A very crazy week.

The first week was crazy. It was so hard, especially the first day. On my very first day, I had to send a kid to the principal’s office. My first graders are not used to being in school all day. They are used to coloring all day and only being at school for a few hours instead if from 7:10 a.m. until 2:10 p.m. They were so crazy by the end of the day, they were literally bouncing off the walls so I turned off the lights and had them put their heads down. One boy refused to and started making other children laugh in his defiance. If they find out they can walk all over me from day one, they will never stop so I sent him to Miss Norma to nip that behavior in the bud. That night though was the parents meeting. The parents run the show here. They pay big bucks to ave their children come learn English and they are treated more like clients than a source for the student’s learning. The parents came and started out asking basic questions to the first grade homeroom teacher Ms. Joline. I left to go meet the parents of my seventh graders, and I came back to angry scowls of loathing hate. The children went home and complained to their parents that the new white teacher was too strict and would not let them get their pencils or go to the bathroom. That is true in a sense, but not in the way they made it seem. They would not go to the bathroom. They would run around the school and get me in trouble with the other teachers. I tried to make it one at a time, but someone would take too long in the bathroom doing who knows what so the ones who actually do have to go start dancing and complain so I let them go and they go pee, but then don’t return etc etc so I just stopped letting them go by the end of the day because they would be able to go after school anyways. I stopped letting them go to their lockers to get stuff whenever they needed too because they would just hang out there in the back of the class and cause trouble. I do not speak Spanish and they are supposed to ask me things in English and I am only allowed to speak to them in English so they learn it. So when the children were asking me for their pencil, and I did not know what they wanted, they would get up out if their seat with out permission, then make distractions in the back of class so I said “No more going to your lockers.”
Well the parents were mad at me then one asked if I had any experience teaching.
“I have worked with children at my church with vacation Bible school and I volunteered at La Sierra Academy…” I answered.
“Well have you taught before?”
“I work with children quite a bit and…”
“Have you actually taught a class before?”
“Well you see, vacation Bible school…”
“Have you taught before?”
“No sir. I have not taught before. I am here as a missionary and volunteer.”
“Well I care more about my child’s education than yours.”
“O.K.”
That is when they started arguing in Spanish with Ms. Joline and I had to go get Miss Norma for her to do her diplomatic thing and smooth things over.
Even though I do not speak Spanish very well, I understood quite a bit of what they said. They said they feel their children have a disadvantage because I do not speak Spanish and I do not have experience. They basically do not want me to teach their children. Despite how they may feel, God put me here for a reason and we all have no choice, but for me to teach first grade. I have heard it is the hardest grade to teach from the other teachers and students missionaries and I understand why.
My week did get better as it progressed. The students are no longer turning their desks over and I actually have a voice by the end of the day. I don’t cry in the shower in the morning anymore at least. I’m sure I will again at some point. Maybe right before Christmas break when they get restless, but until then, I hope it is all as smooth as the California roads because that is the best I can hope for. I need prayers and patience. God is the only one who can get me through it and I hope he places many helpers in my path.
Karaleigh’s birthday was during the first week of school. She turned 21! Her party was nice break in the craziest week of my life. We went out to eat at a place called La Fonda’s then we went home and ate cake and opened presents. My birthday is coming up soon and I hope I have a big party with all my new helpful friends.
There is chapel every Friday and we all have take turns planning it. We basically sing songs then have a Bible story. Today was the creation story. The kids loved it though and we had so much fun. I think Friday’s are nice.