The Big D(ay)

Notes on the first day of school

I’m sure most of you are very curious how things went when school started here at VVA last week on Wednesday. When Thom and I were preparing to move here, we were not sure exactly what Matt (the director of VVA) needed us to do. Thom was going to teach math for sure. I was open to whatever was needed, whether as a teacher or health coordinator or anywhere it became clear I may be of help.

A few days after we arrived, I fully discovered the expansive abyss of the VVA Teachers Google drive with all of the schedules, lesson plans, curriculum, etc. I had a first glimpse of our schedules, which continued to change slightly until the day before school started last week. The team needed me to teach in-person science to grades 7-9, three separate classes, all in the afternoon. Thom would be teaching grades 6-9 math and also a STEM elective once a week.

Grades 7-9 at VVA have been doing online science courses for the last 2 years, so I had to help download the curriculum online, organize it, then start reading through it and planning out lessons, just a few days before school began. All of this was happening as I also acquired what’s affectionately known as “the big D” - aka travelers diarrhea. Now, I could take time here to describe the delicious Chinese restaurant experience that happened almost exactly 24 hours before the big D started, but I don’t want to make anyone jealous. (They do have egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, and an awesome fajita-style Chinese hot plate that I truly enjoyed.). I don’t want to blame the Chinese food, as it could have certainly been something else (and nobody else in our family had this), but it certainly threw a wrench in the works of me preparing fully for the Wednesday of the first day.

Thom and I worked at the school on Monday and Tuesday as best we could to prepare our rooms and lessons. We each have teacher aides that assist us with printing, supplies, etc. We had a few hours of meetings to prepare. Thom’s plan for the first day was to have his students make wall art describing their curriculum for the year. I found some things online to print, laminate and put on the walls. I was going to jump right in on the first day after some introduction.

We went home Tuesday afternoon with me searching around for the medication that we brought that could help with my “issues”. I also got some oral rehydration packets from Matt that tasted just like human sweat, even though the label clearly says “Orange Flavor”. Tuesday night I was feeling better, and went into Matt’s kitchen around 8:30pm to make some bath bombs. Yes, I said bath bombs. You may ask, “Why in the world would you make bath bombs the night before school?” The answer is that my 7th grade science course Unit 1 is based completely around the chemical reaction that is the bath bomb. Rwanda has no bath bombs and also has no Amazon, so we had to make them with cream of tartar, baking soda, corn starch, oil, and a few other things. Anyway, just to cut to the chase, my 7th grade bath bomb extravaganza started on the first day of school with me ending class by dropping the bath bomb in a bowl of water only to see a small splash and a few bubbles pop up slowly. (The kids didn’t laugh at least!)

Ok, on to the first day. We woke up and got out just in time to make it to the first day teacher and staff circle at 8:05am. The kids waited outside and played with the other kids until their class line up and assembly from Mr. Matt. Mary Hope lined up with her kindergarten class in her curly pigtails - the first big day for her. Hannah confidently lined up with 2nd grade. JV stayed with me as he attends the afternoon preschool session daily.

Our current routine is that I keep JV in the mornings until about 11:00am when I take him to school and an aide named Tucker helps with him until lunch and then sends him to his class at 12:15pm. School ends for everyone at about 3:30pm.

All in all, the day went great. Thom was impressed with the enthusiasm and creativity of all of his classes. Thom is also the homeroom teacher for 6th grade, so he meets with them almost every morning to do devotionals together. He has a very full day. I teach only 3 classes per day, starting at 11:40am. Thom and I get to eat lunch together daily, which is a blessing. The kids eat during our period 4 teaching time, all in the same lunch block. (Another blog coming with foods as I know you’re wondering.).

Mary Hope’s first day of kindergarten seemed to go well. She was exhausted but loved Mr. P and met a friend named Joella. Hannah had a great day, too, and had already gotten to know her teacher, Mr. Enoch, well during the prep days before school. JV had Ms. Esther who I think survived having him in class, hehe. He loved the train set that he got to play with.

The kids posed as we left that first morning. They had a great day and so did their parents, thankfully. We have since been learning SO much about how to prep, how to teach well, how to design labs, how to ask questions of 9th graders, how to manage grade books, and how to do it all in a new country with 3 kids who are also learning how to get used to a new school and new home. Even tonight, Matt and I brainstormed how to make something like agar to put into Petri dish-like plates so 9th grade can have a cool lab on growing bacteria. These things are easily ordered through Amazon in the U.S. It’s amazing the difference in resources that bring challenges I’ve never thought of before.

Thom and I are excited about the week to come, as Monday is tomorrow and so is the first full week. He has printed many, many worksheets and lesson plans and is excited to continue to do math with these bright kids. (Thankfully, we don’t have TOO many in any class, as 6th grade has only about 8 students, and 7-9th about 5-6 each.). I am going to be explaining bath bomb reactions, bacterial resistance, and collision science to three classes this week. We are grateful as well for all of the well-versed secondary and primary teachers and administrators who are also giving us guidance and feedback during this process. We are most impressed by the enthusiasm, knowledge, respect, and interest that the students are showing in their classes with us. We continue to ask for your prayers for the students, staff, teachers, and all of us here ministering in Rwanda.