Potato Planting, Spring Blossoms, and an Update

On Friday morning we boarded shuttle buses and headed to a potato farm with our kindergarten students.

 We're here!

The kids brought their shovels along to cover potato chunks with dirt to start growth on next fall's potatoes.  

Ok, so maybe they just pushed dirt around...

Either way, they were pretty adorable.

 The scenery was nice as well. 

Dare I say it, spring has officially sprung!  

Our local forecast shows highs in the mid 60s for every day in the forseeable future.  Even though the sun did a disappearing act yesterday, the air is noticeably warmer and for the first time since October we opened our apartment windows this week!  Shocking I know.

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In other news, I have a much better handle on my three new classes of four and five year old students.  We've gotten our routine down and have been having a great time together learning English basics like numbers, colors, shapes and simple action words.  The students love the songs we sing and often sing them to me when I see them outside of class in the hallway during our passing time.  Their other favorite thing to yell in my direction is "under the table" (where I ask them to put their hands during class) which always makes me laugh.

They're a different group of kids than they were a mere month and a half ago.  It's both rewarding and reassuring to see them progress so soon.  I was afraid we were going to have to practice "May I go to the bathroom?" and "May I get some water?" for the next two months before we could move on, but luckily they proved me wrong.

My three year old class is another story... but they're coming along as well.  The crying has stopped!  We're all taking it one day at a time.

Ryan doesn't teach any of the brand new students, but he moved up with two of his more advanced kindergarten classes from last year and added two new ones also.  He's been having a good time working with his five and six year olds on more advanced reading, writing and discussions.

 

So we're good here.  Trying to enjoy spring before rainy season hits in May and the humidity forces us to stay indoors or at the beach in the water.  

We're hiking with some friends in this afternoon sunshine and from there we'll play it by ear.

Have a lovely weekend!