My many roles

Oh, and I really love living here! I don't know any group of people I love more than I love these kids. They are my Chinese family, an we are such a BIG family!

There are over 70 kids living here now. I love them all so dearly, but it is a challenge to help them at times.

Sorry I've not posted for such a long time! It is difficult to get online, and it is hard to blog from China for a number of reasons. Here are a couple roles that my life here consists of:

REFEREE

Here is Jack with a bump on his head given to him from Beth, the girl in the yellow jacket. She whacked him with her shoe because he was teasing her and wouldn't give back the shoe. I'm trying to mend the situation. These two are typically good kids....

MIDDLE SCHOOL TUTOR

Here we are in one of the the reading room where the middle school students do their homework on the weekend. Dai Sheng You needed help with the dictionary.

“Wait, you're asking an American to help you with your Chinese composition? I'm an ENGLISH teacher!” Here I am trying to explain to Grace how to write an outline. She's our best student and plans to go to Harvard one day. She was writing about how China has changed over the years, and she wanted my help.

My favorite thing (and the thing I do most) is teaching the elementary school students. They are here a lot more than the middle school students, so I have a lot of time with them. I have many more pictures and stories, but it is really difficult to get things posted on the blog. I'll keep trying...maybe I'll come up with a newsletter. I'm busy now with teaching the kids not to curse and fight. I'm really upset about their dirty little mouths and mean to do something about it. They are generally good kids, but like all children, they need good direction or they will fail. I do as much or more teaching about living right as I do teaching English. Please keep remembering all of us here. Thanks!