Hey everyone! Time is really flying here....We concluded summer school classes last week, and classes for the regular school year resume (at least for me) on March 9th. The beach trip is this Friday and I still have girls' group and cleaning going on, so I'm still pretty busy. Tomorrow I have a meeting with the Director and all the teachers to figure out my schedule for the school year and then more cleaning to do in the library.
So, about the last few weeks of summer school...........
These two American guys, Alan and Joshua, who are somehow connected to Emily Broxterman, the president of Kindness-Connection, came to help out at the school. They are great guys;-) They were a great help in all the classes and seem really invested in assisting in any way they can in the community of Horacio Zeballos. They both have experience in teaching and development work, so their points of view and talents definitely enhanced the summer school program. Other than being faithful and animated classroom assistants, they have undertaken the task of making a video/documentary of the development work being done at the school and in the community. Hopefully, clips from that video can be put up on both Kindness-Connection and CDCA's websites for a more in depth look at the situation in Horacio. I was so grateful to have their help and to get to know them. I'm sure they participation in the school year will prove to be fruitful.
The little Performance Day ("Clausura") on Friday was very successful. All the kids presented something different from their classes and the art teacher had an exhibition of all their art work. All the teachers displayed the kids' work in sections....I put out about two folders per grade with all their crafts and worksheets and such. Alan thinks that the first graders stole the show with their animal masks and "I see____" performance. I was really proud of all of the kids. The second, third, and fourth graders did the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes song" along with a song that Puerto Rican schools teach young ones in English and Spanish. I think the words to that Puerto Rican song are on the blackboard in one of the pictures below. The fifth and sixth graders recited/read the conversations that they had written in English. A few were very shy, but they tried their best. There were also some dances choreographed by the art and math teacher and a really sweet song directed by the verbal communication teacher. Once the kids were done, some dancers performed a few tradional Peruvian songs. Everyone ended up dancing with them and had a great time. Overall, it was a great success:)
Up next is the beach trip........Alan, Joshua, and I will be pretty strict with the kids as the waves at the beaches in Mollendo are really dangerous. I'll let you know how it goes (fingers crossed). Also, I hope that the girls from the girls' group can collectively decide on a community service project in the next couple weeks. I introduced the idea to them yesterday, and they were really receptive of the idea. I really think that these girls have the potential to make a significant impact in their community. As I have said before, I have high hopes for these girls:) I will also update on that next time.
My relationships with all the kids have deepened and my relationship with the Director has definitely strengthened. We worked very well together during the summer classes. As his intentions in his role at the school and the communtiy are so noble, we get along very well. I hope that my relationship, ergo the relationship with CDCA, and the school teachers will be equally amiable and that mutual respect will also flourish from good communication.
Its a little strange not being at the school everyday and getting the snack and kissing scrapes (sana, sana.....), but I'm looking forward to the school year........
I'll be in touch! Keep checking every couple weeks.
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