O. Baby

O. baby O. baby. I'm visiting my new nephew in Iowa, and in the many hours of being with him, I have yet to hear him cry. I'd say he's pretty content, especially in Uncle Moose's hold. Congrats Chad and Emily on the birth of Oliver Daniel Thompson.

Teaching Update

Mr. T has always been a heroic figure of my childhood, clad with big muscles, machine guns, a mohawk, and gold chains (lots of them). Now, I am Mr. T minus all of the above. Passed is the generation of children that grew up watching Mr. T riding in a sweet van with his friends, shooting up bad guys and speaking nonsense. At Sheridan K-8 school, in Northeast Minneapolis, Mr. T is now the substitute teacher that is always there, yet few people know exactly what he does... including Mr. T much of the time. I have been given so many different assignments as the unofficial "building sub", from rowdy 2nd graders to "too cool for school" 8th graders, that sometimes I have felt that I am just roaming. As of November 14th, I have been assigned to a room of 9 EBD boys as the lead teacher, and it looks as though I will be there until Christmas break. It has been quite the learning experience, trying to maintain a calm, structured learning environment for all these boys with extreme behavioral issues. I'm really enjoying these boys but if any of them act up, I'll just have to trust my newly acquired Mr. T insticts.

Ministry Update

View my Summer '08 Newsletter to find out more about the status of my visa, and what the Lord has been teaching me through this long wait.
Go To Newletter (click on image to enlarge)

Like Mother Like Son?

When I was in elementary, my mom was substitute teaching a few days a week. That later developed into a ESL position in Iowa, and for the last several years she has been WOWing fourth graders with her ridiculously sweet teacher skills.
Not only by my mother, but I have often been encouraged to pursue a teaching degree during the last six years of working with youth in the Twin Cities. With Brazil on the horizon, I knew that the Lord was calling me to a different path. Wouldn't you know it, the Brazilian government has asked me to provide at least a substitute teaching license from the state of Minnesota in addition to my other documentation to enter their country. Now with the start of the school year just around the corner, I have my sub license and I have been hired by the Minneapolis Public School District to be a substitute. I do have a job currently with the YMCA, helping run a before and after school program. But this fall my options are wide open, and I may find myself following the early stages of my own mother's teaching career.

Graduated!!!

As of June 16, 2008, I am finally an official college graduate. At the time of this photo I walked across the stage, received an empty diploma booklet, while I awaited the decision of an appeal. Two years later I was back in the Northwestern classrooms to finish up my English and Math courses. It was a grueling four weeks, but a newly found dedication to my schoolwork, a little help from my wiz of a sister, lots of patience and love from the parents, and I was well on my way to a diploma and a degree in Intercultural Studies.