2008-07-22
It's the second day of English Camp. Today we worked on adjectives and antonyms, whereas yesterday we worked on simple past tense/present tense. My students did okay on the past tense-present tense from Monday, but did much better with the adjectives and antonyms. The only struggle is knowing the meaning of words; their grammar is good.
Sherry's students are all being challenged. One is better than the other two (she tutors three students while I tutor two).
In this culture, building a relationship with the students is very important, and Sherry's students have begun to share German words with her. This is a big step. So, she is finding success.
Prayer requests:
Please pray that the English tutors can build good relationships with the students, so learning can be more efficient. Pray that those relationships can lead to spiritual conversations, and perhaps longer term correspondance. Pray that Sherry and I (and the other tutors) have the necessary stamina. And praise, praise, praise - because that's what we're ALL here for - to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
posted at: 15:39 | path: | permanent link to this entry
2008-07-23
It's the third day of English Camp. Today we worked on prepositions and the concepts of "could," "would" and "should." My two ninth graders like to goof off a bit, and I'm no help in stopping them. Yesterday we made paper airplanes as part of class. Today we made molds of our ears using Playdoh. We have fun, but we also get work done. I give them additional work because they are ninth graders.
Sherry's three students are very sweet girls. They are hitting it off pretty well with Sherry. None of the five students we tutor have traditional mom-and-dad type families. Broken families are fairly typical in Berlin, where anything goes. Marriage seems to be the exception, not the rule.
Prayer requests:
Please pray that all the students continue to be excited about English Camp. Pray for stamina - and my right leg/ankle. It has been cranky with all the walking, but today I was playing catch with one of my students (with a football - how American!), and overdid it with my recently repaired achilles. Pray for the families of our students. The kids are all so wonderful. We want to have a positive impact in their lives - not just teach English. There have been wonderful conversations that go beyond just speaking English.
posted at: 15:39 | path: | permanent link to this entry