Summing Up in Santa Maria

Since I am preparing to leave for the US next Thursday, and we are getting ready for the celebration of Independence Day here in Guatemala this week and next, my days of teaching at Nueva Vida have come to a close for this year.

Joel, one of my students with Down Syndrome,
counting the days on the calendar.
He can now recognize numerals 1-10!

Before I go, though, I want to share with you what has gone on this year in our class.  We have seen such progress academically, socially, behaviorally and spiritually in our kids, that I couldn't pass up a chance to brag on them.  While each year it seems more kids need additional help outside of their special classrooms, I think we have finally found a system in which I can effectively provide support for the students and their teachers.  I never thought I'd be a classroom teacher again, but I have to admit that (most days!) I'm loving it.  It is so exciting to see our kids finally "get it."

Griselda, another student with Down Syndromepracticing the days of the week.
A year ago she could not talk and now, through the hard work of Jennifer Giessmann, our Speech Therapist,
she answers most questions verbally!

I need to thank each of you who supports this classroom through Causa de Esperanza, either though your prayer or donations.  Your gifts pay for me to travel to Santa Maria and provide the supplies and materials we use in our room.  Your prayers are what keep me going when I feel like I can't teach the same concept one more time, but need to.  How I wish you could each come and see what you are helping to make happen in the lives of our very special children!

Ronald and Azucena, both teenagers using our adapted curriculum, are so excited to finally be able to read using sight words as well as phonics.  I worried that they would feel the materials were too "baby-ish" but am finding that success trumps what the materials look like every time.  I'm so proud of them.

My sixth grade boys, learning how to study vocabulary using flash cards.

Some of our younger children, learning about place value (tens and ones)

using chains they can link together to form groups of ten.

And what do you do during recess when you really love school?

You play school in your classroom, of course!

The young lady at the desk is the "Directora" (principal)

and the girl standing by the cabinet is "teaching" her "students."

As we are finishing up our school year, we wish all of our friends (students and teachers) in the US who are heading back to classes, a great new school year!