What I Like About You

School shootings and other terrible acts of violence have focused some much needed attention on the issue of bullying.  In a recent workshop that many of us at All Saints attended, we learned several actions that teachers can take if there were ever a dangerous situation at our school.  However, the most important thing that we can do is act now instead of waiting until it is too late.  The best defense against violence in our schools is helping all of our children to know that they are valued.

Our sixth grade class has been learning how to use "a" with a noun or prepositional pronoun, the indirect object pronouns, and the verb gustar with singular and plural nouns to express things that are pleasing to us--what we like.  I am so proud of the work they have put into that.  It sounds grammar-intensive, and it is.  But what is most impressive is how they are using these expressions.

This week, the sixth graders took lists of every one of their classmates and wrote down qualities about each person that they like and admire.  We wrote several items on the board, especially phrases that were not in the textbook.  I loved seeing the depth of their responses.  Over and over, they chose character qualities like kindness, love for God, boldness, a sense of humor and other traits as the things that they admire most about their classmates.

As a precaution, I looked over all of the responses before sharing them with the recipients, but not once was there a mean-spirited remark, and every person was included.

I am not naive enough to think that all of our middle schoolers will always be kind to each other, that there will never be teasing, or that no one will ever hurt another's feelings.  However, our students are learning that bullying is never acceptable at All Saints, and that each person here is created in the image of God.  I hope that as they read all of the things that their classmates like about them that the lesson will go beyond Spanish grammar.  I want every student here to feel valued as part of our community and liked for who they are.

P. S.  To all of the parents here--thank you for raising such likable kids.  You make my job a happy one!

Pura vida ~ 8th grade

During our professional development over Fall Break, as well as in some recent reading, I have come across more and more research about the importance of play and movement in learning.  While we think of that naturally with the pre-K and kindergarten classes, the truth is that even older students absorb and retain information much more readily when they are able to move around and experience it instead of merely sitting at a desk and doing worksheets.

I was quite excited to see that our unit this week included cultural information on "pura vida" and the artwork of internationally known Costa Rican artist, Adrián Gómez.  In Costa Rica, the phrase "pura vida" is used all the time.  It is an expression of national identity, of thanksgiving, of joy, and a response to all kinds of situations.

Image credit 

For Adrián Gómez, the gladness and exuberance of pura vida is often distilled into the image of children on a swing.  Since 1997, he has created hundreds of works of art that show swinging kids.  Most of my favorites are not in creative commons for blog use, but if you check the Google Images for Adrián Gómez artista, some fantastic pieces pop up.

Today our 8th grade class was able to combine the latest in educational research with important standards for Spanish.  We read about Adrián Gómez and viewed several of his works on the Promethean board in our classroom, then we hit the playground to put it into practice.  Seeing the 8th graders swinging high and shouting pura vida brought a huge smile to my face.  Our students are beautiful works of art from the Master Artist, and I delight in seeing them experience pura vida.

My Red Ribbon Week Story

This week at All Saints we are celebrating Red Ribbon Week, and encouraging our students to live drug-free.  I shared my little red ribbon story with my students and just thought I'd pass it on.  Growing up, my parents and grandparents were pastors, and my sister and I were homeschooled.  So we weren't in an environment where we were pressured to try drugs.  But some of our dearest friends were.  They were those kind of friends as close as family, where your hearts are just sealed together forever.  Even now, though it has been years since I have seen them, one phone call would have me doing everything I could to be there for them.

When I was 19, we went and spent the week of New Years with them.  By that time, they were all doing drugs, mostly cocaine.  They didn't use around us, and never offered it to us.  But it was so awkward.  My sister and I would walk into a room and conversations would die.  They didn't invite us to the parties they went to, and even though we didn't want to go to the parties, we wanted them to want us.  It was a long week.

A few months after we left, one of my friends talked to us on the phone.  He said something that absolutely floored me.  He told me that he had thought about our visit every single day.  I mumbled something like, "Really?", cringing inside at the memories of how stupid we felt.  He said, "Yes, because you are so free."

Romans 6 talks about the way that sin makes us slaves.  In the beginning, it feels like a choice, but the deeper we get into it, the more we surrender, the more captive we become.  Soon, it is almost impossible to break free.  While my friends never went to jail, the consequences they faced--the broken relationships, the pain their family went through, the ongoing struggle to reclaim their freedom--have been so very hard.

At 19, I didn't fully recognize the freedom that my sister and I had, but as I look back, I am more grateful than I can express that we never tried on those chains.

We know that our students will face many difficult choices, both now and in the future.  Our goal at All Saints is to help them build the strength, wisdom and love to always walk in the freedom of Christ.

Image credit: National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center

Grandes y chiquitos ~ 7th Graders and Pre-K

As a teacher, you have to smile when you see the way the little ones here look up to the older kids, and the tenderness, patience and kindness that the bigger kids show the little ones.  Last week my 7th graders had the privilege of helping the Pre-K classes play Twister in Spanish.  It was the cutest thing I have seen!  All of us were so impressed with Mrs. Stafford's Pre-K students.  They did a phenomenal job with the colors, and when they began singing and counting animals, the older kids jumped right in with them.  Each of the classes had fun practicing Spanish with their buddies.

Amarillo y azul

Dos

Tiburones

Elefantes