Staff Blog
It is no secret that there was an earthquake in the Philippines on Tuesday. There has been a lot of information shared over facebook, some of it an hour by hour update on our experience. Many people have spoken about the fear, the pain and the sadness they, or others they know, experienced.
I did not comment much about it then, but would like to say more now.
It is a very unnerving feeling to have every surface you are touching rumble and move beneath and around you. There is nothing to grab onto, there is nothing that can steady you. Also, the power shut off at the exact time the quaking began, so there is that shock to the senses. And then there is the noise. There is the rumble of the movement of the earth, some have described it like if a construction site were right outside your home. Then there is the noise of your fragile possessions crashing to the ground and breaking or the stones of your house falling from above. Scary. And it seems to go on for so long. Maybe because from the moment the shaking starts to when it stops you are unceasingly praying for it to end. And then after the shaking stops, you begin to hear the shouts and cries of the people and the dogs. In my neighborhood, the dogs had much to say.
You are really shaky yourself and you feel kind of weak, it takes a while to get your bearings. I had heard from Sandy---she, Marlys and Jenny were okay. I tried to reach Mitch, but there was no answer. I then went outside to check on some of my neighbors---everyone in my compound was safe, Shari and Marcel too, which was wonderful!
I returned home to some disarray and with the strong desire to get up to the shelter. My television had fallen from its stand and laid in pieces, a vase had met a similar demise. I left them as is, moved any other breakable items to a safer place and headed out, unsure what state I would find things in as I drove.
People were everywhere in the streets, there was an accident at the base of the road the shelter is on, so people and vehicles filled the space. I actually saw one of our house fathers there on his motorcycle. He couldn't hear my shouting over the din of everything else. I found out later that his wife, one of our house mothers, was out shopping with some of our older girls when the earthquake happened and he was going to locate them. Terrifying.
I made it up the road easily and quickly. The construction site next to our land even seemed to have made it through the quake alright. I honked once outside our gate, the door opened and I pulled into safety. I immediately saw Mitch's van and saw him walking around---all of us were safe and accounted for.
I was anxious to see how all of the kids were doing, so my heart was racing, but there was also just an overwhelming peace. I could see the kids outside on the grounds, gathered together, many of them crying. They ran and hugged me tightly. I didn't have enough body to go around. I moved around through the groups, checking them, checking for injuries, checking for tears, checking that they were okay. All of our house parents were also safe and accounted for. The house mother and the three girls who had been shopping during the quake had made it back safely---the girls were crying and one of them had lost her slippers in the panic---but they were back!
I stood in the middle of the yard and looked around and the buildings, the windows, the plants, the ground---everything looked as it had the day before---seemingly untouched by the 7.2 magnitude quake that had struck 20 minutes earlier. Praise the Lord!
I have said this many times in my 2+ years at CSC, but since I first stepped foot inside the gate I have felt God's hand on this land, on this ministry, on these kids, on these workers, on us. He always provides, He always protects, He always sustains.
The aftershocks continued the rest of the day, some feeling almost as strong as the earthquake, though they lasted less time. We kept the kids outside for the morning until everything could be checked, but they napped inside in the afternoon. For quite some time that day, every time an aftershock was felt the kids would run to the middle of the playground.
We had no power, so the generator ran all day, a noisy machine, but something we were grateful for. We lost water for a period of time in the afternoon as the continuous running of the generator overwhelmed the water pump. But that problem was solved quickly once it was understood. The nurseries were moved to the living rooms in the homes and all of the children slept downstairs for that night. The aftershocks continued through the night, the next day and the next and I am pretty sure I have felt some yet this morning.
While it remains a bit unnerving and you feel somewhat on edge---yesterday when I heard a loud rumbling noise, I looked for the nearest sturdy object to dive under should the shaking start, and it was really just a low-flying plane---there is no need to fear. God is good, ALL THE TIME! All the time, GOD IS GOOD!
Growing Artists
"Everybody born comes from the Creator trailing wisps of glory. We come from the Creator with creativity. I think that each one of us is born with creativity."
– Maya Angelou
"Every artist was first an amateur." – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every Monday afternoon my second grade class has art. My students get so excited upon hearing the bell and say, "It's art time!" Here is a conversation I recently had in art class:
Student 1: "Teacher, what are we going to do today in art?
Student 2: "Teacher, are we going to paint or draw?
I took out pictures I had taken of each student.
Student 3: "What are we going to do with those pictures?"
Student 1: I think we are going to put frames around them or make designs on our own pictures.
Student 2: Nope, I think we are going to draw a picture of ourselves!
Student 3: Yeah! Ganahan kaayo ko magdrawing! (I really like to draw!)
My 2nd graders have been learning the basics about art such as the different kinds of lines, colors, proper strokes in coloring, etc. Now, it was time to apply those skills!
They really had fun doing their self-portraits. The room was totally quiet as they studied how best to recreate their picture. This activity encouraged them to develop concentration, coordination, fine-motor skills, and creativity. Some of them even extended their art skills by creating their own style.
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You Are Capable!
The beginning of this school year has been so great. Students are learning to adjust in their new classrooms, with their new teachers. There are a lot of new things at school that both the students and teachers are exploring together. It's fun to see everyone growing in so many different areas!
One of the big truths that we teach our students is that they're capable of doing the right things that will help them both now and in the future. A verse that we have been discussing in class is Philippians 4:13 which says, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength".
At the beginning of each day my class and I review our classroom expectations. Instead of putting "Classroom Rules" I decided to put "I Can" statements as the heading. It's my way of encouraging the students to know that they are capable.
It's very timely that the first theme in reading this year talks about teamwork. Once my students learned that they were capable of making good choices each day we then discussed how they are capable of working together as a team. Being part of a team simply means Together Everyone Achieves More. Reminding my students that they're capable indeed is so helpful for them.
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A View from Above
Here is a bird's eye view of CSC The lot between the shelter and the Children of Hope School is one that we have been looking at and praying about for several years. It will take a miracle for CSC to get that middle lot, but because the owner doesn't seem to be sure she wants to sell and the price that she hinted at is really high. So we pray and dream and pray some more. Please join us in the praying and the dreaming if you want to!
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A Great Day In Science
In our science curriculum, before we formally discuss the main topic, students participate in a science investigation activity. Our third main topic dealt with the different inquiry skills scientists use to help them gather information.
To make it more exciting for my students and to give them something to look forward to, I announced to my class two days before the actual "activity day" that we would be doing a science investigation.
On that day, as I entered in the classroom, I found my students patiently waiting and I could sense that they were all excited for the science activity. The activity was entitled "Measure Up!" Measuring is one of the inquiry skills used by scientists and the objective of this activity was for students to be able to practice using a ruler or a tape measure to find the length and compare objects by length.
The students were grouped into pairs and these were the steps they followed:
1. Measure a desk inside the classroom.
2. Look for an object inside the classroom which is longer than the desk you first measured (the first group chose to measure a bookshelf for their longer object while the second group chose to measure the whiteboard).
3. Look for another object inside the classroom which is shorter than the desk you first measured (the first group chose to measure a book for their shorter object while the second group chose a pencil holder).
Collaborative learning was being developed and practiced by each student as they took turns in performing the science activity. The most surprising and rewarding part for me was when they confidently shared their results. Group one shared that the book measured 1 foot and concluded that it was shorter than the desk. The desk measured 2 feet. The bookshelf was the longest with a measurement of almost 6 feet.
Another inquiry skill that they used during the activity was communication. In communicating, students needed to record their results through writing and drawing. At the end of the investigation they discovered that the inquiry skill "measure" helped them find and compare the lengths of objects.
After the excitement from this activity I am more motivated to plan for other activities that help the students become more independent (and excited!) in their learning.
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Learning Through Play
Play is not a break from learning. It is endless, delightful, deep, engaging practical learning. It is the doorway to the child's heart. – Vince Gowman
Our children don't need more things. They need our time and desire to be with them in their world of play and fun. When kids play, they make memories.
Every day after morning snack time the kindergarten and first grade students go outside to have playtime. It is the most exciting part of their day. It is the time they can run, laugh, and mingle with peers.
Here are some of the student's ideas about playtime. (What is playtime?)
Child 1: Playtime is about being kind to my friends and it makes my body healthy.
Child 2: Playtime is working because my body is moving.
Child 3: Playtime is a time to laugh and shout.
Child 4: I like playtime because there are lots of toys to play with.
Child 5: Playtime is a fun time with friends.
Child 6: In playtime I can play basketball, kickball, and lots of other fun games.
Playing and learning are connected. My students love their morning playtime. When we go back to our classroom, I see my students be more engaged in the lessons and kind to their classmates. Plus, when we are outside playing, they are learning many life lessons such as how to work together as a team, how to manage their emotions, and how to help others if someone gets hurt.
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