First Exams..... the hard times begin........

Fourth grade (one of my favorite classes). Maria (foreground)...so adorable.
Marco (first seat) has lots of artistic potential and quickly picks up on patterns in English
Nataly and Edwin Martin painting their own design by thier color scale they made


Hi! So last week was really busy......and interesting. I gave my first exam to sixth grade and fourth grade on vowels and their sounds in Spanish, (with the help of my host father) finally translated the library proposal, finally confirmed things for the mural, and I used some new disciplinary techniques (unfortunately...but they worked).

About the English exam........
I am becoming more and more aware of how dependent these kids are. Even though I explained what was going to be on the exam the week before and also explained in detail the questions on the exam right before I handed the exam out, they all still raised their hands in panic "Miss Damara, Miss Damara...que tengo que hacer? no entiendo!" After about ten minutes of this and noticing that very few were answering anything correctly, I made the test open book. After this a handful managed to either get a perfect score or just pass; however, a handful still failed:( The next day I spoke with the teachers of the class asking about each student who failed, and both teachers told me to give them another chance. So, I spoke separately with each student who completely missed the point of the exam (students who I graded with a question mark) and the little review session went really well. I had sixth grade today and we went over everything, and I think it went really well. Some of them are also getting pretty good at drawing...something else to be happy about.

Translating the proposal......
So, I finally had the opportunity to present to library plan in its entirety in a meeting yesterday with the teachers and Director, and they were really receptive to everything. They particularly like that I'm asking for money for special educational texts that they want and beginning a reading-incentive contest program. They added some suggestions for more things and I don't know if what they want will be approved, but we shall see. By tomorrow I should e-mail the proposal to all the heads of the NGO's. The ideal situation would be that everyone approves everything, or most of things that are important, and everyone sends money by Monday of next week. However, being that there are three different organizations, there is a definite posibility that the proposal will be met with some dissent and call for even more revisions. Please, please say a prayer that we can at least open the library by May 11th. I really can't wait any longer to finally get these kids reading and engaged in the library programs.

About the mural........
So this local artist/art instructor, who also taught Art during summer school, agreed to do a mural in the library with me. But he's been really unreliable about confirming meeting times and such. Finally this weekend he said that he was available this Thursday afternoon to buy the supplies for the mural and that we could sketch on the wall by Friday. I'm so relieved that this is finally happening, because the kids are really looking forward to having something pretty on the wall and excited about helping to paint and such.

About the disciplining.........
Last week, as I was stressing about the library and mural and all, first through third grade (and fifth grade...but that's always) decided to be really disrespectful and out of control. Needless to say, I had to "lay down the law". I had to get the teachers to talk to them at the beginning of class and every time they acted up I employed some new technique thinking completely on my feet. They all are learning how to raise their hands quietly and line up quietly and not fight or yell. Fighting and or yelling as well as disobedience was rewarded with time out (first and second grade) or no art (third and fifth grade). Fifth grade was particularly funny as the boys were really acting up. So I told the boys that they we were gonna play a game after English, and they had to behave better. They were a little better, but still not paying attention as they should have. Then I told the boys to put their heads down for the game. When they all had their heads down, I proceeded to pass out the drawing supplies to the girls. A couple of boys lifted their heads and asked why they were'nt getting anything for art. I told them they were gonna play a special game. I took the girls outside to do some one-point perspective drawing. Then I went back inside and the boys all had their heads up. I told them that we were gonna have a little dance party and I would play some reggeaton (which they love and totally flatters me for obvious cultural reasons), but I played what I usually play for art...classical music. And they had to keep their heads down for the rest of the class. I sent a couple kids home after they got up from their seat, but I think they were under control for the most part after that;-) This week things are going a bit slowly teaching-wise in first and second grade, but their behavior is improving so much. I can't complain...patience is a virtue...one that I have to continually work at acheiving.

First Month of School

The above picture was taken on a walk through the city with my German buddy Karsten. I haven't taken any recent pictures of the kids at school...but I will. The volcano in the background is El Misti.

Anyway, school is going really well. The kids are behaving well for the most part. The older kids (4th through 6th grades) are learning all the vowels and their many sounds with corresponding vocabulary and have already painted a primary and secondary color scale. The younger ones (1st through 3rd grades) have learned primary and secondary colors in various exercises and third grade has painted a little as well begun to learn the vowels and their sounds.

The real story is behind the scenes working on a comprehensive library proposal and translating it so that CDCA and both Kindness Connection(s) can approve it and send money to get the library going. The proposal for just the library is divided into nine sections such as "Hours of Service", "Library Resources", "Mural Project", "Improving Library Ambiance", "Leadership Program", etc. Each section focuses on the Objective, Implementation, Person Implementing, Evaluation, and Budget. The last two weeks I've written it and made all the appropriate supplementary documents such as the library inventory and check-out procedure list, library flyer/announcement of services, and library membership permission slip for the children's parents. I've started translating it in the past few days and hopefully will be done by early next week. After everything is approved, money can be sent to buy new furniture and books for the library. Its a lot of work but very exciting. All the teachers at the school can't wait to see the translated proposal and see the work begin to make the library a functioning body.

Alan and Joshua are still helping out at the school. They are looking into how the grounds can be leveled for a playground and volleyball court. Alan is writing the part of the proposal for the playground and sports areas. Things are moving along.

Semana Santa has been amazing in Arequipa so far. Last Friday night I went walking around the city with Karsten and we ended up in the Plaza in front of the church where they had all 13 stations of the cross set up for the Procession done every Friday during Lent. It was so exciting to watch all the people come out and see all the beautiful decorations. Karsten is a theology Masters student in Germany, so he took lots of pictures while I participated in the ceremonies:)

Last night Josh and I went to the church at the Mirador de Yanahuara and asked around about Good Friday ceremonies. We found out that tonight there is going to be a Stations of the Cross Procession starting at that very church at 7pm to 12 other churches (one for each station). We plan on participating in the Procession...it should be very interesting. I think Karsten is joining us as well.

I promise to take some pictures of the kids for next time...