TLC Students 2011-12 School Year

This week we were able to get the entire school together to take a photo!

Kindergarten Happenings

Things have been very busy in my kindergarten class, as I'm sure you can imagine.  I taught on Thursday and Friday of last week, and now I am definitely back in the swing of things.

Because of parent teacher conferences, we got a little behind in our lessons.  So, I have been working hard to get everything back on track.  This Friday we have off school for the Battle of Vertieres, and next week we have off Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. So, I am trying to be very deliberate in my planning so that my class does not get too 
behind.  There is a lot of learning to fit into 169 school days!


This week, my students are learning the letter P.  Our curriculum uses the animal "peacock" to teach letter P.  The kids were beyond excited to make their own peacocks today.  We had a blast, and I noticed many of the older students admiring our peacocks whenever they passed by our classroom.


Unfortunately, I was too busy helping the kids (and too covered in glue and glitter) to get a picture of the kids working on their peacocks, but you can see the finished products...

Class Photo!

This is my kindergarten class for the 2011-2012 school year!  If only you knew how difficult it was to get them to stand still long enough to take a picture! My assistant/translator Miss Kattiana is on the left.

And what is a class photo without having a silly face picture??

First Day Teaching

Today was my first day back to teaching at TLC.  I expected that the kids would be pretty crazy since I have been gone for so long, and they did not disappoint!  It was a great day.  They were all very excited to fill me in on everything that they learned while I was away.  It took me a little while to get my bearings back in the classroom, but I quickly felt like I picked up where I had left off.  My favorite part of school today was the multiple times that I was called "Mr. Nickson!".  The kids really got a laugh each time I said, "What's my name?!"

It didn't take long for the word to get out that I'm back.  After school "my boys" were promptly knocking on the gate to see me.  They informed me that they aren't my friends anymore because I left without even telling them that I was leaving, haha.  They wanted to know what I had done in the United States and how my family is doing.  Then, they walked me to Dorothy's house.  When we parted at the gate, they made sure to remind me  that they weren't going to say goodbye because they were still mad at me (even though they said it with big smiles on their faces).

I spent some time in the evening visiting with Dorothy and her kids.  We joked that I can never sneak into her house.  As soon as I'm spotted the kids all start chanting my name.  They sure know how to make someone feel loved.  I was able to join the kids and nannies for bedtime devotions, songs, and prayer.  Then, I gave them each a kiss goodnight.  Before I left, the older kids expressed that they too were mad at me because I have not been around to play with them or invite them over to my house.  It seems that I have some making-up to do with all my Haitian loved ones!  It's nice to know that I was missed.

Back!

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am safely back in Haiti. I left my house at 2:30 AM and my flight was late taking off so it has been a very long day. The airport here in Haiti was even more insane than normal. There were so many people that they were out of carts for your luggage. At the airport here, your luggage does not neatly spin around on a carousel. It goes around the tiny carousel once and then its thrown onto the ground in a massive heap making it impossible to move without literally climbing over other piles of luggage. I was alone trying to find my two 50 pound suitcases while carrying my guitar and a backpack. It was interesting. I finally got so sick of the chaos that I just climbed up on top of the carousel and then over all the bags to find my bags. Let me tell you, it was fun trying to carry 100 pounds of luggage and a guitar all by myself! But, I made it! (once I made it to the exit I had two men more than willing to take all my bags for me and I was more than willing to let them!)

Thankfully, Nickson and Samuel helped me bring all my bags into the apartment. It is so good to be back. Nickson's reaction basically sums up my feelings. When he saw me he gave me a big hug and said, "You are home."

Since I have no food in my house, I am heading over to Dorothy's for dinner. I just wanted to post this quick update to let all of you know that I made it!