Thursday, August 19

Quote for the day:
Author: Unknown

I will make this day a happy one, for I alone can determine what kind of day it will be.
(Mary Rizzolo)

Today was another easy day with just eight students in mine and Millie’s class. We danced, sang songs, played BINGO, read “The Lion and the Deer” and colored lions. Kathy kindly let us use some of her brightly colored cardstock to make decorative fans for what seemed to be the most logical Art project for us to create. We are not quite as creative as when Lindsey was here, but we are managing.

The older class practiced for their play of Puff the Magic Dragon, had a scavenger hunt and played “what’s different”. I’m excited to see the play tomorrow as Kathy said it was coming together quite nicely and felt it was going to be really cute. Mary’s group went over colors, shapes and ABC’s. As I approached Kathy in the afternoon I saw her sincerity as she expressed how her kids did great and she was really proud of them.

Millie helped the older class for the last hour and I played BINGO and cards with my students. Towards the end of the last period I let them have free time. Perhaps towards the end of our time here, this was a good time for me to be on my own with the students. Looking back, perhaps playtime is where I found out the most about my students. Not being an expert at lesson planning and since my Greek is very limited, this is when the students and I had to find a way to communicate and perhaps benefited the most. They had to find some way to ask me to play foursquare, volleyball or ask me for whatever they wanted.

I will take this into my future classroom, because on the playground and during recess is where I have been able to work one-on-one with the children. They offered to help me clean up the classrooms and signaled to ask me questions. This is where I found it the easiest to assess their English skills where to most successfully assess and practice what they know. On the playground children asked me to sit down and look at a book with them where they pointed out animals or colors… or offered a polite “sorry” or “thank you” while playing on the playground.

Mary and Kathy ventured into Iraklion to pick up a vase that Kathy had especially made with an olive design on it, but was disappointed when a distraught employee accidentally broke the vase. The employee expressed how sorry she was and paid her back. This was not the outcome that anyone wanted, but… well, if that is the worst thing to happen this week…

We all probably have blisters on our feet from all the walking and are well nourished from the healthy food we have been eating, but it is sad to know that we are approaching on our last and final day of teaching tomorrow. Time has flown by so quickly and it is sad to know that tomorrow will be our last time working with these truly awesome kids.