Occasionally while teaching, one or two students will be disruptive enough to make learning hard for the entire class. Tonight, I have one of those classes. One of my students consistently wants to be the center of attention, and with this kid, it's more like an epicenter. He arrives late, and crashes through the thin aluminium door loudly, consistently. He makes all sorts of comments (some a hair on the lude side) about everyone else's answers and makes it difficult to help the shyer students want to participate. I've been lifting this situation up to the Father, and tonight, seems to be going better.
Tonight, he arrived late and loud as usual, but because he was so late, there was only one really accessable desk, right up front by the blackboard, all alone, in arm's reach of me. So, I told him he would sit up front with me today. He seemed a little uncomfortable, but quickly hid it behind his "happy-go-lucky" facade. Throughout the lesson, he was dropping his pen and scooting his desk toward the rest of the class in order to file back in with them. I told him to move his desk back to where it was supposed to be, and he only half-complied, and I, hoping this would be a fitting compromise, let it go, but he continued to try to get out of order. So, I stopped my lesson, something I hate to do, and told him that he could move his desk back to the front, or go home. That gave him the necessary motivation. Even in this, he tried to put his desk where he wanted, on his terms, but I didn't budge, and once he had returned himself to where he was supposed to be, I continued my lesson as if nothing had happened.
The why behind his behavior is a point of continued speculation between my teammates and me. Whatever the reason, I'm hoping that a firm, but caring, presense in his life (if only 90 min a night/2 nights a week) will help him to learn how to be a better part of the class.
Please keep lifting us up!
Edit: Well, I spoke too soon. I wrote the above during the break during the class. When I returned, the student in question had moved to the back of the class. I told him that he needed to return to his seat up front. That he was too disruptive if left on his own. Well, he picked his things up... and left. Just walked out and said, "Hello...I mean, Good Bye!" and left. The class cheered. They actually cheered his leaving. One student called him a monkey. I just wish he could have been a productive part of the class.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
A Warm Welcome
Just a quick note:
When I arrived at my first class today, I was greeted by my students shouting and turning the lights off. They asked me if I could come back in a few minutes. So after the few, they came and got me and I walked in and there was a cake with candles and such, and at first, I thought that they thought it was my birthday, but upon reading the cake, I realized what it was. The cake said "Welcome Back, Mr. Kenny!" It was my first day teaching them in like 3 weeks, and they had gotten me a welcome back cake and had put up streamers and drew all sorts of fun little things on the board. It was so sweet. I was speechless. Aren't my students the greatest?!
When I arrived at my first class today, I was greeted by my students shouting and turning the lights off. They asked me if I could come back in a few minutes. So after the few, they came and got me and I walked in and there was a cake with candles and such, and at first, I thought that they thought it was my birthday, but upon reading the cake, I realized what it was. The cake said "Welcome Back, Mr. Kenny!" It was my first day teaching them in like 3 weeks, and they had gotten me a welcome back cake and had put up streamers and drew all sorts of fun little things on the board. It was so sweet. I was speechless. Aren't my students the greatest?!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hey, everyone!
I just wanted to give a quick update about our trip over Thanksgiving weekend. We took our fall retreat (with the team from Da Nang this time) to Hue, and it was really great. It was a good time to relax and reflect on the first third of our service here in Viet Nam. I was chosen to lead the devotionals and while it wasn't giving a sermon or anything, it gave me a chance to flex my muscles in seeking out a point from the Word that the others would benifit from. Everyone said I did a good job and that what I had us reflect on was applicable so: Mission Accomplished. We talked about taking time to slow down and listen to the Father and we reflected on the idea that "being still" doesn't mean being lazy, but rather to be calm and collected in the face of adversity because the Father is in control. Those are some lessons that we all needed to keep in mind as we continue this adventure. Thank you for lifting me and the rest of my team up over the holidays. I'm looking forward to teaching again and being reenergized to be intentional in my relationships with everyone here in Vinh.
Until next time, be still, and listen to what the Father has to say in the sound of sheer silence.
I just wanted to give a quick update about our trip over Thanksgiving weekend. We took our fall retreat (with the team from Da Nang this time) to Hue, and it was really great. It was a good time to relax and reflect on the first third of our service here in Viet Nam. I was chosen to lead the devotionals and while it wasn't giving a sermon or anything, it gave me a chance to flex my muscles in seeking out a point from the Word that the others would benifit from. Everyone said I did a good job and that what I had us reflect on was applicable so: Mission Accomplished. We talked about taking time to slow down and listen to the Father and we reflected on the idea that "being still" doesn't mean being lazy, but rather to be calm and collected in the face of adversity because the Father is in control. Those are some lessons that we all needed to keep in mind as we continue this adventure. Thank you for lifting me and the rest of my team up over the holidays. I'm looking forward to teaching again and being reenergized to be intentional in my relationships with everyone here in Vinh.
Until next time, be still, and listen to what the Father has to say in the sound of sheer silence.
Monday, November 19, 2007
And we're back....
Hello Everyone!
I'm sorry that I haven't updated this in such a long time, but it turns out that the site that I chose to host my blog (blogspot) seems to have connection troubles with Vietnam. I don't know why, but they've made it very difficult to use, but PTL I met some people while I was touring who reminded me of something I should have tried months ago, and lo and behold, it works! It involves a lot of technical jargon, but the end result is that I am able to use my blog again! YAY! So, I'm going to do my best to post here at least once a week from here on out, and I should be able to read your comments and such now too, but if you want to tell me anything, using my email would be best: kennyteachesenglish@gmail.com
Now to give you a quick idea of what's going on here, two weeks ago, our administrators approached us and said that they had these train tickets to anywhere in Vietnam, but they had to use them by "next week" so since they couldn't go, they sent us! We spent two weeks touring southern Vietnam and it was quite the trip. I made sure to write a lot of it down, so I'll try to supplement this with some excerpts from my journal later this week.
As for this week, we'll be teaching for only 2 days (Monday and Wednesday) because Tuesday is Teacher's Day here in Vietnam and the school won't be open. Then we'll be heading by train (most cost-effective mode of transportation in VN) to Da Nang to see the rest of the ESI teachers there and have Thanksgiving dinner. That night(it'll be Thursday by now) we'll all take the 2 hour bus ride to Hue for our fall retreat. I think by the end, I'll have taught a whopping 10 days at most in the month of November. It's been quite the experience though, up to this point, and I'm sure the Father will have plenty more to show us over the coming weeks and months. I look forward to sharing it all with you!
Oh, one final note. My support needs are now down below $5000! We're halfway there! I love getting to share how the Father has been supplying for my needs! :-D
I'm sorry that I haven't updated this in such a long time, but it turns out that the site that I chose to host my blog (blogspot) seems to have connection troubles with Vietnam. I don't know why, but they've made it very difficult to use, but PTL I met some people while I was touring who reminded me of something I should have tried months ago, and lo and behold, it works! It involves a lot of technical jargon, but the end result is that I am able to use my blog again! YAY! So, I'm going to do my best to post here at least once a week from here on out, and I should be able to read your comments and such now too, but if you want to tell me anything, using my email would be best: kennyteachesenglish@gmail.com
Now to give you a quick idea of what's going on here, two weeks ago, our administrators approached us and said that they had these train tickets to anywhere in Vietnam, but they had to use them by "next week" so since they couldn't go, they sent us! We spent two weeks touring southern Vietnam and it was quite the trip. I made sure to write a lot of it down, so I'll try to supplement this with some excerpts from my journal later this week.
As for this week, we'll be teaching for only 2 days (Monday and Wednesday) because Tuesday is Teacher's Day here in Vietnam and the school won't be open. Then we'll be heading by train (most cost-effective mode of transportation in VN) to Da Nang to see the rest of the ESI teachers there and have Thanksgiving dinner. That night(it'll be Thursday by now) we'll all take the 2 hour bus ride to Hue for our fall retreat. I think by the end, I'll have taught a whopping 10 days at most in the month of November. It's been quite the experience though, up to this point, and I'm sure the Father will have plenty more to show us over the coming weeks and months. I look forward to sharing it all with you!
Oh, one final note. My support needs are now down below $5000! We're halfway there! I love getting to share how the Father has been supplying for my needs! :-D
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