Saturday, September 23, 2006
School Update #2
SCHOOL UPDATE:
I can hardly believe that we’re at the end of week three! We’re so glad that Kiho and Kaho are home safely in Mbarara and back at school with us. Of course, adding more people to the classroom also means adding more adjustments that need to be made. School is definitely a work in progress, but I think it is going well.
On Tuesday, September 26, we will have an open house time when you can come to the school room with your child and see how things are set up and learn a little about what we do all day. Please feel free to come any time from 5:00 – 5:45 pm. Your kids can show you around the school room and if it’s nice weather, they can play outside for a little bit. At 5:45, I will be speaking briefly to all parents and just sharing an overview of a few things. We will finish in enough time for you to head home for dinner by 6:15pm.
Also, next week we will have local lunch on Wednesday. We will be eating potatoes and peas and chapattis. Please have your child order his/her lunch on Tuesday and bring 1000/= to pay for it. We will be eating at the Fouts’ home and as always, parents and siblings are welcome to join us.
Weekly reminders:
*ALL students have spelling tests on Fridays. Please work with your children at home to learn their new words and help to reinforce the rules that go with each week of words. Next week:
*1st grade: short i sounds
*3rd grade: long i sounds
*5th grade: long o sounds
*ALL students are memorizing scriptures.
*1st grade: Psalm 1 (due October 13)
*3rd grade: Psalm 8 (due October 13)
*5th grade: Psalm 91 (due October 27)
Thanks so much for all your help!
I can hardly believe that we’re at the end of week three! We’re so glad that Kiho and Kaho are home safely in Mbarara and back at school with us. Of course, adding more people to the classroom also means adding more adjustments that need to be made. School is definitely a work in progress, but I think it is going well.
On Tuesday, September 26, we will have an open house time when you can come to the school room with your child and see how things are set up and learn a little about what we do all day. Please feel free to come any time from 5:00 – 5:45 pm. Your kids can show you around the school room and if it’s nice weather, they can play outside for a little bit. At 5:45, I will be speaking briefly to all parents and just sharing an overview of a few things. We will finish in enough time for you to head home for dinner by 6:15pm.
Also, next week we will have local lunch on Wednesday. We will be eating potatoes and peas and chapattis. Please have your child order his/her lunch on Tuesday and bring 1000/= to pay for it. We will be eating at the Fouts’ home and as always, parents and siblings are welcome to join us.
Weekly reminders:
*ALL students have spelling tests on Fridays. Please work with your children at home to learn their new words and help to reinforce the rules that go with each week of words. Next week:
*1st grade: short i sounds
*3rd grade: long i sounds
*5th grade: long o sounds
*ALL students are memorizing scriptures.
*1st grade: Psalm 1 (due October 13)
*3rd grade: Psalm 8 (due October 13)
*5th grade: Psalm 91 (due October 27)
Thanks so much for all your help!
School Update #1
Wow! I can't believe that 2 weeks have gone by already. I guess that just proves the old saying true: "time flies when you're having fun!"
We sure have been having fun, but it has also been a busy two weeks! We're working hard to get ourselves into routines so that being in a one-room school house with 3 different grades and about 8 different levels is still conducive to learning!
A couple of changes for everyone to know about:
1. I would like to add 15 minutes to everyone's day because that will allow students to have those last 15 minutes for packing up and cleaning up and still getting out of the classroom on time. This way I can continue teaching right up until the 2 or 3 o'clock hour. Please take note that 1st graders will now be in school from 8:30 - 2:15 and 3rd and 5th graders will be in school from 9:30 - 3:15.
2. We will be studying either Social Studies OR Science. We will switch back and forth between units of study. Right now we are doing a Social Studies unit on Africa. We have recently been talking about stereotypes. Be sure to talk with you kids and find out what they're learning!
3. I have attached a calendar for the fall semester. Your child should also bring home a "hard copy" of it this week. More information about each event on the calender is forthcoming.
Also, I have done preliminary reading tests on most of your children at this point. I would like to schedule a time to test the rest of the children in the next week or two. I would also like to meet briefly with parents to discuss my findings. Please let me know when it's a good time to meet with you.
Finally, I have attached a few fun pictures of some things we did the first couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy the pictures! Be sure to ask your kids what we were doing if you're unclear about what's going on in the pictures.
The older kids practiced some science skills: classifying and sorting.
All students were apart of a human graph. First, they're lined up according to the month in which they were born. Then they're graphed according to their ages. Can you guess how they're graphed in the 3rd photo?!? I'll give you a clue: the children are, in order from left to right: Jae, Luke, Curt, James, David, Herin, Hannah and Elizabeth.
First graders made all bread letters for all 26 letters of the alphabet! It was fun and MESSY!
Elizabeth Fouts reads the book she wrote, "Orange Cat, Orange Cat" to fellow classmates, preschool students, and students' family members. James Baker also reads his book, "White Window, White Window" to the same group of people following a special lunch/recess visiting the Naramores house.
Thanks so much for all your help, support and encouragement. As always, please call or email with questions, comments or concerns.
We sure have been having fun, but it has also been a busy two weeks! We're working hard to get ourselves into routines so that being in a one-room school house with 3 different grades and about 8 different levels is still conducive to learning!
A couple of changes for everyone to know about:
1. I would like to add 15 minutes to everyone's day because that will allow students to have those last 15 minutes for packing up and cleaning up and still getting out of the classroom on time. This way I can continue teaching right up until the 2 or 3 o'clock hour. Please take note that 1st graders will now be in school from 8:30 - 2:15 and 3rd and 5th graders will be in school from 9:30 - 3:15.
2. We will be studying either Social Studies OR Science. We will switch back and forth between units of study. Right now we are doing a Social Studies unit on Africa. We have recently been talking about stereotypes. Be sure to talk with you kids and find out what they're learning!
3. I have attached a calendar for the fall semester. Your child should also bring home a "hard copy" of it this week. More information about each event on the calender is forthcoming.
Also, I have done preliminary reading tests on most of your children at this point. I would like to schedule a time to test the rest of the children in the next week or two. I would also like to meet briefly with parents to discuss my findings. Please let me know when it's a good time to meet with you.
Finally, I have attached a few fun pictures of some things we did the first couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy the pictures! Be sure to ask your kids what we were doing if you're unclear about what's going on in the pictures.
The older kids practiced some science skills: classifying and sorting.
All students were apart of a human graph. First, they're lined up according to the month in which they were born. Then they're graphed according to their ages. Can you guess how they're graphed in the 3rd photo?!? I'll give you a clue: the children are, in order from left to right: Jae, Luke, Curt, James, David, Herin, Hannah and Elizabeth.
First graders made all bread letters for all 26 letters of the alphabet! It was fun and MESSY!
Elizabeth Fouts reads the book she wrote, "Orange Cat, Orange Cat" to fellow classmates, preschool students, and students' family members. James Baker also reads his book, "White Window, White Window" to the same group of people following a special lunch/recess visiting the Naramores house.
Thanks so much for all your help, support and encouragement. As always, please call or email with questions, comments or concerns.
Welcome to School Letter
September 7, 2006
Dear Parents,
WOW! What a great first week we have had! Having all of the kids in one room has been a lot of fun, but not without minor problems, which will – of course – take some adjusting as we all learn to work together in such a small space.
To maximize our learning time together, there are a few things I would like to share with you.
School starts at 8:30 for 1st graders and at 9:30 for 3rd and 5th graders start at 9:30. If the older children arrive BEFORE 9:30, they are asked to wait outside until they are invited inside, so as not to disturb our precious “1st grade only” time.
Lunch is from 12:30 – 1:15 each day. If you are having lunch delivered to your child(ren), please make sure it comes on time. Please put delivered lunches on the table on the porch, rather than disturbing class for a child to come out to meet you/your worker. It also might be a good idea to send a set of silverware that can be left in a cubby each week, since the Glissons’ home is not open for us.
Some Wednesdays, there will be “local lunch” available for students, prepared by Scovia, my house worker. Families are invited to join us for lunch/recess on these days at my home. The cost for lunch is 1000/= per person and should be brought to school ON TUESDAY so that I know how many people to expect. Next week (Sept. 13) we will have beans, rice, matooke and g-nut sauce. Students do not have to eat local lunch; they are more than welcome to pack their own lunches as they would on other school days.
Each day, students are working hard to memorize scripture, a little at a time. First grade is working on Psalm 1 for the next five weeks; third grade is working on Psalm 8 for the next five weeks; and fifth grade is working on Psalm 91. We will be checking progress in class each week; I will work with students to help them pace themselves by memorizing 1 – 2 verses each week. Memorization is an important skill for your child to develop and I am excited that we get to use the world’s best book as a resource to improve this skill.
Fridays I will send home folders. Please look through them with your child, sign page in the folder and have your child return the folder to school on Tuesday.
Finally, in the midst all the craziness that comes with having multiple ages, grades, levels and languages, it is very important for students to be attentive to directions and instructions all the time. Students also need to practice focusing on their own work, rather than the things going on around them in the classroom. Please talk to your children about this and remind them of the importance of listening and following directions the FIRST time they are given.
As always, please feel free to email (beth@everydaychurch.net) or call (485-20802 or 0782-546-186) me anytime with questions, comments, or concerns.
Thank you for all your help, as we work together for the benefit of your child.
Sincerely,
Miss Beth
Dear Parents,
WOW! What a great first week we have had! Having all of the kids in one room has been a lot of fun, but not without minor problems, which will – of course – take some adjusting as we all learn to work together in such a small space.
To maximize our learning time together, there are a few things I would like to share with you.
School starts at 8:30 for 1st graders and at 9:30 for 3rd and 5th graders start at 9:30. If the older children arrive BEFORE 9:30, they are asked to wait outside until they are invited inside, so as not to disturb our precious “1st grade only” time.
Lunch is from 12:30 – 1:15 each day. If you are having lunch delivered to your child(ren), please make sure it comes on time. Please put delivered lunches on the table on the porch, rather than disturbing class for a child to come out to meet you/your worker. It also might be a good idea to send a set of silverware that can be left in a cubby each week, since the Glissons’ home is not open for us.
Some Wednesdays, there will be “local lunch” available for students, prepared by Scovia, my house worker. Families are invited to join us for lunch/recess on these days at my home. The cost for lunch is 1000/= per person and should be brought to school ON TUESDAY so that I know how many people to expect. Next week (Sept. 13) we will have beans, rice, matooke and g-nut sauce. Students do not have to eat local lunch; they are more than welcome to pack their own lunches as they would on other school days.
Each day, students are working hard to memorize scripture, a little at a time. First grade is working on Psalm 1 for the next five weeks; third grade is working on Psalm 8 for the next five weeks; and fifth grade is working on Psalm 91. We will be checking progress in class each week; I will work with students to help them pace themselves by memorizing 1 – 2 verses each week. Memorization is an important skill for your child to develop and I am excited that we get to use the world’s best book as a resource to improve this skill.
Fridays I will send home folders. Please look through them with your child, sign page in the folder and have your child return the folder to school on Tuesday.
Finally, in the midst all the craziness that comes with having multiple ages, grades, levels and languages, it is very important for students to be attentive to directions and instructions all the time. Students also need to practice focusing on their own work, rather than the things going on around them in the classroom. Please talk to your children about this and remind them of the importance of listening and following directions the FIRST time they are given.
As always, please feel free to email (beth@everydaychurch.net) or call (485-20802 or 0782-546-186) me anytime with questions, comments, or concerns.
Thank you for all your help, as we work together for the benefit of your child.
Sincerely,
Miss Beth
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Intern Arrival - June 2006
Amy Naramore and I drove to Kampala Saturday June 3 to do shopping, get shots for Jon David, and then head to Entebbe to pick up interns. Lindsey (from Australia) was supposed to fly in that night. The rest would arrive early the next morning.
So Shane, Carole and I went to pick up Lindsey around 8:30 pm--with NO flight number, exact arrival time or anything. We stayed for several hours and then finally tracked down John Barton (in Mich) only to determine we had somehow gotten the wrong dates! We were a whole day early!!! Lindsey was scheduled to arrive the NEXT night and the interns weren't coming until Monday morning. WOOPS!
Carole, Amy, Jon David and I headed home to Mbarara without interns. When I got home, Terri and Amy were headed out the door with her brother and sister-in-law. So I said goodbye to them and spent the rest of the day cleaning and getting ready for the interns. Even though I was sad that they weren't here yet, I was really glad to have the extra time to clean house and prepare for them.
The next day, Jay and Shane arrived in Mbarara with 10 interns (Laura and Grant were already here). It was a cold, rainy day. Lots of luggage got wet on the way. Everyone was tired and needing showers and dry clothes. Lindsey (staying with me) had the misfortune of packing in a suitcase which was put on top of one of the trucks. Everything in her suitcase was WET! But we hung it all up on hangers in the bathroom and eventually it all dried.
All interns and teammates went to Riheka for a local lunch, so the interns could get their first taste of local food. They sure did get thrown into Uganda in a hurry! We spent most of that day just getting to know each other and trying to keep everyone awake.
Well, I have tried adding lovely pictures of the first day...everyone hugging everyone, reactions to local food, Tyler falling asleep...but it just isn't working! Oh well, this is Africa!
So Shane, Carole and I went to pick up Lindsey around 8:30 pm--with NO flight number, exact arrival time or anything. We stayed for several hours and then finally tracked down John Barton (in Mich) only to determine we had somehow gotten the wrong dates! We were a whole day early!!! Lindsey was scheduled to arrive the NEXT night and the interns weren't coming until Monday morning. WOOPS!
Carole, Amy, Jon David and I headed home to Mbarara without interns. When I got home, Terri and Amy were headed out the door with her brother and sister-in-law. So I said goodbye to them and spent the rest of the day cleaning and getting ready for the interns. Even though I was sad that they weren't here yet, I was really glad to have the extra time to clean house and prepare for them.
The next day, Jay and Shane arrived in Mbarara with 10 interns (Laura and Grant were already here). It was a cold, rainy day. Lots of luggage got wet on the way. Everyone was tired and needing showers and dry clothes. Lindsey (staying with me) had the misfortune of packing in a suitcase which was put on top of one of the trucks. Everything in her suitcase was WET! But we hung it all up on hangers in the bathroom and eventually it all dried.
All interns and teammates went to Riheka for a local lunch, so the interns could get their first taste of local food. They sure did get thrown into Uganda in a hurry! We spent most of that day just getting to know each other and trying to keep everyone awake.
Well, I have tried adding lovely pictures of the first day...everyone hugging everyone, reactions to local food, Tyler falling asleep...but it just isn't working! Oh well, this is Africa!
WOW! What a summer--actually, what a year! I celebrated my "one year anniversary" in Uganda a couple of weeks ago on September 1st. It's hard to believe I've been here over a year! My, how time flies when you're having fun!
I know it’s been FOREVER since I updated this blog. So I think I’ll do a few “short” updates, based on events/things that have happened recently. (Actually, some of them are NOT so recently!)
First, this summer’s internship was amazing! Be sure to read all about it in the separate post.
Second, my friends, Lori and Lauren, came for a short visit in August. They just so happened to be here for my 30th birthday and we went GORILLA TRACKING--WHAT AN AMAZING ADVENTURE! Be sure to read all about it.
Third, school has started and I am the only teacher! AAAHHHH!!!!!! No, just kidding--sort of! It has been lots of fun and is a totally new challenge for me to juggle 3 grades, about 8 different levels, 3 different first languages, and 4 ethnicities.
Also……
We had future teammates, Theron and Sarah Hutton come for a short survey trip.
We hosted quarterly meeting (for all Church of Christ missionaries in Uganda). I had a great time hosting a house full of 9 girls + some for meals and games!
We had a farewell retreat in Kampala for the Naramores who were supposed to have left on September 2. (They’re still waiting on the judge to sign their final adoption papers for Savannah.)
We sent people to the National Meeting in Kampala.
We had a missionary fellowship (with all missionaries in Mbarara).
We hosted several small groups of friends passing through Mbarara on the way to the game park.
- I started to take over Amy Naramore’s “School Fees Program” with the help of Shane Gage. Through this, we sent 2 of our orphaned youth from town church off to COLLEGE!
I think that's the major stuff. I've also been working on a new picture website. It has some pictures of internship and GORILLA TRACKING! Be sure to check out this link: http://flickr.com/photos/bethellen/
