2011: A new year of classes started

After a later start and some quick cleaning, organizing, and planning, classes have started at the Lar Project.  There are many more students who want English class, but I unfortunately can’t fit them all in.  I have extended class times to get more teaching in, and I am going to the younger students classrooms and doing a “mini-lesson” with those groups, as they seem to pick up the language quicker.  Now, when they see me in the hallways, I always get a “hello” and “what’s your name"?” from them, as that is the first thing they are learning.  I have three new groups of classes, and three continuing classes. 

first homework sticker of the year!

The Lar received a donation of ‘Disney Learning English’ kits, which had puppets in them, and the students have really enjoyed using them to practice greetings in English.

Vila Andrade – Coletivo: a new project for young adults

I haven’t started English classes yet at Vila Andrade for a number of reasons, including the Compassion sponsorship is ending in July, the project is scheduled to move locations sometime soon,  the schedule has changed and my former older students only come one day a week (a day I am not there) just to name a few.  I have visited and tried to do some planning and organizing, and hopefully can start classes in full swing in the next week or so.

The one positive event happening at Vila Andrade now is a new project sponsored by Coca Cola. It is a job training program for young adults, and the students attend a merchandising course for two months, then put together a resume to help them find their first job with one of Coca Cola’s local merchandising partners here in Sao Paulo.  One room at the Vila Andrade project was renovated by Coca Cola and it is quite the cool room, with a graffiti drawing, and artwork using recycled Coca Cola bottles and caps.  The first session is already running at full capacity of over 100 students. There will be three more sessions this calendar year.  This project will have a very positive impact on the young adults in the favela of Vila Andrade. 

recycled artwork below

floor inlay with bottle caps, and a curtain made with bottoms of bottles

a light made with glass Coke bottles

Of course the ‘other’ big news of the month here in Brazil was the visit of the US President.  A number of people were very excited to say to me, “your President is coming” - “I know!”  The red carpet and security was enormous, as was the TV coverage, more than I have seen for any other visiting dignitary here!  Below is a snapshot I took of my TV set with a promo about the visit!

Stateside visit

I was able to spend Christmas in the States this past December, and followed the holidays with a surgery that had me recovering the month of January at my mom’s. I appreciated all the well-wishes and flowers I received from family, friends, and supporters.

 

Before I came back to Brazil in early February, I was able to speak about my mission work during a chapel service at a Christian school where one of my former Brazilian colleagues now works, as well as at a Senior Center. The kids at the school were very fun and asked a lot of questions during my presentation. Afterwards I stopped in a few classrooms for more Q&A. 

visiting in Elisabeth’s classroom

speaking at the Senior center (below)

I have shed the heavy layers, coats and mittens and am getting ready for a new year of English classes! 

Lar Project Graduation and Christmas

The Lar Project finished the school year with two graduation ceremonies for both the morning and afternoon sessions, followed by a Christmas party afterwards. The kids were encouraged to dress up and invite their parents or family members, and I was pleased to see a number who came. The Director of the project thought it would be ‘fun’ to have the students present items in English that they had learned and bring in ‘judges’ to determine who did the best job, and winners would receive a little prize. After a momentary panic on the part of the teacher and students, we put together a program to showcase what they had learned. We did puppets, presentations on math and shapes, speaking on favorite things, reading poems and a role play. Each group also presented music, the ‘ABC song’ for the morning students, and the ‘Days of the Week’ and ‘Thumbs up’ for the afternoon students. At the end of each assembly, I led all the students at the Project in these songs, which was fun!

Morning Graduation

 

 

 

students entering

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above, singing “ABC song”

Right, Josiane saying shapes

Below, puppets

 

 

 

 

Mayara reading a poem

 

 

 

 

Certificate time

winners of the morning presentation

Group shots ~ one serious ~ one goofy!

Morning Christmas party

 

 

mom’s visiting the classroom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afternoon Graduation

 

 

praying beforehand

 

 

 

“Thumbs up” song

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the ‘judges’ – Curt & Lalia, and the winners of the afternoon session

 

 

Additionally, two older girls wrote their own speeches, and they did a great job presenting them. Here is what they said:

“My name is Eliane and I am fifteen year old. I am here today to talk to you about English classes. I think they are very important and we have enjoyed them a lot this year. Our teacher is very friendly and taught us many things. I would like to be with everybody again next year because I really love to learn. God Bless you.”

“I would like to thank you for all the classes you gave us in this year, for everybody that could understand a little more how to speak English. I would like to thank God for the special present – you. I wish you all good things. God Bless you!”

We were temporarily interrupted by a ‘lost Santa’ – he was supposed to be delivering gifts somewhere else, but ended up in our auditorium instead. The kids, of course, loved it, but the teachers were all looking at each other and asking – do you know where he came from?! He finally figured out his error and quickly apologized and slipped away . . .

 

everyone singing now!

 

 

 

 

group shots, with the Lar Director, Curt & Lalia below

Afternoon Christmas party

     

I was blessed with some really sweet notes and gifts from some of my students on the last day; I could see they put a lot of effort into writing something for me in English. Here is a sampling of what they wrote:

“On behalf of all students who do I thank for teaching English to speak and understand a little English though often do not understand some things, but I thank very much, especially God for having placed you in our lives and then having spent a bit of knowledge. I wish all the best and mostly a happy Christmas that God illuminate your steps each day. I will miss you! Kisses!” Márcia

“In the first place I want to thank God for bringing you to the Lar. Thank you for teaching me how to speak English. I like much very you.” Larissa

“I am writing to thank you for everything you have done by his students, thank you for being such a wonderful person. May God bless you always and forever. Never forget about us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” Vicente

Year-End Project

For our year-end project, the students made “All About Me” posters, where we put their picture, and filled in blanks about their family, favorite things to do, favorite place, one wish, and what they want to be when they grow up.    Mom’s and kids enjoyed seeing them displayed at the graduation ceremonies.

 

Some of professions they want to be when they grow up are:

Nurse, lawyer or judge, doctor, teacher, police officer, dentist, Pastor, receptionist, secretary, cleaning lady, cook, art gallery owner, firefighter, veterinarian, fashion stylist, the best person I can be.

Some of their wishes or dreams they wrote are:

To know and maybe live in other countries, to play rock and roll music, riding in a helicopter, to sail, for my family to be happy, for my grandmother not to die, to be happy with my husband and live in a big house, to laugh-live with my dad-and talk to my uncle, for my brother to walk, to live with my mother, to have a lot of money to help the poor, to be somebody in life.

Please keep these kids in your prayers as they grow up and dream of a better future for themselves, and more importantly, that they walk with God everyday of their lives.