for me is Chiku. She cannot sit still, she does not stop talking, and you should never trust a word out of her mouth.

Well Chiku, entered the school in tears today. Her knee and elbows were cut open and bleeding as she'd tripped on a "big rock" and fell onto the stones. So I took her to the bathroom and helped clean her up.
Once she'd stopped crying, and she'd been bandaged she declared, "I don't think I'll be running on those rocks any time soon!" (for the record she can was running on them by the end of the day)
I told her that's a good idea, she probably shouldn't have been running on them to begin with.
She looked up at me and said in her matter-of-fact way, "but Miss Dahmer, I didn't want to be late. It makes you made and I don't like when you're mad."
Too bad she tends to forget this at all other times of the day. Oh well, it was cute.

Later today, I was at the library when this same girl rushes in. She stops, looks at me and yells "Miss Dahmer!" in a somewhat accusing voice, and attacks me with a hug. Apparently all my talk of "library voices" haven't sunk in. But no surprises there.

At least I know she'll still love me after I've pulled out all my hair.


~above all else, love; for love covers a multitude of sins~

Small Fits of Laughter 2

For many of the children in my class, English is their second language. Though they have no accent to reveal this, it can be seen at times in certain words or phrases they use, or try to use.

One boy in particular tends to be a reoccurring star in this.
Once again this arose at prayer time. Over the past few weeks we'd been praying for the victims of various plane, train, and helicopter crashes the kids had heard about. One of my little grade ones -I'll call him Arnie- raised his hand suggesting we pray for the "vrixdoms of the crashes."
It took a moment to realize he was trying to say 'victims'. He had no idea that he was saying it wrong, he was just trying to imitate what he heard the other children say. In his mind, he was saying it the exact same way.


On Friday, Arnie successfully got me, along with my 2 TAs bulled over laughing. It was one of my TAs last day on Friday because she is going to Africa on a 2 month mission trip. As a class we had made her a class book, each writing something we will remember about her. When I was presenting the book to her, I asked the kids where it was that she was going. Many kids raised their hands: I called on Arnie. He announced loudly to the class, "she is passing away."
Well we couldn't hide our laughter this time.
Before I had a chance to correct Arnie, one of the kids yelled out to Arnie, "that means she's going to die!"

At least he's a good sport about it, and his mistakes don't cause him embarrassment which lead to shyness or an unwillingness to share with the class.
It is his innocence that brings joy, not his desire to be comical, that's the most refreshing part.


~tell me a story~

Small Fits of Laughter 1

Despite all the frustration and annoyance, my students make me laugh.

Illustration for the day
We begin every day with a devotion. After reading a short story with a lesson, and verses that correspond, I take prayer requests from the students. The father of 2 boys in my class (brothers obviously) had a surgery before Christmas. This has landed him a semi-permanent spot on our prayer list. Last week when the older brother requested we pray for him, I asked how he was doing. He responded, solemnly, "he's about 89% better." Firstly, I know that these kids have very little, if any understanding of percentages. Secondly, even if he did understand percentages- 89?
A few days ago, at our daily prayer time, this boy once again requested special prayers for his dad. Upon inquiry once again on his condition, he informed us that he is now "99% better!"
One of the girls was amazed, "he was 89% last week, and this week is 99%, wow!"

It reminds me of the innocence of children and how they see the world in such positive light. This way the little things can be appreciated so much more.

~a simple sort of way~

It Separates the Men from the Travelers

My Kindergarten student (Kayson) came to school today, all dressed up in black slacks  and a shiny, long-sleeved, button down purple shirt. For a kid who is most commonly seen in sweatpants and an athletic shirt, this came as a bit of a shock to me.
And so I asked him, "Kayson, you look handsome today. What's the occasion?"
He looked up at me and said, "I had to wear it to show you my purple shirt."

Before Christmas, Kayson had told me he'd asked his Grandma for a purple shirt for Christmas. At the time I thought it was an odd request for a 6 year old.
Now that I see the shirt, I know it is an odd request for a 6 year old.
But man did he ever look cute!

This look, but without the pinstripes and on a 6 year old. 

In other news. 

One of my boys came to school this morning and informed me that they were leaving for Mexico tonight for a month. 

Thanks for the heads up.

~maybe I'll move to Russia~

'I have an Announcement'

One of my students tells me today, "You know Mexican's aren't just Mexican's they're people too."
Trying to stifle my laughter I asked him, "oh yeah, where did you hear that?"
"On a movie."


During our school assembly this morning, our principal was making announcements about upcoming events. When he was done with his information, he asked the fellow teachers, and the student government if they had anything to add. One of my little girls raised her hand, when the principal called on her she declared, "and we're starting 'show and tell' in our class'."
Thanks for sharing dear...


It's good to laugh at least once a day. 

Lesson 1

It happened yesterday. It was the very end of the day- thankfully. It had been a long, though rather unproductive day of sitting in the gymnasium doing dress rehearsals of our Christmas Concert. My kids were surprisingly patient, but it wore on them, especially by the end.
The bell had just rung, and I dismissed the class. Suddenly, Abbott, one of my grade 3 boys, with the tough exterior and often "too cool for school" attitude, burst in to tears.
Thankfully most of the class had already left the classroom. I made my way over to Abbott,his head was down, wrapped in his arms. Having no idea what this was about I cautiously put my hand on his shoulder and asked him what was the matter.
Barely lifting his head, he bitterly declared, "Taban is calling me names, and making fun of me."
Taban, who was one of my other grade 3 boys, and also still in the room retorted, "No, I wasn't!"
Wanting to resolve this quickly I asked Abbott, "what exactly did he say to you to make fun of you?"
Abbott spat in disgust, "he said I was in love with you!"

I bit my tongue quickly to keep from laughing. How horrible he made it sound- to be in love with me! Or at least the thought of being in love with me!


I know that they are just children, and the very idea of love is still absolutely repellent... but perhaps this feeling isn't wholly foreign to people my age too. Not the feeling of fondness towards someone, but that weak feeling you get... when you feel lost, or forgotten when you're not with that person.
Men pride themselves in strength- physical as well as emotional. Love defies these "rules" and so when it happens, they are filled with confusion... and ultimately aversion.
If they don't admit it, they didn't commit it, and so pain and frailty can never happen.

~how I sleep at night~

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Lean Your Ear This Way

I like to give my kids the opportunity to share with the rest of the class about their weekends. Most of the times it's 13 kids telling me they watched a movie, or two... (I thought that Mennonites didn't like technology?).

Today I was telling them that I went to the city and did some Christmas shopping. I told them that I had a present for everyone except my sister. Suddenly the kids were sharing all sorts of ideas with me:
- a barbie: but put it in a box so she won't know what it is
- a jack-in-the box that will pop out and scare her!
- a ballerina from prison (?) [Kayson's idea, he was completely serious]
- a horse (which ended up becoming a horse with chicken pox, because for some reason my kids are currently obsessed with chicken pox)

They were all so willing and excited to give me ideas, I didn't have the heart to tell them that she was 20 years old. But maybe she would like a jack-in-the-box?!

~the child in me~

Back in action

So I teach a class of 13 kids, ranging from kindergarten to grade 3. I have only one kindergarten student who comes on alternate days. This student, whom I'll call Kayson, is a cheery student, who is loved by all, and is a joy to have in the class, despite his lack of knowledge regarding proper school behaviour.
I wish all kids were like him.


One day, to have him practice his numbers, I was having him role a dice, figure out what number it was, then bead that many beads onto pipe cleaners. He was loving it! After he started to really get the hang of it, I had him leave the group from the role before, and than add the two amounts together.
(and this right here is why I wish they were all more like him)
Kayson declared enthusiastically "what a fantastic idea!"

His genuine interest and zeal was a surprise- a refreshing surprise! Most of my other students are at the stage where they can't admit they are enjoying school or learning. And showing avidity towards any of my academic suggestions would be social suicide!

The most refreshing part about Kayson's enthusiasm, is that it didn't fade. As I continued to make suggestions, his fascination and curiosity persisted!
Who knew learning could be so fun!



And this is only one of the reasons why I love this kid!

~a life worth living~

A Guiding Light

Last year in my practicum, I taught a grade 4 class. A huge chunk of my time there was devoted to my teaching the "Light and Shadows" unit from the Science curriculum. Now many of you know I'm not a huge science girl... but it ended up being a ton of fun. How come as you get older, the available topics of study in science narrow, and interesting thing like "Light" is forgotten!

Anyway, integration is a huge deal- and I completely agree with that! So for one of my LA lessons (LA is language arts, and I was teaching poetry!) my practicum teacher had found a poem to go along with my science unit! Is there anything more fun than that?

The point... I am currently working on a project for my tech class, and I am basing it on the "Light and Shadows" unit I taught last year. While working on this I found a copy of the poem. Not only did it bring back some great memories, but the poem also spoke to me.

Here is a copy of it for you to read and [hopefully] enjoy.

Someone Else’s Light by Elaine Laron

The sun is filled with shining light, it blazes far and wide.

The moon reflects the sunlight back, but has no light inside.

I think I'd rather be the sun, that shines so bold and bright.

Than be the moon, that only glows with someone else's light.

~What part are you playing?~