Education

School is in session!  When I have felt out of my comfort zone so often in Haiti, it has been a nice change to walk into a classroom each morning and be back in the teacher space.  I pick the fifth graders up at the gate and we walk to class together.  They are so friendly and happy to be at school, full of "good morning miss" and other sweet greetings.  We spend time working on reading comprehension as well as conversational English.  I try to mix traditional academic activities with some exciting language practice games. Below is the fifth grade class hard at work on editing their reading response for the day, they all want their English to be perfect!

The second grade comes in after I walk the fifth grade down to their French lesson and the fun continues until lunch time.  Below is a picture of Desaline, Angelica, and Wilderson drawing and writing about what they would bake in their oven after reading "Cookies" a story about Frog and Toad's baking adventures.  Not surprisingly kids in Haiti love the same stories and characters that kids in the states enjoy!

In our classroom I find comfort in the familiar interactions as students ask questions, share answers, and eagerly dive into their learning. 

After lunch the older students meet together on the porch for "tutoring".  Today I was working on grammar, science, and writing with different students.  Beverly and I would also like to expand their horizions so we have also worked on some computer skills during this time.  These teenagers are eager to learn more about the world around them and enjoy looking on Google Earth to travel around the globe. 

In a country that has a multitude of challenges, it is certain that the educated youth will be the ones to start and sustain the rebuilding of Haiti.  The students here are not only learning how to think and use their abilities, but also hear about the faithful love of the God who made them.  They can rely on their God to carry them through the inevitable storms of life.  Being here is a daily blessing filled with unique challenges and opportunities, and I am so thankful to be able to both learn from this experience and help educate these amazing children. Thank you for following along with me! Love in Christ, Jessie