Saturday, July 19, 2008

CLF


First Grade

Third Grade

First grade goodbye

Third grade goodbyes

The past two weeks have been a wonderful, unique, blessed experience! I spent the past two weeks in Cebu teaching English to grades 1 and 2 and math to grade 3 (except for one math lesson for grade 1). The school is a Christian school run by the Martinez family. There are about 200 kids from pre-k to 2nd year high school. I had some adjustments to the education system but the English books were American curriculum. The methods are different here but it was easy to work with. I LOVED teaching grade 3 in particular. We had a lot of fun together. Grade 1 was more stressful but I still enjoyed the challenges they presented. I fell in love with the teaching profession finally! I was finally able to apply what I had learned in methods classes... and I found out that doing poorly in Teaching Math class also manifested itself in the classroom. I couldn't explain anything! I hate teaching math! I want them to know how math works but I can't even explain how it works to them! AHH!!!

When I left on Friday, the third grade class wailed. They couldn't understand why I had to go back to the States to finish learning how to be a teacher. It was enough for them that I already taught them English and what more did I need in my education! Two of them wouldn't eat their pizza (Tita Totit bough pizza for their class) because they were too sad. They all howled so badly that the other classes were congregating outside the window and door to see what was the matter. I could barely get out the door because they were clinging to me and sobbing. Grade 1 wasn't even that bad. Only 4 of them cried whereas almost all 18 of the kids cried in grade 3. I think half of it was getting so emotionally charged by the other crying kids that they all ended up crying for no reason at all. Haha. It was touching though. I felt so inadequate but I hope somehow I touched their lives.

I am excited to graduate and possibly come back and at CLF. ;)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Looks like you had tons of fun with those kids! There were some cute kids there.

Chuck said...

Wow! You and all those munchkins.
UC

Sara said...

That's awesome that you finally "fell in love with the teaching profession"! I'm glad you had such a wonderful experience and that the kids enjoyed you so much too!

Sara said...

By the way, do you ever watch Veggie Tales? If so, you'll know why "Cebu! A-choo-moo-moo, a-choo-moo-moo, a-choo-moo-moo-moo-moo! Cebu...!!!" is going through my head now. =)