A new kind of teaching....

 The art of teaching is never an exact science. There's an art, and there's a science, but they are fluid. It's been five years since I've been in a classroom. But this year I chose to teach science to my home-schooled niece and nephew. It has been a rewarding adventure. First of all, there's an age gap... my niece is sixteen and my nephew twelve. So technically there's a bit of gap. But my niece is also developmentally delayed and fights with some significant learning disabilities. Ick, I don't like the words "learning disabilities" but for lack of a more appropriate way of describing her setbacks... she has some processing disorders that slow her down. My nephew may quite possibly be brilliant but he is also a genius at avoidance tactics. So anyway... this year has kept me in teacher mode quite a lot. When I am on top of my game, I write detailed plans and much is accomplished. We also go with the flow. The ebb and flow of natural rhythms, of the difference between homeschool and public school, and hormones and emotional and academic struggles. I have used every strategy in my toolbelt this year. But the rewards are giant. I don't know if my niece and nephew are enjoying what we're learning, but I have had a blast! I love it. But there is so much more.

I am building trust and relationship with my niece and nephew. They are struggling with being adopted. My niece has some nice little fantasies about her "bio family" as she puts it and how it will be a perfect reunion. And my nephew has resentments and mistrust from/for his biological family. He has a lot of anger, and hurt, and general disdain for the world. But we email a lot for school. Our school "set up" is roughly (there is a lot of being flexible on days I sub in a public school classroom or someone has a doctor appointment or other scheduling conflicts): Monday, Friday we Zoom. Tuesday and Thursday assignments and expectations are given through email and assignments returned via email. Wednesday is our in-person learning day when I drive to their house and we "do school" in person. One expectation is that they check their email every day. And respond in a timely manner. I try to put times on the expectations. But I digress... the joy here is that I have been receiving emails from each of them about various things in their lives and they trust me to talk to me, to ask me to pray for them, to ask me for direction, affirmation and advice. It is the best feeling ever. 

My teacher heart is happy. But my Auntie heart is overflowing.

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