Confessions of a Nineteen Year Old English Teacher

Y'all. 

Sometimes I'm a really bad English teacher. 

Sometimes I take too long to erase the board so I can have extra time to think of lesson plans.

Sometimes I let my students out too early. 

Sometimes I just stare at them because I have no idea what to say.

Sometimes I have no idea if what I'm teaching them is right. 

Sometimes I have no idea what to even teach. 

It's real. 

So I'd like to dedicate this post to all my English teachers I've had through the years. Thank you for putting up with me and teaching me. I know now *did you catch that? I really typed that on accident* how hard this crazy language is to teach. So thanks a bunch. 

Today God and I had a moment at the whiteboard.

As I wrapped up my morning session, I asked my students who was going to pray today. And of course they all point to each other and volunteer everyone but themselves. As they were doing this, I told them that whoever prayed had to do it in English today. 

UPROAR.

The volunteering of others got even more persistent and I finally gave up and let them pray in Khmer. But I told them that they were going to have to pray in English soon. After the prayer, Pum asked me if I could teach them a "unit of pray in English." I excitedly agreed and we said our good byes. After lunch and naptime, *Selah told us that everyone in Cambodia sleeps after lunch. We aren't complaining* I stood up in front of the class and began to teach my prepared "unit of pray in English."

Well let me just tell ya that it did not work out. Sythourn was sitting in on Sarah's class since he is pretty far a long in his English learning, which is wonderful! Except for the fact that he acted as my lifeline and translated a lot of the time for me. Liq is also good at understanding me and was nowhere to be found today. *I found out later that he slept all day*

I stood at the board and struggled to teach these boys how to pray. If only they knew what their prayers were saying in English. If only I knew Khmer. After about 15 minutes of me trying to teach and the boys trying to understand me, I finally gave up. I turned towards the whiteboard and began erasing. 

This was one of those bad teacher moments where I spent a little too long erasing on purpose. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to teach. I shut my eyes, said a quick prayer, put the eraser down, and turned to face my expectant students. I walked back to my podium and just simply asked them:

What do you want to learn?

Guess what?

They understood me!

They responded with the word "conversation" and then proceeded to rattle off "hello, how are you, I am fine, thanks..."

I was overjoyed and they could tell. I immediately wrote a sample "small-talk" conversation on the board and taught them how to respond to each of the questions. After we got done with that, it was time for a break. During that time I stumbled across an ESL website that had sample conversations for basically any subject. 

HE HEARD MY WHITEBOARD PRAYER

After the break we jumped right into it. We learned how to introduce yourself, how to introduce your friend, and how to carry a conversation by asking "and you?" 

I made them come up in pairs and have a conversation in front of the class. It was hilarious. We were all laughing at each other and the boys were loving it. They kept making fun of me because I was dancing around a little bit. I was just so happy. The next hour flew by and they thanked me for teaching them how to have a conversation and asked me to teach more about it tomorrow. Prayer time came up and they asked me if I could say it. I gladly agreed. I had a lot to thank God for. 

I made sure I spoke slowly as I thanked him for my students and their willingness to learn. I asked him to grant them wisdom and the ability to retain all of this knowledge. I prayed for safety and strength to finish out the week strong. And then I said amen. 

I am not a perfect teacher.

I never have a lesson plan and when I do, it never works. 

I don't know how to teach them everything.

I don't know the answers to all of their questions. 

But I absolutely love those boys. 

They'll learn to pray in English someday.

And I can't wait until that day comes.

I may have a lot more whiteboard prayers before then. 

But I don't mind. 

So again, thank you to all my English teachers. 

I owe you guys. 

Blessings, 

Cassie 

Ps: Some amazing huddle leaders once taught me to "stay focused" in all situations and I think that lesson works beautifully in this situation. Thank you Varners and Kerns, you're wisdom is helping people around the world. Love you guys SO much! 

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of The Lord, because you know that your labor in The Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58