Sunday, August 24, 2008

School has begun at IAS for Laurel!

This will be Laurel's first year of teaching at Inter-American School, and this will be the first time he has taught high school students in 36 years!
Laurel has five classes this year. The first period class is tenth grade New Testament with eleven students, the largest class!
Second period is Church History with six juniors (two boys, four girls).
The one guy and seven senior girls have third period World Religions.Ninth grade Old Testament, fourth period, has only three girls in the class! The day is completed after lunch with fifth period Community Service.

Community Service is a requirement for graduation at IAS. This year another teacher, who has been here for two previous years, and Laurel are co-teaching (directing, coaching) the class. She has terrific organizational skills, unlimited ability, and some fabulous class project ideas for the eight students ; Laurel will be coordinating the Individual Service Projects each student must undertake.

School has begun at IAS for Donna!


Classes for the new school year began on Monday, 18 August. Donna taught fifth grade for the opening week. She taught as a substitute last year, including this class. So she and her students knew each other already.
The school had opening ceremonies on the lawn on Monday morning. Each teacher was introduced individually, by grade. All of us received a polite applause as we walked to our place in front of the audience of students, parents, and school board members. When Donna's name was called she received cheers, whistles, and exhuberant applause from the children she taught last year as a substitute. Donna thouroughly enjoyed her week helping the fifth graders begin their year. The new teacher only had a week's notice to prepare; she flew in on Thursday from Virginia, and jumped right in on Friday! Donna will continue to substitute teach in the elementary school. She will also continue to tutor a few students, after school.