The past several weeks we teachers and students have been preparing for our school program. We put together an hour’s presentation of songs, poems, Bible memory, and lessons the students learned throughout the year. Parents, family, and friends showed up to get a snapshot of what’s been going on in the classroom for the past eight months.
The first graders were able to showcase their ability to read with tremendous enthusiasm, while second grade dreamed of what they wanted to be when they grew up and talked Spanish. Third grade shared their creative writing pieces, a couple girls gave a science demonstration, and two students gave math presentations.
We fumbled and goofed a few times, but that’s okay. We just wanted to share our stories with those who cared about us. They know we make mistakes, and they love us anyway.
Some of the ones that were very nervous in practice were cool as cucumbers in the program; while others who had faithully memorized until they could recite confidently, caved under the pressure of so many eyes. But they were all very brave.
We enjoyed ourselves, and from hearing the happy chatter afterward, the audience enjoyed learning to know us a little better.
I had made several typos in the program leaflets we handed out, which was a chop at my ego tree, but for which I tried bravely to own. After the program, upon receiving some kind words of praise, my ego tree started putting out hopeful buds again, only to be hacked down by one kind soul who pointed out that a main presentation I had helped write had a glaring misspelling.
We need these times of pruning.
Ah, happy sigh! It’s all over. Such presentations are more than a little work for the teachers to put together, and ever so much more work for teachers and students to labor in practice to spring up as a flower at 7:00 only to be wilted and dead by 8:00.
Yet school programs are a thrill, one of the highlights of my school years. I love seeing the students sharing with their families, and I’m pleased to see them stretched in their communication skills.
The joys of teaching!
Juan David 