Life, or rather, the fourth Harry Potter book, has consumed me lately, which is my excuse for not writing. It’s not that nothing has happened, quite the contrary, but my mind has been very occupied.
One of the teachers asked me yesterday what was different about this educational system and ours in the States. We talked for a while, and it wasn’t difficult for me to come up with much, because it is entirely different, and she reminded me that I am not working in the Russian public school system, but a prestigious private school. Taking this in mind, the major difference is the role of the teacher in the school: in the US, the teacher is in charge and has sole responsibility of the students. In MES, the teacher teaches. That is it. There are "helpers" (for lack of a better term) who deal with discipline, moving the students from class to class and to lunch, and help the students with their problems. In some ways, this is helpful, in other ways, like a lack of power throughout the school, it makes life difficult. For an American teacher, who speaks little or no Russian, this is a problem. The students (or should I say, mostly the first graders!), take advantage of this, and run out of control because they know there is nothing I can do! Teaching so far is fun; I am getting into the groove of things and am making many friends with my students. Discipline is a problem in the younger grades; dealing with discipline with the other Russian teachers is a challenge because things get lost in translation, and our communication styles are so entirely different. Leah is the greatest person that could work with me; she listens and since she has been through a similar teacher training program, she understands my questions and frustrations.
For all my professors and education friends, everything I learned at JBU is starting to sink in. I finally know how to use a scope and sequence! My education was frustrating at times, but I am finding life the same way. Everything I learned was valuable; this year will prove to me just as valuable. My only advice, or thing I would change, would be to look through more curriculum. The program we have here consists of three to four different books for each grade level, none of which correspond, and many are poor English/grammar/writing! The blurbs for them in the catalogues are great, but the actual book is terrible. I like not even working with a curriculum if it is going to be that bad.
Last Friday night was the "Linga Fest" at school, which we pulled off without a hitch. It was a stressful week at school, which children pulled from classes for rehearsals all day on Thursday and Friday, but after school on Friday, all the parents showed up to watch their children show their language skills. Each grade performed a song or skit in German, French, Spanish, or English during a forty minute show. Our school puts a huge emphasis on performing arts (or rather, the Russian education does), so these shows are a regular thing. The first one is devoted to language; the next one is called "Bard Night" and Leah and I have already been recruited to sing "I’ve been working on the railroad" and another Russian nursery rhyme! I guess we will become performers too!
School consumes me, and the only other exciting thing that has happened is that I have become involved with Young Life. (Young Life was huge in Arkansas where I went to college; it is an outreach ministry to high school students). There is a club that meets here that consists mostly of American kids, whose parents work here as businessmen or at the Embassy. Micah and I went to the US Embassy last Saturday night and hung out with 25 or so high school kids, and had a lot of fun. It was culture shock to hang out with all Americans again though! It will take some time, but I look forward to building relationships with some of these kids. We have connections too; I sat down next to one girl and she said her sister went to Westmont -- Amber is looking to see if she knows her. Small world.
Praise the Lord! We found a new apartment! If you didn’t hear, this apartment developed a rather nasty leak in the ceiling. It dripped -- no, flowed -- into our kitchen for three days before they turned the water off upstairs. But now our ceiling is green with mold. Since I am allergic to mold, I immediately got sick, and haven’t been feeling great since. But God answered the prayers of many and found us a four room flat (which means I get my own room!!), recently renovated, closer to the center of the city, behind one of the Stalin buildings, and a five minute walk from the Arbat streets. (These are the most popular streets around I suppose). We will probably move this weekend, so it will be hectic, and your prayers for ease would be appreciated. I will send pictures when we move in.
Another PTL is that we found a phone card that is cheap and unlimited to the US. It has been great to be able to talk to some of you and to my family without qualms about money. I hope to reach more of you soon!.
Well, Harry (Potter) is still calling my name, so I will sign off here. I miss you all dearly -- I dream of walking with friends and telling them how much I miss them, so I must REALLY miss them more than I know! Please continue to write, even if it is just how your day was! And if anymore of you get engaged, do tell! I don’t want to be the last to find out ;)
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