I hate getting observed by administration when I teach. As a people-pleaser, I get nervous, start to sweat, and have the irrational fear that I will be fired the minute they leave the door. Silly, but my face turns red and my body temperature DRAMATICALLY increases. Especially during DROP-INS!!!!
Today was that glorious day when my new boss walked in the door unannounced.
Great! Stop sweating, focus, keep teaching something.
My class was right in the midst of a discussion about showing compassion. I was attemtping to teach my students about the complexities of the human race when I started talking about the onion model and like its crinkly layers, human beings are the same way. The sea of blank faces made me switch over the next natural food item with layers: Snickers. They eagerly starting listing all the layers, but seemed stumped when they got to the chewy part. After 15 seconds of silence, my principal yelled out from the back, "NOUGAT!"
I smiled and proceeded to talk the "inner nougat" we all have and to be sensitive to the "inner nougat" of others. Compassion in a nutshell. Or candy bar for that matter.
Luckily, he only stayed for two more minutes and walked out the door. I walked to lunch not sure if he thought I was a genius teacher or absolute moron.
When I arrived at lunch, my boss was there. AGAIN. I smiled bravely at him. He smiled back at me, gave me a pat on the back, and thanked me for the "engaging" lesson. I held my head up a little higher, enjoyed lunch with my co-workers, and said a million silent thanks to God for inventing the Snickers bar and helping me find a little piece of my "inner nougat". :)
7 comments:
Hey Emily,
I finally got into your blog. I did pretty well and then it hit. I got teary eyed and choked up and had a hard time reading it. While I am excited for you, I too became a bit homesick for you.
Jeanne and Tim both loved your writing. Jeanne says she will check your blog and occasionally respond to it. Tim says that after reading your blog his life is boring.
Well, I look forward to reading your blogs.
Love you and miss you dearly.
xoxoxo MOM
Your mom got me into the blog, and we read all of them todate. Your mom got all teary-eyed again upon hearing it again. Some of the stuff you are experiencing sounds so much like our experience in Japan - the food, the traffic, the difficulty in understanding, but at the same time, the fact that one can get along without knowing the language. It will be interesting to read the rest of your blogs. You are continually in our prayers. And don't forget the Lord is with you, regardless of how difficult things can get. We love you.
GrampaRuss
YOU are my inner nougat.
Thank you for that.
Emily,
I saw your parents at my brother's wedding this weekend, and got your blog address! It sounds like you are having fun and getting settled! I look forward to keeping updated on your "korean adventure"...it's sort of fun because our friends Jeff and Robyn Steuernagel were there for three years, and some of the experiences you are having they talked about!! Have fun.
Shannon Sorensen (I.)
LOVE the "inner nougat" entry! You always think so well on your feet... Thank you for the smile!!! Love reading about your adventures...
Emily - so glad that your mom gave me your blog address. I will be reading and keeping up with your great adventure. Seems like just yesterday that you and Erin were taking baths together. I am surely not old enough to have grown up daughters!
Keep sharing feelings and adventures, we want to share and they help us know how to pray for you.
Did your mom tell you that Erin is pregnant? Due in March. Does that make 5 babies born while you are
gone?
Let me know if you want her blog address. Kathy
Hey, Emmers--
Love the inner nougat. I can't wait to keep reading about your adventure. I'm so proud of you!
Love,
Erin
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