Flexibility: a Teacher's Best Friend

The cousins, enjoying StingRay City

Last weekend I had the tremendous pleasure of hosting my cousins James and Jon Free at my home here in Antigua. We had the time of our lives! Highlights of the trip included a barbeque with the pastors and their families, a tour of the island that featured stops at Betty’s Hope (a restored sugar mill), Stingray City (see the picture), and Devil’s Bridge (again, see picture), church at St. John’s, Spanish service at Pigeon Point beach, a walk through Nelson’s Dockyard, and a visit to Shirleys Heights. Just a fabulous weekend!

               Holding 2 stingrays

Devil's Bridge

The countryside of Antigua is simply beautiful! I just know James and Jon loved their trip down here. Julie's mom was also down here this weekend. Too bad they could only stay for a few days. Perhaps our next visitors will be able to stay on this beautiful island just a little longer...
So about that flexibility...
Today is Independence Day in Antigua, celebrating 30 years of independence. This past week, there were various festivities occurring. Thursday was the annual Youth Rally when schools have off and some of the students march and salute the Governor General and the Prime Minister (or the acting prime minister if the actual Prime Minister happens to be out of the country on business). We had an Independence Programme put on by our children on Friday evening. Here's where the flexibility begins.

Some of my grade 2 girls, in national dress for the
Independence Programme

• Monday: my class is practicing for singing for church this coming Sunday, 30 October. At 8:30, I get the memo that the school will be having practice for the Programme at 9:00. Could I please send a note down to Miss Boggs so she knows? Sure...
• Tuesday: today we are going to have 2 practices because we should have started practicing last week and we need to make up the time. Unfortunately some classes showed up late and slowed things down for a bit. Then in the afternoon, I am told that I can take my class back while other classes and smaller groups practice. (In the faculty meeting we find out we will not have school on Monday! Fun, but there go some lesson plans...)
• Wednesday: throw a little bit of rain into the mix. Each run through is still taking about an hour. I have cut some classes to fit the most important things into the day, jumbled recess, snacks, and tests.
• Thursday: Youth Rally
• Friday: Chapel and practice for the programme takes a good portion of the morning. Recess, snack, and math bingo finish off the morning and we dismiss at noon. The programme is scheduled to start at 5 (though island time takes it to 5:30). Seating is completely different from anything we rehearsed during the week. We get home just before 8.
• Sunday: My class is singing. I am preparing the CD that will accompany us. The player is refusing to read the disc. Thank God for Mrs. Sternhagen! She quick grabs her husband's computer, hooks it up to the church sound system and has things ready for when my kids sing after the 1st reading. We sang the verses in the wrong order, but we made it with smiles on our faces and praise in our hearts.

And as today is Independence, I will be enjoying my freedom in Christ. God bless!