Back to School!

Today was the first day of school at BFA, one of my favorite days of the school year!  It is so exciting and invigorating to hear the squeals of reunited friends, the applause of respect and love for the staff, and the cheers for the nations represented by the students at our school - 52 in all.  One staff member commented that she was somewhat intimidated by the high caliber of our students, and I added that it really challenges us as teachers to pursue excellence and to provide a truly quality education.  What a great motivator to have students who desire to learn!

Today was also my first day as a "middle school teacher"... which was exciting, overwhelming, and wonderful!  I am thrilled to be working with some of the same students that I had in fourth grade two years ago and teaching subjects that I enjoy.

Homeroom: Grade 6 (devotion and prayer time, announcements)
Period 1: English 6 (reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar)
Periods 2-5: Free!  (lesson planning, grading, materials preparation... and possibly opportunities to connect with small group girls during lunchtime or serve in other ways)
Period 6: Bible 6 (the Gospels and Acts) or Spelling 6
Period 7: Advisory 6 (study skills, organization, transition to middle school)
Period 8: Electives (chapel band or DIY)

My roommate, Brittany, and I are excited to be co-leading the Chapel Band elective this year.  We have about 10 students who will play instruments and sing to lead the rest of the school in worship at the weekly chapel time.  The students will select music and rehearse on Mondays and Wednesdays in preparation for chapel on Friday afternoons.

I also just added another elective to my Tuesday/Thursday schedule called "DIY: Do It Yourself."  (And yes, this idea was born out of my love for Pinterest...)  I have some idea as to what direction this elective will take, but it is intentionally nebulous so that the students have some ownership in the projects we tackle.  Through the creation of purposeful and useful items, we will learn life skills like resourcefulness (not having to always buy something!), generosity, collaboration, creativity, innovation, and perseverance.

Introducing myself to the middle schoolers

Practicing locker combinations - over and over!

This is only the beginning of the adventure of this school year!  In some ways, I feel like a new teacher all over again as I plan and learn the middle school culture - but I am so excited for the opportunity to learn and grow in new ways in this new role.  Thank you for praying for the 2012-2013 school year!