First Look

Here is your first look of Miss Eberly's 2012-2013 school year. New colors, some new technology, less dirt (at least for awhile)...

Last night was Open House, and it was quite the success. I felt much more confident than last year and my translator remembered to come!

Dressed up for Open House
Emily (my new roommate), Sarah (5th grade), Erin (2nd grade), me, Kelly (2nd grade)

After my presentation, some of my students from last year came into my room to say hi and give hugs. One student asked me if I hated her and my class from last year. I told her of course not and asked why. She informed me that since I painted my room my favorite color (red) and decorated nice that I must love my new students more and that I no longer like my old students. I am glad to know that my room looks cooler (at least on 4th grader standards). I want it to be bright and happy to start off the school year.

Monday is the big day. I am praying that I would show the love of Jesus to my students each and every day as we learn and read and grow together. Thank you for continuing with me on this journey!

Back to School

I landed in Managua last Friday night and immediately thought, "Ahh, I'm home." Those are more or less the same words I thought when I arrived back in Omaha earlier this summer. I think I will always feel like I am coming back home when I am going back and forth between those two places. Omaha contains my family and best friends and is the place I grew up in. Nicaragua contains my ministry and work and so many students that I love. 

It feels good to be home. 

School starts on Monday; Open House is this Friday. Needless to say, there is much to do. My room is getting a paint makeover this year. I bought the paint before I went to Omaha so that the workers could paint it over the summer and I could get right to work decorating when I got back. Of course I didn't buy enough paint. Then today I went into school, and low and behold, still not enough paint. Three trips to the paint store later, I am pretty sure my room will be totally painted when I walk in in the morning. Next comes decorating and putting up bulletin boards and posters like a mad man, lesson plans, and preparing myself for Open House. I feel much better about everything this year with a year of experience behind me. I already know my upcoming students, some of their parents, the ins-and-outs of the school, etc. 

I'll post some pictures this weekend of my room and give a more thorough update then. 

Much love,

Laura 

End of the Year

I am home for the summer, and back to the blog after a busy last couple of weeks.

School is out and my first year of teaching finished. My students and I say thank you to all my supporters who have made it possible for me to be in Nicaragua, teaching and sharing God's love with my 4th graders.

To celebrate the end of the year and the fact that, as a class, we read over 1,000 books, we had a monster book party!

Students who completed their individual book goals each received some "Book Worms". 

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During my last couple of days in Nicaragua I was able to connect with some of my Nicaraguan host families that have hosted me during my short term trips to Nicaragua years ago. These are people that impacted me greatly and helped shape my love for this country.

I stayed with this family in Diriamba four years ago. The two oldest girls are twins and share my birthday. When I visited them, the younger boys were playing a game I had given them four years ago. When language is an issue, games and laughter always bridge the gap. I am going to bring them some new board games in the fall.

This was my first host family. When I stayed with them back in 2006, I was able to really put my Spanish to use, I learned how to hand wash my clothes, and I discovered the joys of small amounts of electricity. At that time I already knew I wanted to live in Nicaragua, but the trip continued to confirm it.
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I am currently in Omaha, enjoying time with my family and preparing for next school year. Thanks for following me throughout my first year in Nicaragua!

Field Trip

Today was a field trip day, every student's dream come true. We journeyed over to La Prensa, the main newspaper agency in Nicaragua.

We have been studying the printing press, the pony express, newspapers, and the spread of ideas in Social Studies class. A couple of weeks ago we went out to the soccer field and raced messages across the field in a mock pony express (minus the ponies). We decided current modes of transporting and communicating news is a lot more efficient.

Next we wreaked havoc at McDonald's, where we stopped for lunch.

Tomorrow is our last full day of school.
Monday we have a half day where my class will celebrate our accomplishment of reading over 1,000 books as a class. There will pizza, a movie, and of course, books!
Tuesday and Wednesday are also half days... and then we are done!

I am slightly overwhelmed with thoughts this week. My first year in Nicaragua is almost complete and God has done so much. I survived my first year as a teacher. The hardest year is behind me! I am excited for my two friends to come visit me in a week and a half... and then I'll be flying home for a summer visit! Thankful, blessed, excited, a little tired... I see God's goodness all around me.


xooxoxo
Laura

Daniel and Esther

In 4th grade Bible class we spend the year digging deeper into the Old Testament. We review a lot of the stories that children grow up learning, but we go deeper into them and examine the time in history that they take place, the location, and how the stories and characters affect everyone around them. We spent a long time looking at the kings of Israel and Judah and just finished learning about the exile. Last week we learned about Daniel, a young man affected by the exile. My students spent three days in groups reading different stories from Daniel, researching about Babylon, and drawing pictures of the key items in the stories. One group had the story from Daniel 5 where King Belshazzar gives a banquet for a thousand of his nobles. During the meal a human hand appears and writes on the wall. Daniel is the only one that can interpret what it means. My students had never heard this particular story and were amazed that it was in the Bible. "Did that really happen? It sounds like a ghost story. How can a hand just appear out of nowhere?"

On Friday we started talking about Esther. My students had all heard this story as well, but they didn't know much of the background on it. They learned about the size of King Xerxes kingdom and the hatred that Haman had for Mordecai and the Jews. We learned about signet rings and scepters and the different roles people had in the palace. I read them the first part of the story from a Bible story book, and for the first time that day, they all sat perfectly quiet. They groaned when I put the book down to start math. I love that God's stories can captivate us, just like any good book can.

We are now down to two and a half weeks of school. Most schools in the States are out or are getting out this week. My students are ready to be done - but the fun isn't over yet!

Mother's Day

I love Nicaragua, but at times it is a little rough being away from my mom. Who else makes the world's best tuna fish sandwiches on a Sunday afternoon? That's right, no one.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! Sending love your way. xoxoxooo

Book Day

In case you missed the news, last Friday was Book Day!

I have a not so secret passion for reading and books in general, so I freaked out a little when my principal told me the news. I passed on the excitement to my students, but I think my excitement might have surpassed theirs. A whole day devoted to books! You know I love seeing what my students are reading and celebrating with them when they finish a book. They love to check up on my reading progress and try to guess how many pages I read the night before. Book Day had an extra portion of celebrating books including:
Book show and tell

Dress like your favorite book character
Reading buddies with the younger graders
All of elementary having D.E.A.R. (drop everything and read) time together

Our favorite books and character costumes (that's my Jane Austen bonnet)!

Normal classroom chaos

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series is big in my class this year. These students are rocking their "Camp Half-Blood" t-shirts.

I love when they are reading!