Where have the days gone?

This week I am teaching full time. I am teaching 18 PE classes and 3 Bible classes each week. I'm really enjoying elementary PE because the kids are so excited to participate in class. In my pre-k 1 to third grade, the students are learning simple catching and throwing with koosh balls, and hopefully activities will lay the ground work to teach the students to juggle. In my fifth and six grade classes, I am going to start a hockey unit. I am excited to introduce this new sport to many of the students, but I am a little worried that they could get hurt. The sticks that we have are real wooden hockey sticks, and the kids do not yet have the skills to properly use them. I remember in junior high and high school; we used little plastic sticks that didn't allow us to hit the ball very hard. My 8^th grade girls Bible class is going okay. I am teaching the book of Revelation, and I am struggling to find a balance in the class. I am used to teaching Bible to older students, and I have to make adjustments for their ability levels. I can't ask the same questions that I would ask to a 10^th or 12^th grade class, but I still want to challenge them. I have 8 classes to teach the whole book, so I need to pick and choose which parts I want to emphasize. Most of the materials that I have received from other teachers and a pastor are very dispensationalist. It reminds a little of last summer teaching at Rift Valley Academy because most of the students believed the “Left Behind” theology. I want to present the book objectively to the students and not present strongly one side, especially if I don't agree with the theology. The materials I used to teach the class last summer are at home, but I'm getting by in class and working off of some of my memory.

I am still undecided on what I am doing in the fall. I am trying decide between teaching in school, going to seminary, or something totally that isn't related to teaching. The last two weeks I have been praying for guidance and a sign from God to direct me. I have applied to different teaching jobs in Michigan, Minnesota, and Missouri, and I am still waiting to hear back from them. I finished my application to Western Seminary, and I am waiting to hear back from them. Today, I received a very encouraging email from Dr. Neil Plantinga, the president of Calvin Seminary. At first the email wasn't good news, he sad to inform me that I was not chosen to be a Presidential Scholar (which qualified me to receive a $5,000+ scholarship). He said hat my profile of my grades, references, and essays were very good, but he had a limited amount of Presidential Scholarships to give. Dr. Plantinga went on to say that he talked the VP of Academic Affairs and told him to make sure that I would receive scholarships that would put me in the Presidential Scholarship bracket. I do not believe that this means that I am going to Calvin Seminary for sure in the fall. More things have to fall into place, I still have to receive enough loans and other aid to pay for the rest of tuition. I have been throwing around the idea, if I don't get any teaching offers, I could get a office job in Sioux Falls or Des Moines. This would definitely be my last choice because I want to make the most of my college education, but maybe God is leading me there. I am just praying a lot and trusting that God will show me in His time.

posted by Sarah @ 6:42 AM