I just wanted to post a little something that happened the other day in fourth grade. As most of you know I've been feeling a bit challenged with my class this year and in particular there are a few strong-willed, stubborn kids.
The other day I had put one of my boys' names on the whiteboard indicating that he had to walk the soccer field for me during his next recess (this is my new strategy, wearing them out plus they have to watch their friends having fun haha I'm such a scheming teacher). Anyway he came up to me later that afternoon and asked, "Miss Cosper why is my name up on the board?" I replied, "Because you were talking when you were supposed to be silent reading." "No I wasn't", my student responded, "I was reading and the boys AROUND me were talking." I shook my head and said, "I watched you and I saw you talking with the other boys!" almost in disbelief that he was fighting this so hard. "No really I was reading the back of so-in-so's book." If there's one thing I learned while student teaching it was to call the student out, so I asked him, "so are you calling me a liar?" The student not sure what to say says, "no I wasn't calling you a liar but I wasn't talking." "So I'm lying when I say that I saw you talking?... one of us is lying here and it's not me." He looks around trying to think of how to respond..and says "well it's either you or me...but I wasn't reading." Oh gosh, I then told him he had to walk for the entire lunch recess and think about what he did and how to make it right.
Haha It's funny when these things happen to me (much later of course). I am dumbfounded at the sin in man and couldn't believe that someone whom I have grown to love was lying to my face...hmm sound familiar meg? I know that this is how Christ feels when I am in sin. I am literally in his face lying to him, and yet I think my sin is somehow different from my little fourth graders. Woah... reality check for me.
Anyway as I write this I have a big smile on my face, because after lunch my little guy came in, all drenched in sweat, and tapped me on the arm and said, "Miss Cosper, I'm sorry I lied to you." I threw my arms around his sweaty little body and said, "of course I forgive you, and I am so proud of you for making the right decision. But next time I want you to think about today and what you learned about lying." "Yea, I'll never do that again." Well I really doubt that it won't ever happen again, but it was so good to see some change in him. I can already tell that the Lord is doing some big things in my class.
I keep praying though that the Lord would give me wisdom, guidance, and even patience as I teach these kids. I also would love for prayer for my kids also, and that they would see the love of Christ in me and have a huge year of growth both spiritually and with maturity.
Thank you,
A grateful teacher
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Hitting Pot Holes.
I wish this were only a metaphor for my second year in the Philippines, but unfortunately it serves as both an excellent metaphor and reality.
I arrived in the Philippines and I think I had the idea that it would be easier, that I would be able to simply swing back into things and the daily routine here in the tropics... but it has proven to be more of a challenge.
Coming home to a big empty house for one thing was very hard. My room mate Kelli had not arrived yet in the Philippines and so I was left to take care of three rambunctious and attention deprived dogs. After leaving a full Cosper house in the States it was a little strange to be all by myself.
I was also greeted by a car that needed a set of new wheels. I don't mean they were getting a little worn out...I mean you could literally see the wire coming through. I was getting seriously worried every time I had to drive out somewhere. Not only were the tires worn out but it had a serious odor problem...yuck. I was on my way to work one morning and I decided i had plenty of time to stop for Starbucks, as I was backing out of the parking lot I hit a pot hole and my coffee (which had yet to be even tasted and was sitting in my unreliable cup holder) went flying across my passenger seat. you're kidding me. I got out and tried to clean it up as much as I could, but as I'm beginning to run late for work and people are waiting for me I had to get going. "Great", I think, "I have a latte lying on my floor....that's going to smell awesome." so now I have this stinky car that has tires that are about to give out.
Finally after a week of trying to get a hold of my mechanic he comes and rescues my tires! Thank goodness for people who know how to fix cars! I wish I was gifted with such talent! Unfortunately there was nothing he could do for the smell, he said he would have had to take out all the carpet and redo it... I told him it wasn't worth it and I'd just try to clean it up myself.
I've always heard that the first year of teaching is the worst...but what about the second? I guess now that I think about it, it's not going to be magically 100% better. Last year I was blessed with a class that loved each other, loved to learn, and were so eager to please. This year...not so much. I love these kids, and they are sweet kids. But I do have 11 more kids than I did last year, and this group of kids aren't as excited about school. I have to be honest in that it hasn't been easy. Last year I was seen as a fun teacher, this year not so much. I have to be strict and punish kids, and I hate that! I'm praying that the Lord gives me some serious patience and that I would be able to show these kids the love of Christ...even if that's through giving out consequences.
So I'm headed out to work this morning, mentally kind of preparing myself for the day ahead of me. I'm following this car in front of me when out on no where it swerves and I hit the biggest pot hole I have ever seen...followed by the sound of scratching metal. "shoot"...I decide that school is only 15 more minutes away and in this case ignorance is bliss and I'd try to make it to school. I know it wasn't the smartest decision on my part, but come on, how bad would that be if a blonde girl were stranded on the side of the road looking quite out of her element! Made it to school ok and found that my brand new tire had a hole in it the size of silver dollar.
WHERE DO THESE POT HOLES COME FROM!!!
yikes... well long story short got it fixed and I'm able to drive around again, though I drive significantly slower and am watching the ground more often than I ever have before.
So now I'm trying to think about what God is trying to teach me through this...and I'm still not sure.
Please pray for me this year, as I have a challenging class and have a lot more kids than I did last year. I am also now teaching computers to my 4th graders, and I feel completely inadequate to be teaching this. I am struggling with feeling insufficient and being overwhelmed. I find myself leaning on God more and more every day, and maybe that's exactly where I should be in the first place.
But please God, no more pot holes.
I arrived in the Philippines and I think I had the idea that it would be easier, that I would be able to simply swing back into things and the daily routine here in the tropics... but it has proven to be more of a challenge.
Coming home to a big empty house for one thing was very hard. My room mate Kelli had not arrived yet in the Philippines and so I was left to take care of three rambunctious and attention deprived dogs. After leaving a full Cosper house in the States it was a little strange to be all by myself.
I was also greeted by a car that needed a set of new wheels. I don't mean they were getting a little worn out...I mean you could literally see the wire coming through. I was getting seriously worried every time I had to drive out somewhere. Not only were the tires worn out but it had a serious odor problem...yuck. I was on my way to work one morning and I decided i had plenty of time to stop for Starbucks, as I was backing out of the parking lot I hit a pot hole and my coffee (which had yet to be even tasted and was sitting in my unreliable cup holder) went flying across my passenger seat. you're kidding me. I got out and tried to clean it up as much as I could, but as I'm beginning to run late for work and people are waiting for me I had to get going. "Great", I think, "I have a latte lying on my floor....that's going to smell awesome." so now I have this stinky car that has tires that are about to give out.
Finally after a week of trying to get a hold of my mechanic he comes and rescues my tires! Thank goodness for people who know how to fix cars! I wish I was gifted with such talent! Unfortunately there was nothing he could do for the smell, he said he would have had to take out all the carpet and redo it... I told him it wasn't worth it and I'd just try to clean it up myself.
I've always heard that the first year of teaching is the worst...but what about the second? I guess now that I think about it, it's not going to be magically 100% better. Last year I was blessed with a class that loved each other, loved to learn, and were so eager to please. This year...not so much. I love these kids, and they are sweet kids. But I do have 11 more kids than I did last year, and this group of kids aren't as excited about school. I have to be honest in that it hasn't been easy. Last year I was seen as a fun teacher, this year not so much. I have to be strict and punish kids, and I hate that! I'm praying that the Lord gives me some serious patience and that I would be able to show these kids the love of Christ...even if that's through giving out consequences.
So I'm headed out to work this morning, mentally kind of preparing myself for the day ahead of me. I'm following this car in front of me when out on no where it swerves and I hit the biggest pot hole I have ever seen...followed by the sound of scratching metal. "shoot"...I decide that school is only 15 more minutes away and in this case ignorance is bliss and I'd try to make it to school. I know it wasn't the smartest decision on my part, but come on, how bad would that be if a blonde girl were stranded on the side of the road looking quite out of her element! Made it to school ok and found that my brand new tire had a hole in it the size of silver dollar.
WHERE DO THESE POT HOLES COME FROM!!!
yikes... well long story short got it fixed and I'm able to drive around again, though I drive significantly slower and am watching the ground more often than I ever have before.
So now I'm trying to think about what God is trying to teach me through this...and I'm still not sure.
Please pray for me this year, as I have a challenging class and have a lot more kids than I did last year. I am also now teaching computers to my 4th graders, and I feel completely inadequate to be teaching this. I am struggling with feeling insufficient and being overwhelmed. I find myself leaning on God more and more every day, and maybe that's exactly where I should be in the first place.
But please God, no more pot holes.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Exploring 4th Grade
My theme for my classroom this year is "exploring 4th grade". I find it quite fitting as I now understand the basics of how to teach 4th graders and now I'm looking forward to seeing what more I can do. I had such a wonderful first year, but I've been praying that the Lord would help me to be a better teacher to these kids and how to love on them.
Here are a few pics of my new room.
All 27 students will work here...there are a lot of desks.
Our "base camp"...the kids love going to the reading corner and reading a good book. I told them my favorite place to read is somewhere I feel comfy and I can relax so I wanted one in my classroom.
took me most of my day on tuesday to draw those binoculars and compass rose.
Our sunny carpet area.
Thanks for visiting my classroom!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A Partly Cloudy Summer
It seems as if my summer has come and gone so quickly. I kept on trying to remember to enjoy my time here in the Pacific Northwest and yet too many mornings got away from me (even though I greatly appreciated my rest).
After a year of learning to be completely dependent on Christ and dying to my own desires I felt like it was safe to say that coming home would be a nice vacation from all that I had been learning. Funny thing though, God doesn't take summer vacation. As soon as I flew home I quickly realized that what I was learning across the world still applied in my own home.
But God is good, and I feel like I am going back refreshed and ready for this school year. I am excited for what the Lord has in store for me and my fourth graders this year!
My grandma gave me a verse the other day, she told me it was meant for me :) and I thought it was appropriate.
"A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song (Proverbs 15:15)."
After a year of learning to be completely dependent on Christ and dying to my own desires I felt like it was safe to say that coming home would be a nice vacation from all that I had been learning. Funny thing though, God doesn't take summer vacation. As soon as I flew home I quickly realized that what I was learning across the world still applied in my own home.
But God is good, and I feel like I am going back refreshed and ready for this school year. I am excited for what the Lord has in store for me and my fourth graders this year!
My grandma gave me a verse the other day, she told me it was meant for me :) and I thought it was appropriate.
"A miserable heart means a miserable life;
a cheerful heart fills the day with song (Proverbs 15:15)."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Rene's Interview
Last February a good friend of mine, Rene Ramos, stopped by my classroom and spent some time with the kids. Rene was curious and wanted to ask the kids some questions about life here at Faith.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
A typical day as a Faith teacher.
I find it difficult blogging because I never know what people want to hear about and I don't feel like its my day to day life that makes it interesting....but as I was talking to someone the other day they reminded me that what is now "normal" to me was not just a few short months ago. So I thought I would share what a normal day would look like for a teacher at Faith. what now may seem normal to me may not be to you, so here we go....
5:30 am: wake up sweating, not too bad today, sheets weren't wet so I feel pretty clean.
5:35 am: turn on the Today show "live" from the previous US morning.
5:40 am: put the coffee on (make an extra cup for my friend Sharon who's coffee maker spontaneously stopped working earlier this quarter) but won't drink my cup til I'm in the air conditioned classroom.
5:45 am: wash the layer of grim that has formed on my face from the pollution coming in my open window...thought about doing my hair today..but realize my hair is starting to stick to my neck, time to pull it up.
6:20 am: Leave for school.
*avoid the small herds of cows and the occasional chicken crossing the road, pass any slow moving jeepneys
6:21 am: the minute I walk into my classroom I put on my beloved air con (I have even considered naming my first child air con, love it so much)
6:40 am: Out to morning duty, standing in the 90+ degree heat sweating already...
7:15 am: kids come up and the day begins
9:35 am: kids come back from merienda (means snack break) and tell me about their newest adventures...who's chasing who, and who got hurt, ask me what are we doing next.
11:00 am: send kids out to lunch and head over to the cafeteria to see what they're serving...usually kimbob, bicol, bulgogi, or some off color potato boat...when in doubt go with the Korean food (our cook is Korean)
2:00 pm: Kids are dismissed, first time you walked outside since lunch....seems more humid than you remember...feels like a wet blanket has been draped over me...maybe I'll stay in my air conditioned classroom to work a little longer.
4:00 pm: Finally leaving school cause I have to go "run" to the grocery store...traffic is bad of course...and even though the grocery store is 5 km away from my house it takes 20 minutes to get there...darn trikes
4:30 pm: finally found a place to park in the parking garage...now have to fight the crowds to the market...too bad most grocery stores are in the malls.
4:45 pm: don't have exactly what I'm looking for..so I guess I'll have to find a substitute...disappointing since they had it just last week.
5:00 pm: time to check out...but the bar code seems to have a small scratch on it, or the mangoes haven't been properly labeled so someone has to run back and find a new one...waiting waiting. I'm finally noticing all the staring people, and kids giggling whispering to their moms, "americano mammi". All while the annoying market's jingle is going on in the background, "Shop to til you drop at hypermarket, no matter where you turn there's another exciting adventure, the Hypermarket experience, lots of choices funs and prizes, for everyday living, everything you need all in one place that's the hypermarket....Happy to Serve!" the cashier and bag boy are asking me whole long I've been in the Philippines and why don't I have a boyfriend yet...don't know how to respond.
5:10 pm: As I'm walking out everyone stops to clap and chant "Happy to Serve" while calling out "Hello Mam' Sir"
5:15 pm: Finally out of there, now its time to stop by my sanctuary...Starbucks. Seriously love it here, they even remember my name and drink...Filipinos are excellent with names.
5:30 pm: Finally headed home. My feet are very tired from standing around in flip flops all day.
6:00 pm: So happy to finally be home, my condo feels pretty good. Turn on the TV to see what is on, mostly last seasons of So You Think You Can Dance, Live to Dance, ABDC, Criminal Minds or Glee....
6:30 pm: too hot to cook, so I guess it's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner, but lucky for me I found Sunchips at the grocery store :) yum. and frozen mango for dessert.
8:00 pm: realize just how gross I feel so I think it's time for a shower...virtually no water pressure....and luke warm water...at least it's draining today.
8:30 pm: stand in front of the fan trying to dry my hair...but too hot to get the hair dryer out...oh well, I'll probably end up wearing a ponytail tomorrow again anyway.
9:00 pm: been a good day, start thinking, "what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"
My life is pretty exciting...
5:30 am: wake up sweating, not too bad today, sheets weren't wet so I feel pretty clean.
5:35 am: turn on the Today show "live" from the previous US morning.
5:40 am: put the coffee on (make an extra cup for my friend Sharon who's coffee maker spontaneously stopped working earlier this quarter) but won't drink my cup til I'm in the air conditioned classroom.
5:45 am: wash the layer of grim that has formed on my face from the pollution coming in my open window...thought about doing my hair today..but realize my hair is starting to stick to my neck, time to pull it up.
6:20 am: Leave for school.
*avoid the small herds of cows and the occasional chicken crossing the road, pass any slow moving jeepneys
6:21 am: the minute I walk into my classroom I put on my beloved air con (I have even considered naming my first child air con, love it so much)
6:40 am: Out to morning duty, standing in the 90+ degree heat sweating already...
7:15 am: kids come up and the day begins
9:35 am: kids come back from merienda (means snack break) and tell me about their newest adventures...who's chasing who, and who got hurt, ask me what are we doing next.
11:00 am: send kids out to lunch and head over to the cafeteria to see what they're serving...usually kimbob, bicol, bulgogi, or some off color potato boat...when in doubt go with the Korean food (our cook is Korean)
2:00 pm: Kids are dismissed, first time you walked outside since lunch....seems more humid than you remember...feels like a wet blanket has been draped over me...maybe I'll stay in my air conditioned classroom to work a little longer.
4:00 pm: Finally leaving school cause I have to go "run" to the grocery store...traffic is bad of course...and even though the grocery store is 5 km away from my house it takes 20 minutes to get there...darn trikes
4:30 pm: finally found a place to park in the parking garage...now have to fight the crowds to the market...too bad most grocery stores are in the malls.
4:45 pm: don't have exactly what I'm looking for..so I guess I'll have to find a substitute...disappointing since they had it just last week.
5:00 pm: time to check out...but the bar code seems to have a small scratch on it, or the mangoes haven't been properly labeled so someone has to run back and find a new one...waiting waiting. I'm finally noticing all the staring people, and kids giggling whispering to their moms, "americano mammi". All while the annoying market's jingle is going on in the background, "Shop to til you drop at hypermarket, no matter where you turn there's another exciting adventure, the Hypermarket experience, lots of choices funs and prizes, for everyday living, everything you need all in one place that's the hypermarket....Happy to Serve!" the cashier and bag boy are asking me whole long I've been in the Philippines and why don't I have a boyfriend yet...don't know how to respond.
5:10 pm: As I'm walking out everyone stops to clap and chant "Happy to Serve" while calling out "Hello Mam' Sir"
5:15 pm: Finally out of there, now its time to stop by my sanctuary...Starbucks. Seriously love it here, they even remember my name and drink...Filipinos are excellent with names.
5:30 pm: Finally headed home. My feet are very tired from standing around in flip flops all day.
6:00 pm: So happy to finally be home, my condo feels pretty good. Turn on the TV to see what is on, mostly last seasons of So You Think You Can Dance, Live to Dance, ABDC, Criminal Minds or Glee....
6:30 pm: too hot to cook, so I guess it's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner, but lucky for me I found Sunchips at the grocery store :) yum. and frozen mango for dessert.
8:00 pm: realize just how gross I feel so I think it's time for a shower...virtually no water pressure....and luke warm water...at least it's draining today.
8:30 pm: stand in front of the fan trying to dry my hair...but too hot to get the hair dryer out...oh well, I'll probably end up wearing a ponytail tomorrow again anyway.
9:00 pm: been a good day, start thinking, "what's on the agenda for tomorrow?"
My life is pretty exciting...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A very special visitor
A week with Mrs. and Miss Cosper?...what a treat! The kids loved having my mom visit, and I loved spending the week with her!
After spending a few days in the classroom, we were able to drive out to Subic a beach about three hours out of Manila. It was very relaxing, and gave us an excellent excuse to lay out in the sun while reading a good book.
When we got back to Manila we were welcomed by a tropical storm and I have seriously never hear rain and wind so loud. It was so loud we couldn't even hear the thunder outside. After three hours of restless sleep mom and I got back in the classroom.
It was so fun having her hear, being able to meet all my friends here, my students, and spend some time in Manila my new home. It was such a blessing having her here, but it made me realize how much I miss my dad and sisters. Can't wait to see them again soon!
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