Together We Fly

These wings have been up in my room from about week 3 of the school year back in August. During the first few days of school, I gave each of my students a feather. They were to write their name and decorate it as they saw fit. When they had finished, I then took them all together and created this pair of wings.

Our school's theme this year was "Better Together." I wanted to represent this visually for my students so I created this pair of wings. It is hard to see in the photo, but above it reads "Alone we fall; together we fly." The idea that feathers, on their own, are rather useless and can do very little. But put them together and we have a set of wings.

As with most lessons I try to impart to my students, this one I also embraced myself this year. I was blessed beyond all measure to be surrounded by helpful, strong teachers who carried me along my first year teaching. I went to them for answers, for laughs for comfort, for understanding, and I never walked away empty. 

Teaching is not something one does alone. Those worksheets my students used to learn about character development? Created by a previous teacher. That anchor chart inspiration? From an English meeting discussion about what students are struggling with. That confidence to lead the class through a difficult topic? A teacher friend gave me a pep talk when I went to her with my concerns. 

And it isn't just the teachers in my school (although they deserve the most credit). I am on Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers for hours each week discovering new and better ways to explore learning in my classroom. 

And now here I am, at the end of the year. Staring at those pair of wings I put up what feels like years ago. Back when I didn't know just how much I would need the amazing teachers around me to carry me through my first year as a teacher. I am a little glad I didn't know at the start how much help I would need. How many afternoons I would put my head down on my desk and cry because of some perceived failure. How it would hurt my soul and drain me. 

I might not have agreed to this at all if I had known. But then, I would have missed out on all the growth and learning that came along with the struggle. I would have missed out on the friendships I built with the amazing teachers around me. 

As needy as I felt this year, I was pleased to learn from some that I gave a little too. That I didn't always ride on the help of others. That as a teacher, I brought something to my profession even as I struggled to learn just want it means to be a teacher. I am so very grateful for those who came beside me this year. For alone we fall.

But together we fly.

Basah words:

Masuk: Enter

Keluar: Exit

Sini: Here

Apa: What

Pagi: Morning

-Rachael

Experience is the Best Teacher

Each year from grade 8 and upward, homeroom teachers guide their students on a trip to experience culture and serve others. Because I have a 8th graders in my homeroom, I went with several other teachers and the entire 8th grade (50 students) to Yogyakarta in Central Java (the island that I live on).

We took the train there, which was a long ride across flat rice fields for nearly 8 hours. The flat land and endless crops reminded me of the Illinois plains that I grew up surround by. When people drive through my home state they joke that it all looks the same: cornfield after endless cornfield. 

I must disagree. When each thing is the same you learn to spot the little differences. And it is the little things that cultivate your sense of home.

There in the endless, muddy rice fields, I felt more at home than I have in a long time. 

Even after 8 hours I felt it much too soon that we passed into the city and mountainy areas again. Once a country girl, always a country girl. But the city has its own charms, I must admit. 

The next day we left the hotel to go spend time with a school that we had partnered with. Part of the trip is learning how others live and these students did not come from the wealthy background that most of our students have. The students taught each other cultural games and they did crafts together. Then we taught them some English words, played more games, and worshiped together. 

One of the hardest things for our students we realizing their school did not have air conditioning. It barely had electricity to power some fans and lights. We were all pretty sweaty by the end of the day. 

Day two was about Javanese culture. We visited Borobudur temple (picture above). Which, I must admit, was even cooler than I expected. 

I felt like a movie star for just a bit as I was asked over a dozen times to have my picture taken with them. Some more nicely asked then others. I say no because if I say yes 12 more people want a photo with you and I was there to get my own photos and take in the amazing view. 

At the top, looking across at the mountains, I couldn't help but smile realizing this was my job. I get to experience the world with my students. I get to learn about different cultures and traditions and learn along side my middle schoolers. I have a pretty cool job.

Later that day, we attended a traditional Javanese dance with our partner school and the students learned how to cook traditional foods and make crafts. 

As a side note, you know you are a minority when the dancer in the scary mask asks for a picture with you. 

You can't tell but that day we also sweated a lot spending the whole day outside climbing temples and dancing. 

Mind you this is all during the school week. We took off class Tuesday through Friday to take our students on this trip. 

My job is pretty cool.

When others ask why did I decide to teach in Indonesia, beyond knowing I was called, I tell them it is about this. It is about getting to explore the world with my students in real and exciting ways. It is about tossing aside worries and actually living out my dreams (don't worry Mom, I haven't thrown all caution to the wind). There is just something very liberating about moving to the other side of the world that suddenly makes all of my other dreams seem more than just dreams.

I don't dream of exploring the world any more.

I plan on it. 

(Last week I finally learned how to count to five, so here you go!) Bahasa words:

One: satu

Two: dua

Three: tiga

Four: empat

Five: lima

-Rachael

Semester 1: That's a wrap!

So much has happened to me since July that I almost can't process it all. I knew moving to another country, to another culture, and to a new profession would be a huge change for me. I would like to say I took it all in stride, confidently meeting the challenges that befell me.

But that would be a lie.

Instead, I feel incredibly humbled as being a first-year teacher in a new place means facing failure on a daily bases. From remembering the names of all 83 of my students to remembering parts of the lesson plan that I crafted so carefully the week before, I never go a day without thinking "Oh shoot! I forgot..." or at least "I could have directed that lesson so much better if..."

The first year of teaching is always the hardest and is rather difficult to explain to someone who has not gone through it. As my 7th graders are learning about figurative language this week, I will give you a metaphor on what first year teaching is like.

The first year of teaching can be compared using a stapler. Imagine, you are someone who has never used a stapler. You have seen staples holding papers together and have theorized on how they got there but you have never seen or used a stapler. Then one day, someone asks you to go into their desk drawer, find their stapler, and replace the staples.

As someone who knows what a stapler is, and how to use it, I can say I struggle enough trying to replace staples in a new stapler because each can be a little different. Now imagine having no concept of a stapler.

That is a lot what first year teaching is like. You see the end product, the stapled paper (the information the students must learn), but you are rather unsure how it got there. And to make things more complicated, there is only one way to load a stapler, but there are many ways to teach a lesson. What is right for one teacher may be wrong for another. I can not simply follow another's lesson plan or even copy another teacher. I must find what works for me and my class.

Each class is also different, with different personalities and abilities. Different grade levels demand different strategies and I teach three grades.

I don't mean to complain, or in any way say my job is too hard or unfair. It is a challenge, one I knew I was signing up for when I decided to become a teacher. It tests me each day to see just how far I can stretch myself. A common joke we have at the end of the day is that we "have no more words" as if to say we have thought too hard, made too many decisions, and now we can't produce more ideas. It is quite funny if I go out with some of my teacher friends on a work day because we have trouble picking a restaurant as none of us want to make any more decisions. They say teachers make more minute by minute decisions than brain surgeons. My job is constantly testing me.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Boredom is no longer a word in my vocabulary and for that I am grateful. I am nearly never idle. Even at home, while cleaning or cooking I am thinking about how to rearrange my classroom so certain students won't talk to each other. I am thinking about the next day's lesson and how I might present it better or if I need more visual aids. I question the decisions I made that day and how I might do it better next year. To rest is a treat and I saver my holidays like fine chocolate.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I find I thrive on challenge. It gives me a real sense of accomplishment to know that each day I am doing something I have never done before. Each day is a surprise, a question mark that by the end will often be an exclamation mark.

I may be the teacher, yet I often feel I am the one doing the most learning. I have to be the most creative one, the one with all the answers, the one who can solve all the problems. I fall short, of course, nearly every day. Yet I walk home knowing I can try again tomorrow.

And try I shall because I won't have it any other way.

Bahasa words:

Try: Berusaha

Teach: Mengajar

Tea: Teh

-Rachael