Wait, What? Becky's Teaching?
You may have noticed, but I (Becky) have been fairly silent on the blog lately. It's not that I have nothing to write about, it's mostly that I haven't had much time to put into it. I just have had too much on my plate.
Most of you know I fill two roles at RMI: that of hospitality coordinator and bookkeeper. Both jobs keep me busy and engaged in the ministry of RMI here in Haiti. Two years ago, I was asked to join the school board for our kids' school, Cite Lumiere Christian School (CLCS) and a year ago took additional responsibilities as the Chair of the Board. This role is completely voluntary. I really love our little school and our kids have really thrived in this learning environment.
One of the biggest challenges we face as a Board is finding teachers willing and able to serve. In order to keep costs low, we ask teachers to raise support as a missionary. These teachers have had a huge impact on our kids! This year, we weren't able to find a teacher to teach our second graders and it has required some creative thinking to cover this class and at the same time continue a good quality of education. We were so thankful to have a previous teacher agree to return to teach the language arts portion of the class for two hours a day (she had recently had a baby and did not want to return full time.) The solution was to find a teacher to teach the other subjects for the rest of the school day. For me, that meant taking on teaching from 8-9:30 every day. I start the day with devotions and then teach math and, depending on the quarter, either science or social studies. Teaching has never been something in my wheelhouse, but math and science is. It's been a huge challenge for me but I enjoy it most days. I think Braden likes having me as his teacher! Another RMI missionary, Tina Nunemaker, has been a great help to close out the last hour and a half of the day to teach Bible and other "specials" for our second grade class.
We just recently found out that the teacher who was teaching the second graders language arts has to return to the States unexpectedly. Thankfully, the Lord provided another teacher able to take her place starting in January for the rest of the year. Please pray for her and our students. Sometimes transition is hard, especially for 7 and 8-year-olds.
We also recently received the news that Mr and Mrs Ferris, a teacher couple who has carried CLCS for 15 school years, will be returning to the States at the end of this school year. This leaves our school without any teachers for the 2016-17 school year. We are already working hard to recruit teachers. I'm not going to lie: as the School Board Chair, this feels like a huge burden, a huge need, and it will affect our whole family in a big way. I'm trusting that God has a plan and that He will show up in a bigger way. He knows my heart for these kids, not just my three, but all the kids and families CLCS serves: for a quality Christian, English education in a school setting that will prepare our kids for integration back in the US when the time comes.
Please pray for me as I continue teaching these second graders in addition to my responsibilities with RMI. Please also join with us in prayer as we search for teachers for next school year.
~Becky
Most of you know I fill two roles at RMI: that of hospitality coordinator and bookkeeper. Both jobs keep me busy and engaged in the ministry of RMI here in Haiti. Two years ago, I was asked to join the school board for our kids' school, Cite Lumiere Christian School (CLCS) and a year ago took additional responsibilities as the Chair of the Board. This role is completely voluntary. I really love our little school and our kids have really thrived in this learning environment.
One of the biggest challenges we face as a Board is finding teachers willing and able to serve. In order to keep costs low, we ask teachers to raise support as a missionary. These teachers have had a huge impact on our kids! This year, we weren't able to find a teacher to teach our second graders and it has required some creative thinking to cover this class and at the same time continue a good quality of education. We were so thankful to have a previous teacher agree to return to teach the language arts portion of the class for two hours a day (she had recently had a baby and did not want to return full time.) The solution was to find a teacher to teach the other subjects for the rest of the school day. For me, that meant taking on teaching from 8-9:30 every day. I start the day with devotions and then teach math and, depending on the quarter, either science or social studies. Teaching has never been something in my wheelhouse, but math and science is. It's been a huge challenge for me but I enjoy it most days. I think Braden likes having me as his teacher! Another RMI missionary, Tina Nunemaker, has been a great help to close out the last hour and a half of the day to teach Bible and other "specials" for our second grade class.
We just recently found out that the teacher who was teaching the second graders language arts has to return to the States unexpectedly. Thankfully, the Lord provided another teacher able to take her place starting in January for the rest of the year. Please pray for her and our students. Sometimes transition is hard, especially for 7 and 8-year-olds.
We also recently received the news that Mr and Mrs Ferris, a teacher couple who has carried CLCS for 15 school years, will be returning to the States at the end of this school year. This leaves our school without any teachers for the 2016-17 school year. We are already working hard to recruit teachers. I'm not going to lie: as the School Board Chair, this feels like a huge burden, a huge need, and it will affect our whole family in a big way. I'm trusting that God has a plan and that He will show up in a bigger way. He knows my heart for these kids, not just my three, but all the kids and families CLCS serves: for a quality Christian, English education in a school setting that will prepare our kids for integration back in the US when the time comes.
Please pray for me as I continue teaching these second graders in addition to my responsibilities with RMI. Please also join with us in prayer as we search for teachers for next school year.
~Becky
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