4:00 On the Other Side

Remembering the concept of light on my last trip to China—from a previous e-mail back home in 2010. . .

And the Lord said, "Let there be light."  On Friday, December 10, I awoke at a little before 4:00, made some e-mail notes to friends and family back in the U. S., and worked on dissertation materials. At 6:00, I decided to bathe and get ready for the next visit to the Hangzhou school site.  I opted for a bath this morning instead of a shower in order to soak my very weary muscles in the warm waters after travel from the U. S.  Just as I was all lathered up (thank goodness I was bathing), the electricity went off, and I was left sitting in the tub in total and complete darkness. I had plugged my cell phone into the electrical outlet, so I continued my bath, then slowly released the water from the tub, reached a nearby towel, dried off, and carefully stepped out of the tub to begin to feel my way around the bathroom for my cell phone.  

With a little light in hand-- I remembered that I had stashed my flashlight away in my overhead bag for the trip, so I retrieved it, turned it on, and continued to get dressed for the day--using the flashlight's reflection in the bath mirror to put on my makeup and prepare (the flashlight was later lost at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago when my bags were extensively investigated after flight back to the states). In the midst of the process, the power came back on, and life in China returned to normal.  

Once dressed, I made my way to the restaurant for breakfast, but at 6:45, the facility was not yet open, so I sat on the beautifully engraved wooden couch in the corridor to wait.  An elderly gentleman (one of the restaurant workers I later learned) came from around the corner with two bowls of oranges to offer the three Buddahs sitting on a table strategically across from the couch where I was stationed.  He placed a bowl on each side of the table, lit an incense, and began to bow a number of times as he lifted up his prayers.  As he prayed to his god, I lifted up prayers to my God.  

I thought it rather interesting that a Christmas tree and Santa decorations were next to the wall cattycornered to the table of Buddahs--only in China! 

After he finished his prayers, he turned to me, and began speaking to me in Hangzhouian dialect, but all I could reply was, "Wo bu dong"--"I don't know."  At that point I couldn't even remember how to say "Chinese" in Chinese!  He continued to speak, as though that did not matter, with a perfect toothless smile.  We then sat there on the sofa silently for a while until the cooks began to place items out for the breakfast buffet.  He then motioned for me to go on into the restaurant area, sit down, and enjoy my breakfast.  I picked up a few items--waiting for the rice porridge to be prepared, and sat at a round table in a darkened area of the room (because it was covered with a table cloth), but he motioned for me to move to a wooden table next to the kitchen area which was not covered yet , so I did.  I was so glad to do so because now, I had a view of the activities going on in the kitchen as the cooks frantically prepared for the day.  As they brought out hot items and placed them on the buffet table, other hotel guests began to arrive, and I went back for my porridge and a few other items.  

The elderly gentleman then brought over several napkins, and bowed to me.  I stood and bowed to him as well. 

At the school site, I went to Helen's office, and was escorted from there over to the media room where additional teacher interviews were taking place.  Rose came in with a plastic bag of what appeared to be some form of instant rice, took it to the hot water dispenser, and filled it with water.  She then inspected the bag to make sure it was not leaking, tied a knot in it, and set it aside to prepare.  She then handed me her I-pod from her purse, and asked Helen to take me to the television room where I met with Mr. Son. I took my computer with me in order to have him assist with setting it up for wireless connections at the school site--which he did.  

Mr. Son was an absolute computer wizzard!  As I removed my system from the rolling bag, he marvled, "OH!  Windows 7," and began to examine every inch of the machine--noticing the China trademark in the upper left-hand corner of the keyboard, and pointing it out ( I had to chuckle to myself after realizing this computer system had traveled from China to me in the U.S., and was now back in China after my other laptop was stolen)!  Even though he said he did not read English, his familarity with the program allowed him to very quickly have my system hooked up with wireless connection while on the campus.  He then, loaded the video from Rose onto my system desktop, and I reviewed the lesson sample presented by one of the top teachers in China. Once, finished, I told Helen that I would return to the hotel to work some more, and did so until lunchtime when I walked back to meet Helen and Rose in Helen's office.  We then made our way across the campus and across the street to a newly built hotel for a lunch buffet. 

More later. . .

The Light of the World

No. . .it's not 4:00, but I was awakened just a little while ago, and could not get Kari Jobe's song, We are the Light of the World out of my head, so I decided to make a visit to FaceBook and post a copy to listen to from YouTube.  While there, I also thought about Brandon Heath's, You Put the Light in Me.  Thank you, Lord, for continuing to put your light in me.  May I show your light in the classroom instead of "burning the candle at both ends."  Too often I work myself into a point of burnout. . .as many teachers do, and yet feel as though the classroom contributions are never enough for the students.

Just this evening, I discovered that my parents were complaining about the weekly spelling list for their children, which generally consists of their regular spelling list with reading vocabulary words added.  None of the parents had commented about this list until now--although the students also use these words for sentence dictation, and writing assignments throughout the week.  Because second grade had not adhered to the pacing guide, we were left with several weeks at the end of the year without a reading story, so opted at this time to repeat a few stories reading skills over the next few weeks.  As a result, we also were left without a list of spelling words for the week, so I decided to review words that had given students difficulty over the past several weeks, and added these along with their social studies vocabulary to the list.  I also chose to use the time this week for writer's workshop, and TELPAS preparation by reviewing the steps in writing a story with my students.  I would much rather prefer to have a week for reading workshop followed by a week for writer's workshop to accompany the curriculum, but alas. . .we are tied to the pacing guide. . .in addition to having the spelling list cut down to 12 words now instead of 20-25.  How sad that we continue to dumb down the curriculum in order to appease the crowd. 

As with everything in my life, I am reminded of my time in China where the students beg for more English instruction instead of less, and ask more questions instead of thinking they already know everything. Ah well. . .I'm off my soapbox now.  Lord put your light back in me, and now allow me to return to my warm bed and rest before beginning the process all over again in the classroom tomorrow. 

~~Dr. D.

Leading the Profession

My internal clock continues to awaken me at this time of morning, and I began to wonder what a blogger is supposed to do?  I was immediately drawn to the Winter 2012 version of NEA Today sitting on my little portable desk, and this organization's three point plan for leading educational reform.  The agenda focuses on educators taking the lead in their organizations, and improving student learning through teacher leadership with the following: 1) raising entry level standards for teachers, 2) new career paths for teachers, and 3) union leadership.

Under the plan, novice level teachers would work with a mentor teacher in a residency type of format.  They would receive a $25,000 stipend for living expenses during their one year of this candidacy, and complete a three year commitment to teaching.  These candidates would be further required to pass a Teacher Performance Assessment for entry into the profession.

The second rung of the plan centers on developing the career options for teachers with varying responsibilities and compensations for Novice, Professional, and Master level educators.  In this manner, beginning level teachers receive time to develop their teaching skills before taking on students who are difficult to serve, and teacher compensation for their services would be based on their educational experiences.  Evaluation of the process occurs through Peer Assistance and Peer Assistance Review across a three year period of teacher quality review.

Through union leadership, the third level of the plan, challenges to the status quo occur as teachers are trained to take on leadership roles within their school systems. This role change involves teachers in the decision making process by allowing them to improve instruction, the curriculum, and school performance as educational leaders.  One of the key elements of this change is having union leaders and school administrators working together as advocates for education instead of adversaries.

Looks like educators are needing to determine where we go from here.

"Blog blog, blog blog, blog blog"

Ha!  The resounding monotone of the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons from my elementary years came to mind as I sat here to type.  I'm beginning my first blog ever a little shortly after 4:39 a.m. on February 11, 2012.  The time frame (4:00 in the morning) reminds me of my first ventures into China in 1998.  As I prepared for my first flight, and trip into the PRC, I was awakened each morning, promptly, at 4:00, and used the time to draw closer in my walk with Christ through daily Bible study.  This morning was different.  I was awakened this morning around 2:00 unable to breath from a third round sinus infection.  Feeling miserable, but needing to get some things accomplished, I decided that the gravity from standing upright might help me to breath better.  In the meantime, I cleaned the kitchen. . .still not breathing better, but feeling better by doing something.

As I sit here, I am reminded of how much more we are able to hear in the silence of the early hours:  the soft murmur of the refrigerator motor, the repetitive tick tock of the hands on the clock, the swish of the ceiling fan above my head (my laptop is sitting on my little portable desk in the kitchen), and that still small voice reminding me of not only China, but the job I am called to as a teacher.  Lord give me the words to speak, the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the hands to reach out, endurance for the race. . .and the nose to smell.  ~~Dr. D.