"Godincidence" in Chicago

It is a busy time, but I must take time to testify to God's faithfulness and providence!

One thing I miss from Dordt is the community in the college and in my church; however, God's takes you to a place for a purpose and he knows what you need. He knows the desires of your heart.

So, He has provided a lot of random connections in Chicago that I would have never imagined:

This weekend, I spent it with a couple from Nicaragua. They know my dad very well. In fact, Pastor Roger (his name; her name is Flor) married my parents!! My dad found out he lived around Chicago area, so we called each other, made arrangements, went to their house and church, and was spoiled and loved by them two and their family!

The Zavala family on Sunday after church! :)

Then, this weekend, as I was heading to the library, I randomly bumped into one of our adopted American siblings (for those who know me, my family hosts Americans in our house a lot! we adopt them. ^_^): Joel Dozeman is his name. He was my English teacher in middle school, and then history teacher for another year, and then lived with our family for twoish years. He just got married on January, so I got to meet his beautiful wife! They will be here in Chicago for a month. I had no idea. He had no idea. But we bumped to each other getting on the train! My roomie and I had dinner with them yesterday night already. This is definitely more than coincidence!

Joel is the one on the end with blue t-shirt.

Here are more:

Also, another of my adoptive siblings that stayed with us four years ago, also lives in Chicago, and we got together to have dinner!

A good friend from Nicaragua, Michelle Adams, connected me with one of her friends - Lauren. We will be working together when I return to Nicaragua; and already she has become a good friend.

A friend from elementary, Laura Guerrero, whose parents are our family friends, are also in Chicago and have kindly offered some Nicaragua food! Thank you God for facebook. ;)

All I got to say is thank you Jesus! We just need to be obedient to where he takes us, and He takes care of every SINGLE detail.

Curious George + IEP + coughs = full time teaching

I am not sure how to sum up this week, so here is my choppy, poor writing intent of explaining it. Please bear with me:

I got to talk to the mother of one of the kindergartener boys with autism in SPANISH! He has been challenging all of us with his behavior, and it has been interesting to see the social work, my cooperative teacher (sped. teacher), general teacher, parent, and myself put our minds together and see what we need to change in order for our little boy to be less tense and more open to learning. We discovered he is imitating curious George! Who would have known!

I also got to learn more about keeping track of meeting the five to six IEP (Individulazied Education Plan) goals for all my ten kids from k - 2nd grade. This includes making photocopies of their assignments to keep as record, grading their assignments differently from the rest of the classroom, modifying their tests and homework, and daily evaluate what changes need to be done. It truly is fun! Busy, and a lot of papers, but makes everyday different.


While explaining doubling to one of my second graders, he coughed on my face, and got phlem all over my face. We are still working on teaching him to cover his mouth when coughing along with other social skills. He is getting there! :) Unfortunately,  I am feeling a little sick, as do most of my kids. There were many of them that were absent this week. In my second grade group, one out of my five kids I work with was there today!

Overall, yes, it was a crazy busy and tiring week, but if there is one thing I embraced this week was that I should not lean on my own understanding, but trust in Him who has control of the universe, including my life. Some of the students I am working with still don't know that I am Ms. Gomez (and it has been five weeks!), but God has given me the opportunity to get to know not only their IEP goal, but who they are, and their potential (which there is so much potential). He has allowed me to see my dear students through His eyes. He speaks to me through them.
 
As if could get better, He allowed me to experience beautiful blessings such as:
- seeing how a first grader with autism is doing better with transitions from when I started to work with him
- a second grader L.D. (learning disability) is growing to have a love for reading! 
- my most challenging first grade group for centers being engaged in the activities I had for them, which made classroom management easier
- so many people encouraging me through verses and sending prayer my way! So needed, and so overwhelmed by this kindness and love.
- Psalm 63

- finally, the past two mornings, I've been getting ready listening to this song.  He's blessed me with this song. I encourage you to listen to it.

Jesus becoming a man to save the world, and then sending His Spirit to converse with us at every season of life, every single day, minute, second! If that isn't awesome, I am not sure what it. His salvation, mercies, love, life is what makes me excited to go to school to meet my kids. I get to share that with them. Unfortunately not with words, but with actions. 

The joy of Special Education

"Ms. Gomez, do you speak banish?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know like, hola or uno"
"Oh, Spanish! Yes. I do speak Spanish (emphaized on the pronunciation)."
Cute kindergarten girl proudly smiles, "me too. I also speak Banish."

I have loved these random conversation with my students from kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. 

Here is another,
After taking a test with a first grader with autism, he and I, holding hands, head back to the general classroom. As we passed by a valentine's quilt, he stops, points at this picture

and says, "Eeeewwwlll!!! Ms. Gomez, they are kissing!" Right after the comment, he continued walking.

This past week, I taught all morning classes, and for some afternoon, I was left alone with the general classroom teacher and the students. I am slowly learning how to best approach how to make the worksheets, tests, activities less overwhelming for the students while the student is in the general classroom in order to be proactive and avoid tantrums. But I've also been learning how to calm a student who has a tantrum in the middle of instruction (still not completely successful, but will get there soon).

What I love about special education is that every day varies. On Tuesday, I dealt with the problem of a student freaking out because routine is broken; on Wednesday, we had to search for social stories (stories that help children understand something that sometimes other children understand immediately) about why you listen or why you don't pick your nose.  On Thursday, we meet with social work to help a second grader learn how to make friends.

I also love special education because our students are more than special. They are children that God cares for, has a plan for, and works through. My students have challenged me, not listened to me, listened to me, but mostly BLESSED me. They bless me in more ways than just making funny comments that make me smile and even laugh out loud; they bless me with their "aha!" moments when their light bulb turns on; they bless me when I see them interact with other children with genuine care. They bless me with who they each are are the one whom God "fearfully and wonderfully" made. 

Despite all the paper work that comes with special education, the collaboration with teachers (which is not always easy), and digging even deeper as to how a child can learn, I love special education. period.

Yeah. . .I can be a teacher

Monday, I came back to my apartment, and told Becky (my roomie),
" I think God did not call me to teaching. I can't be a teacher!"

Let's rewind a little: Six hours before, I was teaching a math lesson, and my second graders were not willing to listen to me, and I did not explain the concept well. I did a few 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 classroom management techniques. It worked for a few minutes, but after a few minutes, it was back to "normal." I think what made it worse was that my supervisor came to observe me. It was humbling to know that I could have done so many things incorrectly and that I had stumbled.


However, as the week progressed, the Holy Spirit pressed in my heart that God's grace is sufficient for me. So, after Monday, for the millionth time, I surrender my pride to God and completely depended on Him in teaching (God is so merciful).

I did not teach math until Thursday again because they had review on Tuesday and a test on Wednesday. On Thursday, when I was at the school ready to do some copies, I realized that I had left my lesson plan at home! While I was walking to the front of the classroom, whispered to Jesus, "I need you," and off I went following the quick post-its I made to remind me of the progression of my lesson. Folks, the lesson went so smoothly! I still had a few hiccups, but who is perfect? His grace is sufficient indeed.

This week, I also have been teaching language arts to my second grade special need students, and it has been great getting to know them. They are curious and are coming a long way in reading from what I have heard they were at in the beginning of the year. Again, getting to know them, and seeing their progress is only because of God's sufficient grace.

Lastly, on Friday afternoon, I took the my six first grade special needs kids out of the general classroom to a different room so they could take their math test. It was only me and them this time. My cooperative teacher was not there. As we entered the room, one of my kids threw a tantrum, another threw the books in the ground, and another decided he wanted to take the test laying down on the bench, refused to sit. I sighed, and confident that God's grace will help me through, I was firm, talked to my kid with a tantrum, calmed down eventually, told my kid that threw the books, "First take the test, then read" and he sat down comforted by that, and the kid not wanting to sit down finally sat (after I gave him a check; not a good thing to have). After a few minutes, they were all taking the test with occasional complaining. At the end of the hour, they all successfully took the test with me running around from student to student to help them read and do some problems. No one was hurt, they finished the test, and I was alive. God's grace is sufficient.

So, reflecting on my week. . .yes, I can be a teacher.  But not on my own strength, but God's alone. Through His guidance, grace, and love. God has not called me to a profession, but to a mission, which is to love these children and any student I ever have in the future. And I do. I love these children. I love my kids at Sarah's Covenant Home (http://sarahscovenanthomes.blogspot.com/). I love the kids at Tesoros de Dios (http://www.tesorosdedios.org/).

My special needs students are so smart and sweet (I got a couple hugs for the first time this week!!!). It is challenging, and I am learning, and will continue to stumble, but will continue to walk with His grace alone.

More flexible than Ballerinas

The art of teaching requires flexibility.

Flexibility is one of the characteristics highlighted for prospective teachers to master. Living in a country where electricity or water is not reliable, I thought I had this whole flexibility thing down. Then, going to India for missions, and realizing that you need to take in your own toilet paper to the bathroom unless you want to use your hand. . . learned a little more flexibility.

Today (and this week as a matter of fact), in my teaching placement, I have seen a lot of flexibility from my collaborative teacher and the other teachers. Not only is it adapting quickly and smoothly into an unexpected setting or situation, but learning from the environment, people, and yourself on how to adapt. It is being both flexible and teachable.

This is one way I saw that characteristics in my teachers today. The students did not come to school today for professional development day. As we walk into the school, two teachers are standing in front of the building sending us to the module next to the school building (the modules are where the three first grade classes are at). As my colleagues and I curiously go into the module, we open the door and see that most of the teachers are there. Now, I am usually in the module twice a day to work with some first graders with special needs, and I never see them there. What had happened was that, when a switch was turned on early in the morning before any teacher showed up, there was a spark, which created a small fire, which burned down the heater. Consequently, the building has no heater and is freezing cold and only some lights turn on. This kind of things also happen here in the States . . . not only in Nicaragua or India. Things are not always reliable. Anyway, the teachers quickly collected, and our principal led our professional development without a problem. Teachers listened and participated despite being dark and having to wear coats inside.

We were done at 10:30 a.m. with the professional development, and the principal sent us home! Hooray!

There it is my friend, a little snapshot of what flexibility signifies. It is situations like this, when things do not go as planned, that we let go, and walk onward. Teachers face this everyday with lesson planning, behaviors, classroom management. My first math lesson I taught yesterday did not go as I planned. It was quite atrocious actually. But, I let it go, learn from it, and keep moving onward. Let pride go, take God's hand to lift you up, and continue to trust in Him as you learn.

While writing this, however, I realize that flexibility does not only apply to teachers.  . . but actually to everyone.

I leave you with a quote I stumbled upon I thought somewhat related to flexibility:

 Don't learn to do, but learn in doing. Let your falls not be on a prepared ground, but let them be bona fide falls in the rough and tumble of the world. 

Samuel Butler

Smile at His grace

After coming home from a long day, then two math lesson plans and writing records on my twelve special needs students, it is time to reflect on how Jesus was evident in my day (it is needed in order to keep things in the right perspective):

1- A homeless old man said good morning to me and gave me a huge smile on my way to the train, of course I responded. I see him every morning. I believe it is one of God's way to tell me good morning. :)

 2- It has been a little hard to get to know my students (I am working with special needs kids currently, and let me tell you. . .I LOVE IT!). But today, I gave a test to one of my second graders. We talked about pinatas and birthday parties. We bonded in sharing stories as a break in between the test. When were were done with the test, he worked on a worksheet. He was anxious in working on another worksheet, but I asked him to finish the one he has. He was not happy and complained and gave a rant of how that is unfair. I said his name, asked him to look in my eyes, and asked him not to talk to adults like that. After he was done with his worksheet a few minutes later, he said, "Ms. Gomez, I apologize for what I did." He said that without anyone forcing him to do so. He did it without anyone suggesting it! He did it by himself! Now, that my friends, is a blessing! :-D I am so proud of him.

3- You don't magically become a teacher that knows everything about dealing with behaviors, changes, and grading. Nope. It takes time, and the process might be a little long. But it is a good process. God teaches you patience through it and it humbles you. Learning is a blessing, and His grace through the process an even greater blessing.

4- God has granted us beautiful weather for being early February! It makes it nice to commute!

5- One of my autistic first grade boys excited about getting a girly ring as a price. He thought it was the coolest ever. I agreed, he smiled, and walked away happily with his ring. Big smile on my face realizing how cute he is.

6- Friends and family who pray for you and love you.  

I rejoice in the blessings He has given to me! He is so merciful and full of grace!