Staff Blog

The final activity related to CCHS's Reading Challenge was a trip to the Cebu City Public Library, so the kids headed out to visit the library one day last week.  The trip was meant to be the kids' reward for doing such a great job during the Challenge, but another underlying purpose was to expose them to the idea of a public library.  Unlike most communities in the United States, the existence of public libraries in the Philippines is rare, so most people have little or no opportunity to avail themselves of the multitude of services public libraries provide.  The Cebu City Public Library is the only public library in the city of 870,000 people! 

When we got to the library, the head librarian welcomed us and explained what a public library is.  Then the kids were allowed to browse through the books in the children's section for about thirty minutes.  Great fun!  Most of our children have not had the opportunity to read books when they arrive at the shelter.  The idea of being able to look at and read books whenever they want is a foreign experience, so they thoroughly enjoy our school library and the mini-libraries in the classrooms and houses.  This was another chance to be exposed to books in a different environment. 

While we were at the library, we learned about a program to bring books into the communities in the city.  Books bags are distributed by the library to kindergarten and first grade students and their families for them to keep at their homes for one week.  The book bags are returned after a week and the family is given another bag for the next week.  It's sort of a creative revolving check-out system.  Coupled with the book bag distribution are sessions teaching the parents how to read with their children.  It was encouraging to hear the public library is reaching out into the communities in this way.

The kids are still pumped about reading and continue to challenge themselves by reading a lot.  Right now they are into book series and books related to what they are studying in science class.  Maybe that will shift to books about countries and people around the world since United Nations Day is coming up.  We'll see...

How do you get in the right mindset when you take on a task?  Teacher Cora’s class knows what to do.  When the students return to class after lunch they start with singing praises to the Lord.

Take some time before you start your next task to start with the right mindset.  Praise the Lord!

The students at the Children of Hope School always amaze me.  Primary instruction is given in English, a second language for them. Learning a second language is not easy. The English language is one of the most difficult languages to learn because of the multiple pronunciations for words, rules, and many exceptions to the rules. I admire these students for their perseverance and courage in the classroom as they learn English.

In our class, we have a morning routine. We gather our materials, pray, say “Good morning!” to one another, occasionally do a few stretches to calm our bodies down for class (including one of their favorite stretches called “warrior pose”), and do an activity that focuses on developing the students’ oral language in English. As a teacher, I will often give a word and ask one of the students to use this word in a sentence. Just the other day, we were doing this activity, and I asked the class if anyone could use the word “oppose” in a sentence. One student (pictured below) raised his hand with confidence. He was sure that his sentence would be correct.  With excitement in his voice, he said, “I do a warrior pose!” He had heard “a pose” instead of the word “oppose”.  It was a funny moment that allowed for further learning. By the time I asked the students to use a different word in a sentence, his hand was raised with just as much excitement.  He does not give up when he makes a mistake; he faces each new challenge with enthusiasm. 

• I will keep my promises.
• I will not make excuses.
• I will do all my work to the best of my ability.
• I will make things right when I do wrong.
• I will know my duty and do my duty.

(Character First! Education Series 2, booklet 1)

The statements mentioned above are not early New Year resolutions.  They are some helpful tips students have been learning in order to form responsible habits.

The question is: what is responsibility?  Responsibility means knowing and doing what is expected of me. (Character First! Education Series 2, booklet 1)

Wow! Sounds simple and easy, right?  That’s what the Group 4 Bible Class students thought at first, but they soon realized the words “easier said than done” are quite true.  Amazing!  As their teacher, I never expected those words would come from my young students.

Great realization kids!  Keep it up!

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!