Haus Blauen

Tonight was my last night with the Blauen Babes. Every other Monday night I went up "the hill" and spent my Monday nights with the girls and the dorm parents, Joe and Susie. Haus Blauen is a girls' dorm right across from Sonne, the boys' dorm I was a RA at for two years before teaching. 

Joe and Susie are very special people. When I was still in the dorm and needed an escape or girl time, Susie would invite me to sit with her on their back porch swing. Susie is a wise woman and Joe is a big teddy bear. He often reminds me of my dad: a great handy man. Joe and Susie were the main reason I decided to sub at Blauen on Monday nights, RAs' nights off. Every other Monday, I ate dinner with Haus Blauen and then spent much of the remaining evening in the kitchen. I made hundreds of muffins and many breakfast casseroles. My favorite part was catching up with Joe. We would usually chat while he helped me in the kitchen. Many times he cracked walnuts for the muffins I was making.   I loved it when the girls stopped in the kitchen, during their study hours, to talk with me.  Three of the current Blauen girls are sisters to Sonne boys I had when I was a RA. Most of the girls, I developed closer relationships with, are under class men and I get to see them again next!
Tonight was my last night and we ate like queens. Joe grilled up fish, pork and hamburgers. We enjoyed a salad bar and tasty desserts. Earlier in the day, the dorm paid tribute to the Seniors and the dinner was a celebratory dinner for the whole dorm. It was a good last night. Love those girls. Love Joe and Susie. Blessed to be a small part of Haus Blauen. 

Up the Hill at Haus Blauen

Haus Blauen in the winter. Picture taken from the steps of Sonne.

It's that time of year

It's that time of year. We have just weeks left of school. At BFA, 4th grade through 12th grade finish May 31st with graduation on Saturday, June 1st. First through 3rd grade (the bilingual classes) continue until June 22. We, English speakers, end earlier than our Germany friends though. The last few weeks of school  are just the German students and  German teachers. 

This week is a short 2 1/2 day week for the elementary school. Then we have the first full week of June off. During this week, my roomie and I are moving into our new apartment with our new roomie Anna. We are moving out of our apartment because the missionary family is returning to Germany from their one year home mission assignment. Next year at about this same time, I will move into another new apartment since the owners of our new apartment will also be returning from US from their one year home assignment.

After our week off break, we return to school for another two weeks. I am leaving June 20th to be a brides maid in my friend Tisha's wedding. I fly home Wednesday, June 20th and arrive in Houston mid-afternoon. Thursday morning mom and I drive 10 hours to the wedding in Arkansas. We will stay for the weekend but drive back Sunday. Monday through Saturday, I will be in Galveston, Texas for a little vaca with the family! I leave for Germany on Saturday, June 30th. The following Monday I start my month long German class!

It is going to be a whirl-wind trip back to the US. But then again, isn't it always?

These next week is full of good-byes. Seniors are graduating. Families are leaving BFA and many are returning to the US for their one year home assignment. We are closing one chapter in life and gearing up for the next chapter. Every year its the same here at BFA. Closing one chapter. Saying good-byes. Hugging necks. Hiding tears. But we have a joy that makes these good-byes bearable!

Classroom Activities

In the craziness of this time of year, I have neglected blogging. Here's what we've been up to lately (and some of the pics are really old). I will post the pictures of our special chapel last Wednesday and the waffle sale very soon (I am in the midst of moving apartments and the cord to transfer the pictures from the camera to the computer are in a box at the new apartment which I haven't officially moved into yet.)

READING

At the beginning of the new year we read Stuart Little. The pictures below are an interview between Stuart Little, Mrs. Little, Mr. Little and a group of reporters. 

BIBLE

Fruit of the Spirit...A while back we studied gentleness. I asked the students how they could should gentleness at home or at school. Our verse at the time was very convicting! 

GRAMMAR

A little Verb Tense fun...who doesn't find verb tense fun? Come to third grade. A game of memory and you will love verbs!

And the best for last...

SCIENCE

The Paper Towel Experiment. This was one of my favorites when I taught in Texas to do with my fourth graders. I figured my super smart bilingual class could handle it. And they did beautifully! We did an absorbency test and a wet strength test. The kiddos really enjoyed this experiment. 

Missing Northampton man found safe

Brian is back safe and sound. Thank you for praying! 

Please continue to pray for healing and restoration.

Missing Northampton man found safe - www.phillyburbs.com: Courier Times: brian shipley, northampton, missing man found, cheryl shipley, newtown

"Science and God?"

In addition to teaching third grade, I also teach science to our precious 2nd graders two times a week. In this class there are 15 students total with about two-thirds of the class being native German speakers. 

Over the last few weeks we studied gravity and today we started a new topic. We sat in a circle, all criss-cross apple sauce (Indian style).  I told them was going to read something. There job was to guess, from what I read, our new topic.  Opening my Bible, I further explained that I was going to read from the first book in the Bible, Genesis chapter 1. This is when "M," one of my German students, raised his hand. Well, actually, he probably didn't raise his hand.  So let me backtrack, "M" shouted, "What does the Bible have to do with Science, Miss Watson?" From ear to ear grew the largest grin EVER on my face. I answered, "M, listen as I read and see if you can answer that question for yourself." 

It was such a great question and it made my heart swell. Science and God. Many people think these two words do not belong in the same sentence. God and science.  The Creator of EVERYTHING. How can I teach them separately? The two are tightly interwoven.  In his mind they are two separate subjects at school. I had the privileged today of showing him how there would be no science without God. God is interwoven in science. A Biblical world view vs a world view.  

As I write this post I am overwhelmed with the blessing, privileged, responsibility... it is to sculpt the minds of our future leaders. "M" has such amazing leadership skills already in 2nd grade. He is extremely bright and learns quickly. I am grateful for the opportunity to love on him, teach him, and guide him in the way of the Lord. 

Oh, our new topic is the universe in particular the sun, moon, stars, and planets.

Genesis chapter 1 from the Message:

First this: God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss. 

 ^3-5 God spoke: "Light!" 

      And light appeared. 

   God saw that light was good 

      and separated light from dark. 

   God named the light Day, 

      he named the dark Night. 

   It was evening, it was morning— 

   Day One. 

 ^6-8 God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters; 

      separate water from water!" 

   God made sky. 

   He separated the water under sky 

      from the water above sky. 

   And there it was: 

      he named sky the Heavens; 

   It was evening, it was morning— 

   Day Two. 

 ^9-10 God spoke: "Separate! 

      Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place; 

   Land, appear!" 

      And there it was. 

   God named the land Earth. 

      He named the pooled water Ocean. 

   God saw that it was good. 

 ^11-13 God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties 

      of seed-bearing plants, 

   Every sort of fruit-bearing tree." 

      And there it was. 

   Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, 

      all varieties, 

   And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. 

      God saw that it was good. 

   It was evening, it was morning— 

   Day Three. 

 ^14-15 God spoke: "Lights! Come out! 

      Shine in Heaven's sky! 

   Separate Day from Night. 

      Mark seasons and days and years, 

   Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth." 

      And there it was. 

 ^16-19 God made two big lights, the larger 

      to take charge of Day, 

   The smaller to be in charge of Night; 

      and he made the stars. 

   God placed them in the heavenly sky 

      to light up Earth 

   And oversee Day and Night, 

      to separate light and dark. 

   God saw that it was good. 

   It was evening, it was morning— 

   Day Four. 

This was a great inspiration to me from "How Great is Our God" by Louie Giglio and I look forward to blowing the minds of my 2nd graders!

Just another tale from a bilingual class in Germany...

Another quote from the Classroom

A tale from the bilingual classroom in Germany...

Today while the students were working quietly on their handwriting I knocked over a container of pencils and it made a nice loud crashing sound. I knew a few of my students would be all to eager to jump up from their seats  to help me clean up my mess...anything to distract them from...UGH...handwriting! :)

To keep them in their seats I said, "Don't worry. I've got it." Soon there after one of my English students, one who isn't really ever so eager to help out unless his arm is twisted, said with a twinkle in his eye and a sly grin on his face," Were you worried I was going to help Miss Watson?" We banter back and forth like this all day. Every day. It puts a great smile on my face all day. Every day. 

And this is why I do what I do! I love it!

A quote from today...

I had recess duty when L, one of my German students, bit the dust and scraped the palm of her hand. The skin had peeled back and there was gravel in the wound. She's a tough girl. Only a few tears. I cleaned her up and look tirelessly for just the right band aid. Many were way too small and others just too big. Once I found a band aide that was just right, I started to apply white athletic tape to keep the band aide in place. The wound was in a difficult spot and it was even more difficult figuring out how to tape the band aide so it wouldn't buckle.   After three or four attempts, I was finally successful at bandaging L up without her looking like a mummy. On the last attempt L looked up at me and said, "Good thing you are good at teaching." Thanks L! 

Tales from a bilingual classroom in Germany.