Taken back in time...

Wednesday night my brother spoke on the story of Jonah, using his modern day story telling techniques.  Last night, I was talking to a friend about traveling overseas for an extended period of time.  Both of these things took me back in time 8 years ago when I made a very difficult decision to participate in Youth in Mission (YIM).  Not only was it the most difficult thing, it was also the best thing I ever did!!  Even though my trip was a long time ago, bare with me as a reminisce!

You see...I'm a tad bit of a homebody and someone who doesn't really like change, (probably the reason why I still live with my mom and dad!) but I really felt a calling to go on a mission trip.  It was October and I was sitting in chapel at SNU.  People were sharing stories about their YIM experiences when the stirring began and quickly grew.  I tried extremely hard to push it aside and ignore it.  Me? Never!  I can't be away from home that long!!  

Over the next several months, I spent many hours contemplating going, opening up the application, convincing myself it wasn't what God wanted, looking for signs, ignoring blatant signs I requested, talking myself into going, and finally letting the deadline pass! You read correctly, I ignored God's calling and desire to go because I couldn't stand the thought of being away from my family, or missing a dear friend's wedding! 

After missing the deadline and feeling sick about it, I happened to read the story of Jonah.  

Jonah is called to go to Nineveh but instead goes the other direction.  When he's on the boat, a storm comes along and the people on the boat end up throwing him overboard.  He is swallowed by a whale and after being spit on the beach, goes to Nineveh.  He's given a second chance to do what he was called to do originally.  

It was at that moment I knew I had to sign up.  God gave Jonah a second chance, maybe He would give me one.  I emailed YIM and told them the long drawn out version of being called but ignoring until I no longer could. Quickly they responded and told me to fill out the application.  The application was submitted and a placement letter was received in return.  Scotland here I come.  (Really...there I went)

Although the journey leading me to sign up is a good majority of the story, it is by no means the end! One small part of our trip was to plan and carry out a Vacation Bible School at the local church.  How exciting is that?  I wanted to be a teacher and loved organizing events.  It was going to be perfect!  To prepare for the Bible School, we canvased the Town Square and passed out flyers.  Talking to strangers is my mom's strength, not mine!  I definitely was out of my comfort zone as we unsuccessfully tried to convince people to come to VBS.  Crazy Americans with balloons and flyers do not attract masses of Scots!  Who knew we were planning an entire event for less than 15 kids.  Not my idea of a successful VBS.  After the first night, I wanted to be done.  It was rather disheartening to do all that work and have such a small turnout. 

As I spent tonight thinking about my trip to Scotland and my teaching today, I realized that much of my teaching is like this VBS experience.  I pour my heart and soul into what I'm doing only to be let down because only a few students respond, or the scores on the test still suck!  Failure begins to creep in and haunt me (other teachers too.)  In fact, I believe the feeling of failure in teachers is one of the biggest problems education faces.  The let down and lack of payoff quickly cause teachers to lose enthusiasm and spunk.  

We could just stop there...VBS only had a few kids, we were disappointed, so quit!  We tried something new in our class and the scores don't look much better, so we stop trying new things!

BUT - if we gave up there, we would have missed out on ministering to 10 kids.  If we continue to dwell in the lack of improvement, we miss out on celebrating the small successes and joys a few students may see.  Christ sees us everyday, and everyday he is let down by the traps of sin we fall prey to.  The people who miss out on opportunities to reach a lost soul disappoint him.  Talk about feeling defeat and failure...I know I alone fail him daily.  Each day, He gives us another chance, He tries a new approach.  He died for us even if just one accepts.  If He stopped there, we would have no eternal hope!  The wonderful thing is, He doesn't!  No matter how small the turnout is or how many times He teaches us the same thing only to have us fail again, He never becomes too disheartened.  He continues just as much as always!  We are called to be Christ-like, which means, we are called to persevere even when only one child responds to the lesson or the class still isn't getting it! We are called to come to school and begin a new day with a smile even when yesterday was awful! 

 It wasn't about having the biggest and best VBS.  It isn't about seeing growth and change right now all the time with all the students...it's about being Christ-like and continuing the fight even without results!  Sometimes, we don't get the results we want or get to see the results.  

We finished the VBS strong with no more than 15 kids each night!  Throughout the week we connected with a family and ignited an interest in church.  We had success and made a difference!  

YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!! - Don't be defeated - just keep fighting! You ARE making a difference!  You ARE saving lives! Keep fighting for your students.

It must be love...

Really, it was love at first sight, or maybe infatuation! What can I say?!  As soon as I heard him I knew it was the way to go.  I couldn't get enough!

It all began 3 long years ago in Nashville, TN.  I was attending Model Schools Conference and all I kept hearing was iPads this and iPads that! Computers enhance learning!  Engage kids through technology!  I was hooked.  What teacher doesn't want to be more engaging? 

I returned to school on the prowl for any and all technology.  I got a MacBook.  Then a class set of iPads.  After that, I wanted new programs for screencasting and creating interactive lessons!  All leading up to where I am today! 

But what really makes this relationship between myself and technology true love is the fact that I keep going back.  I mean technology glitches, technology fails, Wi-Fi goes down, Configurator, well it just sucks sometimes…and other times, like lately, it's extra temperamental. 

It started with my desktops not working! No network on this one and no internet on that one! #19 turning off and on repeatedly. #13 freezing. The keyboard on one randomly typing. The IT guy spent many hours in my sauna trying to fix the desktops.  Now, those are running smoothly.  
In the mean time, we got iPads out with the younger kids. Well, I thought I had created a backup and made folders for all the apps, but come to find out, configurator decided to only put the backup on half the iPads.  Without the backup, there were no folders, and no guarantee the correct apps were on the iPads.  This meant the kids couldn't find the right apps.  Trying to teach 20 kindergartens how to find a certain app...whoa, it's like trying to progress monitor half your class weekly, or fitting 26 math lessons into 19 days or taking a class full of kindergarteners to the bathroom!  Next to nearly impossible.  So I plugged my iPads back in and reconfigured them...it had to work the 3rd time!! Or not! So there I was, trying again to make it easy for the little ones and technology just FAILED me!  I'd get frustrated, go vent to the librarian and then go right back to the technology I love. 

I'm sure you are thinking one of two things:

1. DUH, technology is stupid, I hate it and it always fails so why use it.

2. Nothing else could have possibly gone wrong! 

But let me assure you, it just kept slamming me; yet I chose to still love it.  After I made nice folders on the iPads, (connecting them 10 at a time.)  I was sure they all had folders and the same apps.  I pulled one out of the cart and played with the app I wanted to teach kindergarten.  Notability...kid friendly, does everything I want. I made an example and was ready to go!  I got the iPads handed out...low and behold...what do you know...it's NOT there! Seriously?!? 

I decided to plug the iPads in and add the app quickly before class the next day! No biggie right?! WRONG! I plugged them in, downloaded the app, checked a couple, they did their thing, so I assumed they all did their thing. Class came around, kindergartens were sitting in my room and I started calling kids to get their iPads..Sam #1 Tom #2 Betty #3... As the kids began opening up the iPad to start playing, 5/6 of them were on the "welcome to the iPad" screen! (For those of you who don't know...that's like the "your iPad is back to factory settings and you need to set it up because you have NOTHING on it" screen.) Guess we weren't supposed to do iPads that day either.  Last week on Friday  I ended up plugging each iPad into my computer individually and making it look the way I wanted. (Thankfully a teacher friend (thanks Rudd) stayed and kept me company for the 5 hours it took!!)  Once again I was so excited to use the "newly" set up iPads! 

Monday rolled around and guess what?!? My kindergarteners were able to practice finding letters on the keyboard by typing their color words.  Then they took pictures with of different color objects.  SUPER cute and they had a BLAST!  Today, my kids wanted to do multiple colors and some did. 

Two life lessons and thoughts to leave you pondering as I close this blog…

1. Just think about it, things fail and as teachers we just ROLL with it! The whiteboard markers run out and you can't write on the board!  The pencil breaks while helping a student.  The book you are supposed to read magically disappears right when you want to read it.  You realize you made copies of the wrong assessment after all the kids have started.  As much as we teachers plan and like to control, our day is out of our hands. Whether you use technology or not, we are thrown curveballs daily. Remember, be kind to everyone even when you are thrown a curveball.  Everyone includes other teachers, students, support staff, and parents.

2. Really, it's true love and love is a choice!  Technology makes me so mad sometimes because it fails, just like a human does, but I make the choice to use technology and give it a billion chances.  Loving technology is only a silly metaphor, what really matters is loving people!  I make the choice to love my brother and give him a billion chances even if he torments me.  I make the choice to love my students even when they make bad choices.   Are you making the choice to love even when someONE is making you mad?  Because Jesus chose us and loves us knowing we would mess up, we should do the same.  Even I messed up today! (And probably owe that person an apology!)