Staff Blog
Teacher conferences about the students are different at the shelter. The teachers meet with the house parents and child development team to talk about the academic progress of the children. I like hearing about the progress and growth of all the children. The teachers have great insights into the children. And of course they also have some funny and heartwarming stories to share. Here are a few for you.
This
girl asks the teacher each morning, “What are the things we need to do this
morning?”
She
is a little teacher, helping explain the lessons to her other classmates.
The
teacher says this boy “brings happiness into the class.” His house father gave him a math word problem on day, “I give you one banana and one mango.
How many fruits to you have now?”
He answers without missing a beat, “Fruit salad!”
Five
students are in the pre-kindergarten class, getting ready to move into
kindergarten next year. They are
learning about animals and their babies.
Dogs have puppies. Cats have
kittens. Pigs babies are piglets. One of the kids asked the teacher, “What are
baby fish called?” This boy answered the
other student, “Fishlets!”
This
student remembers previous topics and connects them to current topics,
sometimes interrupting the teacher. He
tries spelling out new words to himself as the teacher is explaining the
meaning. He is enthusiastic about
learning and knowing things.
She
does not like holidays because she likes school.
The
teacher says, “Her presence makes class enjoyable and challenges other
students.”
He is
kind-hearted and caring toward his classmates.
She is eager to share her ideas and answers, sometimes before the
question is read. It is hard to answer
correctly when the question is not known.
Many
days he can be heard offering help to a classmate, “Let me help you.”
“Her
interest in everything in school helps her tackle difficulties.”
The
reading challenge just finished and this girl did not win. Her teacher overheard her say, “The winner,
she reads so fast. I will win next year.” She is striving to improve.
Science class started learning about natural resources. This student raised her hand concerned, “What
are we going to do when they run out?”
She knows the right question to ask from the beginning.
Here is some of the students' work from the first quarter. Enjoy!
Teacher Amanda
Yesterday we celebrated Teacher Amanda's
22nd birthday. Amanda graduated from college this May and arrived in Cebu the
beginning of June. Just in time to start the school year at Cebu Children
of Hope School. Amanda has adjusted well to life in Cebu and is a great
addition to our school. She has a contagious positive attitude about everything
and is a wonderful teacher and team member. We are thankful to have
her at our school this year.
As we were celebrating her birthday last night, I couldn't help but think about how our stories are some in the same. Seventeen years ago I arrived in Cebu after graduating from college the month before. The school was opening for the first time and teachers were coming together from the U.S. and Cebu to start Children of Hope School. I was young and excited to be in Cebu.
What was a one year commitment for me has turned into 16 additional years and counting. Days full of blessings and learning and growing experiences. Daily seeing God's hand at work in my life and the ministry of CSC. Not to mention marrying my husband from Cebu and the joy of having our first child together. God has blessed me in ways I never could have imagined at the age of 22.
Thank God for Amanda today as you think of her in your prayers. Pray God would give her wisdom and strength for the year ahead of her. Pray He would guide her steps for the future He has for her.
Thanks Amanda for sharing this year of your life with us at CSC. You are a wonderful addition to our team!
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Staff Reflections |
Thanks Grace!
Last August, Grace arrived at CSC having committed to giving a year of her life to this ministry---whatever that might entail! And she did just that! Grace has spent the last year creating and implementing a daily educational experience for our toddlers, she has spent time teaching and encouraging our children's musical interests by facilitating individual voice and piano lessons. Grace also built relationships with our kids by just being on the playground with them having fun. Additionally, she has been a great help to the Child Development department in keeping good records on the infants and toddlers she oversaw.
Below you will find some pictures of how Grace spent her time at CSC.
To you, Grace, CSC thanks you for your service. You have left a mark on this ministry in more ways than one. You have a place in the kids' hearts because of your investment in their interests and your time spent helping them hone their talent. And for our youngest residents, you have helped them learn and have taught them that learning is fun!
Please keep Grace in your prayers as she embarks on her next journey!
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Staff Reflections |
Meet the HR team
I'm Marcel, the guy on the right! I am happy to be back in Cebu after spending the past year in the States with my wife and her family. It was great to meet so many of you while we were there. Upon returning to Cebu I have joined the Human Resource Team at CSC. We are working together to make improvements for all of the workers and processes for the organization. I am excited to be a part of CSC and work alongside Joel and Peter!
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | General News |
Friendship Knows No Boundary
Friend. Pal. Buddy. Comrade. Everyone has one or maybe more. It is a need in human life. As the old saying goes, “No man is an island.” One can’t go through life alone.
The recent CSC banquet’s theme was: Friends. CSC, in its entirety, has many friends all over the world. Different connections, but connected nonetheless. CSC is standing because of its many friends supporting, loving, and praying.
Inside the four walls of CSC, friendship starts. The kids come from different backgrounds, but it is amazing how quickly they form a bond; a bond they keep forever. Distance is never an issue between friends. Whether it is 10,000 miles or a couple of staircases away, they find a way to exchange a few words and be in touch in each other’s lives.
At CSC, when you get sick and if it is contagious, you are put in isolation. Now, the word isolation seems scary because you are separated from your friends. However, most of the kids like to be in “iso” because they get to watch movies all day long, which is the only entertaining thing you can do when you get sick.
Being sick and being in “iso”
did not stop these two friends from having a little chat. The girl on top is sick while the girl on the
bottom is well. There are no visiting
hours in the infirmary, but that did not mean she could not visit her friend. They found a way. And to top it all, she was not scared that she
might get sore eyes from the friend she was visiting.
That’s how friends are.
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | Shelter News |
Erna!
Erna is helping out at Cebu Children
of Hope School for a couple of months. She is assisting in preschool
while Teacher Junelyn is on maternity leave and helping out in a number of
classes in the afternoons.
Erna lived at CSC years ago. She and her sister were adopted by a family in the United States in 1999.
It's great to have Erna back with us at CSC for a couple of months. Thanks for sharing your gifts and talents with the kids at CSC Erna!
| Show Comments | | | Leave a Comment | | | Category: | School News |
