End of Summer School!

I am officially on vacation! I have spent the last 4 weeks, 3 intensive hours a day, teaching these fossas reading and writing. (Yes, I teach at the UN, and I love the diversity!)

They came for different reasons—some needed extra reinforcement of their skills during the summer, some came to be challenged by the Dragon-Lady 8 ^th grade teacher. (I'll never forget Nathan (5th grade) advising another student, "You'd better make sure it's perfect before you take that essay to her for editing. Trust me, even if you think it's perfect, it's not!")

I taught students from 4 ^th-8^th grade, and it was wonderful. I've been in 8^th grade so long that I've forgotten the devotion 4^th graders have to their teacher, and the exuberance 5^th and 6 ^th graders show when they know they've done something well. I love teaching 8^th grade, but I have to admit, they are a bit jaded, and I'm used to working hard to earn their trust. This was refreshingly different, and I'm glad I took the opportunity.

I'll miss these guys!