Good News

Hello Everyone!
It's Saturday night and Ezra's asleep and I don't have any homework! If only I were wearing slippers so that my toes weren't chilly it would truly be perfect. Well, if we're talking perfect how about someone rubbing my shoulders too. And I'd have a perfectly sweetened cup of Chai. And my pimple would be gone.

On to the news! I am happy to report that I am now working as an intern at a local Montessori school. As you may or may not know, since returning from Latin America where I taught second grade I have been leaning towards a career in teaching, more specifically in a Montessori school. To be a certified Montessori teacher you need to take a course that is a little on the expensive side. So I thought to do an internship first, to see if I like it, would be very helpful, and sure enough they can use me too!

So the school is near my house and also near to Lleny's house, who watches Ezra for me. She is the sweetest lady from Mexico who calls Ezra Papi. Now when he doesn't respond to his name I say Papi, and sometimes it works. Hey, it's better than Tumpky Wumpky.

The school is for children ages 6 months to six, and I work with children age 3-6. The head teacher is Joy, and then Giselle is the assistant who speaks only Spanish in the classroom (she is from Panama and is gorgeous). So I guess I am kind of a second assistant. Basically what is different about the Montessori setting is that the kids direct all of their own learning. There are activities all around the room, ranging in subject from math, botany, geography, art, letters, and language. The kids can choose any activity ("work") and do it for as long as they want, then put it back and get something else. They are so good at directing themselves it is amazing! Joy, Giselee and I are there to help if they have a question and to help them stay on task. I really like it because there is no dictating what they are to do. That was one thing I did not like about teaching, having to tell everybody what to do, where to sit, etc.

I also like that we all take our shoes off, it makes it very comfortable and cozy. I spend a lot of time reading books to the children. They love to be read to and always have tons of questions and remarks. I am eager to learn more, as I have thus far only been there two days.

The students are so sweet, smart and adorable. There's one little boy in particular who stole me heart. He is always smiling the biggest smile his face could ever smile. You can't help smiling around him.

The adjustments to our schedule are slight. Instead of waking up at 8 we wake up at 6, which is taking some time to get used to. Ezra spends one more hour with Lleny, which is working out fine. I am there until 1130, pick up Ezra and head home for lunch and a nap, and then we have the whole afternoon together. It is a swell schedule.

Speaking of Ezra, he is doing very well. His crawling is getting faster everyday, and he is also pulling himself up to stand. Today he even took a few steps while holding on to a toy. We went to a friend's first birthday party and he walks so I think Ezra was just trying to keep up with the Joneses. He is also very in to pointing at things. The other day I showed him a picture of a bunch of things and asked him where the dog was and he pointed right at the dog! Thanks for the book, Grandpa! He's so smart. The other thing he's really into isn't as fun. He likes to fill his mouth with food a then blow it all out, flapping his lips. It's pretty funny when he does it, but we really must stop laughing at him because I'm sure he thinks it's a good and funny thing to do when he sees us react like that.

I promise I'll post some pictures soon! Although did you check out my bro-in-law's picture collection from Christmas? There's some cuties! Check it out here.