Back to the Desert

I arrived back in Al Ain on a sweltering hot Friday night.  After being in the States for 2 months and enjoying the much cooler temperatures (even the days when it was in the high 80s), coming back to the 110s was not pleasant!

My first week back has been filled with work and catching up with friends.  The 2013-2014 school year has started off much better than last year began or ended.  One key reason is Gursharn is gone!  She was a huge source of trouble.  The 4th grade team seems to be working really good together and we've accomplished quite a lot already.  Another key reason things seem to be much better than last year is that I'm not new anymore!  I don't have to learn how the school works, I get to mentor a new teacher and help her figure out how the school works.  And by God's grace I'm praying that my response to whatever may happen this year will be much different than how I responded last year.

My classroom is pretty much all set up; I'm just debating about changing the seating arrangement.  Currently I have 6 groups of 4, but I'm thinking of making it 4 groups of 6.  The reason for the debate is the ratio of boys to girls this year.  As of right now, things are bound to change, I have 16 boys and 8 girls, exactly the opposite of what I had last year.  The advantage to having groups of 6 I can have 2 girls in each group and not have any groups of just boys.  The disadvantage to having groups of 6 is that it's a large group; 6 kids means that there could potentially be 2-3 that just slack off and let the others do the work.  I'm still thinking about it.

I am applying for the literacy coordinator position that is available.  I love reading and writing, but being a coordinator is not something that I'm all that comfortable with.  It's a position of leadership and although I've been told by many people that I would make a good leader, it's just not me.  Applying doesn't necessarily mean I will get the job though.  Then there's the issue that I don't agree with the program that we are being forced to use.  It's "Reading Street" - a basal reading program designed for American students.  I've talked to the principal about this issue and she's OK with it.  She said if I get the position we can work together to see how to creatively incorporate the program into what we know is best for students.  I'll continue praying about it and see what happens.

I've had a good time catching up with a few friends this week and I'm looking forward to spending time with others as the time goes on.  I have to say that church was quite different due to the fact that Kristie wasn't there.  I definitely miss her!

School starts Tuesday and then things get back to normal!  The first week of my last year has been a good one and I pray that it continues throughout the entire year!