Pohnpei, Part 5: At the School

 One of the best things about Pohnpei SDA School is the students.  While Rob was working on special projects, the rest of us got to spend Thursday and Friday mornings with them.  The next week would be spring break.

My daughter, Araya, and I started the morning by telling stories for worship in the classrooms of willing teachers.  Araya got a little taste of what it was like to stand in front of a classroom of students for the first time.

She spent the rest of the morning in classrooms helping students one-on-one, or grading papers for teachers.

She fell in love with the whole working with little island kids thing, and didn't want to leave the island when it was time to go home.

 

William spent Thursday morning with this first grade classroom. Envangeline is their teacher.

 

 He was really nervous that he wouldn't remember what you have to know in 1st grade.  I told him not to worry about that.  He knows it all and more now.  He helped kids with phonics, told a story, and went with them to chapel.

Those first grade boys thought he was the greatest.  He liked going to gym with them the best.

I spent the morning one-on-one, evaluating some students who were struggling with reading.  I wish I knew more in this area, so I could really make a difference.  But I was able to pick out three with clear needs for vision therapy, and left the lady in charge of tutoring with a list of things to do with these students to help their eyes focus solidly on each letter.  Another student simply needs more help with sounds and putting letters together.

There wasn't time to spend with more students because of the chapel schedule and recess time.  I never take a boy away from time to run and play.  That alone could cause reading problems.

I wanted so desperately to stay on island longer and work with more students.  Learning to read makes all the difference in their education and in their life.

But even without extra special help, most of the kids at SDA School are learning. 

You might remember Miller Benjamin.  He was a teacher when we were there, and later principal of the school.  He is retired now, but not inactive.  He now goes to the public schools all around the island and is working to raise reading skills. 

He wrote a grant proposal for some I Pads and special reading software to use in the school to help kids learn better.  He thinks that kids are more eager to read on a screen then in a book.  Maybe it is a trick that will work.  I was happy to hear about what he was doing.

I heard that recent test scores revealed that only about 20% of public high school graduates on island were ready for college.  I think it is likely opposite of that for the SDA School kids.

All these happy faces.  So much to learn, and so much ahead of them.  Each with their own story and so precious.  I just love it that they are still wearing the same uniform, and look so much the same.  I felt like I was able to take off with them, just where I had left off 25 years ago.  I didn't know much about what I was doing when I was there before, but some learning in that 3rd grade class still took place.  Besides maturity, I have a degree now, and some experience, which came in handy during this short visit..  But I so much wish I could have stayed and done more.  Maybe a little because I wish to make up for what I wasn't able to do then. (Of course, I know no one can do that.)  And maybe more, because the love in my heart for these kids has swelled, and I just plain wish I could spend more time with them.  I feel like I could be successful now.

But there is even more for me to learn, if I am going to be able to do what I want to do next time I go.  I want to know more about how to catch up a student who is not yet reading fluently.  I want to help the school set up a program that will help students be more successful from the beginning, and be ready to help new students who enter at a latter grade to also catch up.  If you can read well, you can do almost anything.

These kids are so precious.  Every one of them.   They learn about Jesus here.  I am so glad Pohnpei SDA school is there for them.  I am so glad for all the people who are giving a year of their lives or more, to teach these kids.

And now I'm praying for a great crop of teachers for next year.  Do you know anyone who should go teach there next year?

By the way, it is only $70 a month to sponsor a child's tuition at this great school.  There are some kids who might not be able to come back this month and finish the school year, if someone doesn't sponsor their tuition.