Bible Stories and Art at Woodlands School

Many of you know that I love to teach. And the younger the better. For the time I was in Mozambique I didn't have very many opportunities to use this passion that I have. I prayed that once we were settled in Zambia I would be able to get involve with school children. Praise the Lord that has happened. Towards the end of last year I was connected to the Head Master of our church's school. She and I enjoyed several conversations in her office about the school and its strengths and weaknesses. Their school year begins in January and ends in November. So we devised a plan where I could possibly help with a few areas that they felt are lacking after school started back this year. Since January I have been going once a month to their Friday afternoon staff meetings to teach them some creative ideas that they could use in their classrooms. Also, every Tuesday afternoon the girls and I go to the school and tell or read a Bible story and then do an art project to go with the story to the whole school. We group them 3 year olds-Grade 1, Grade 2-3, Grade 6-7, and then we do Grades 4 and 5 separately because they are crazy when put together. We do it all in about 2 hours! It is a blast! (At least for me!)

This is the school block. This particular day a huge rain shower almost washed us away!

The other side of the block

On this Tuesday we had taught the story of Noah. 

As an art project we did mosaic rainbows. 

This is the Grade 3 class. 

This picture gives you a look into the classroom environment.
They sit 2-3 kids per desk. The walls have some educational poster up, but not many.

The boys are using Q-tips to dip into the cup of school glue
to glue down their pieces of the rainbow.

Can you see their finished rainbows?

Emma loving the classroom work......not so much!
But she is smiling anyway!!! Kudos girl!!

This is the Grade 6 classroom, but the Grade 7s were in here as well.

Aren't they the sweetest things!?!?!
This was the day that we taught about Noah. Instead of the messy rainbows, for these little ones
we did a 3 piece ark with some animal stickers. They did really well.

This particular Tuesday we were doing Daniel in the Lion's Den. What a great story for these kids about how to stand for the Lord even when everyone around you is disobeying Him and how God is a faithful God.

I am totally in a happy place with these Grade 1 and 2 kids!!
Here I am telling them before we start drawing our lions that it is ok if their picture looks different than their neighbors. This a conforming culture with little value put on individualism. 
I am talking to the teachers as well.
They want everything....even in art....to look the same.

Sweet things!!!

Working hard on those lions!

Some of the boys working hard too.

This is the crazy Grade 5 class. 
I don't know why, but they have more energy than the other classes combined!

Lilly and Emma watching on the side lines.

One of the sweet Grade 5 girls.

And those boys......what a mess they are! But darling at the same time!

Now this one right here. I wish like crazy that I could remember her name. 
She has told me so many times!!!
She has some special challenges in school. And because of that she doesn't have very much confidence in herself.
Being able to do art has made her smile over and over. And Emma McDaniel has as her goal every week to compliment this precious one twice as much as the other kids are complimented on their work. Pray for her.
(I will write her name down and let you know it when we get back to the school after break.)

Here is that 5th grade class and their lions!

Every few weeks don't tell a Bible story in the youngest group (3year olds - Grade 1). I know. A missionary not taking every opportunity to tell a Bible story? Don't turn me in! Along with being passionate about God's word, there is also a kindergarten teacher and a lover of story books in me. So, on occasion I just read a great story to these little ones. In this classroom of 3, 4, and 5 year olds they only have a couple of tattered books. The other classes have NO STORYBOOKS.....grade 1 and 2 have no storybooks! The other grades have no Beverly Clearly or any other chapter books for that matter. The teachers never read to the students, except for from the textbook. I want to change that.....but that is for another conversation.....

Look at the smile of that precious one near the window!!

Look at them listening to and looking at my story, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie"!!!

This right here.....my happy place!!!

Sweet faces showing me their mice that they drew.

One Friday the school was having a school fair and asked the girls and me to come and participate. So we did....except for Lilly....but that is for another conversation too. So we made a few simple games, bowling and pin the nose on the clown, Meg look some face paint that we had. 

Emma and her bowling.
The next day she could hardly walk because
of the leg workout she got setting up her "pins".

The kids could wear regular clothes this day instead of their uniforms.

The face paint station and the line.

One of the tiny 3 year olds.

About finished!!

You know I am still amazed at the lack of resources that this "private" school has. The head master says that 90% of the tuition has to go to the teachers' salaries and to the few textbooks that each classroom needs. They have a small bit of paper and chalk and a small handful of toys for the pre-school room. Everything in me wants to go and collect what "I think" they need. But I can't do that. 

Much love,
Tracy