Teaching Assistants

These are four of the five Teaching Assistants for the Winter Session:
K Paw Htoo, Hser Nay Chris, Peh Htoo and Tha Lord [Maw Lay is not in the picture].

The TAs are learning to take attendance, translate, work with small groups and do evaluation. The Beginner English Course would be so much more difficult for me without their help.

Winter Session starts!

The winter session of 'Pray, Play, Hello USA!' ESOL classes started today.

There is a training course for Teaching Assistants AND a Beginner English Class going on in Pastor Gie Dor's apartment on Alden Street.

Today's classes had four Teaching Assistants and met from 9:30 to 11:00 and thirteen beginning students from 10: to 11:00. The first half hour is an orientation session for the TAs where they find out the material to be introduced that day. Then they help out during the beginning class by servings as models, translators and group leaders. The session today went especially well for a first class!

We covered Identification patterns using 'my/his/her name' and I/He/She live[s] in Hartford. The letters Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd and Ee were covered along with the numbers 1 to 10. An ongoing pronunciation practice will be The Lord's Prayer. We went up to ...'hallowed be Thy name'.

Traditional Artists' Marketplace

Went to the IRC Open House today for the Traditional Artists' Marketplace & Community Threads Exhibit. Three members of our congregation were there: Mu Wah with her loom [picture 1 top], Hser Nay Pah [picture 2 bottom] and Thadah [picture 3 top] both in the sale room. The Karen handwoven fabrics will be available in the CBC Crosswinds Store soon!

bloginfo: Today's event was held at The Institute for Community Research, 2 Hartford Square West, Suite 100, 146 Wyllys Street, Hartford, CT

blognote: CBC members at the exhibit: Cheryl Zeiner, Joan and Bruce Davidson, me

planning.planning.planning.

More planning today. The five Teaching Assistants will be: Hser Nay Chris, Peh Htoo, Tha Lord, Maw Lay and Htoo K Paw. We have decided on a ten week oral course for 15 to 20 beginning students. The classes will start on February 20th and end on April 24th. Cheryl Zeiner will assist with the TA class and we have developed a job description for them.

[previous post January 16th] Saturday morning, I met with a core group from the Karen community to plan for the Winter/Spring session. Pastor Ich and Cheryl Zeiner were there to assist. We decided to concentrate this session's efforts on the beginner students and offer an oral ESOL class. Five students who have a higher level of English proficiency will be trained as Teaching Assistants. They will meet at 9:30 to get ready for the 10:00 to 11:00 class. Members of the congregation will be able to help out as Conversation Partners arriving at 9:30 to find out the theme/grammar for the day. This will allow for more interaction for all three groups: Beginner ESOL, Teaching Assistants and Conversation Partners.

quote from facebook

Volunteers in Global Mission "And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives....and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." Nate Saint

bloginfo: from Angela Sudermann's facebook

Commitment Cards

On their commitment cards, several members have expressed interest in being 'guest presenters' at our weekly Play, Pray, Hello USA! classes for the winter session.

Those signed up so far:

Victor Agosto [returning]
Joan Breakenridge
Florence Cato
Bruce Davidson
Joan Davidson [returning]
Lynn Leavenworth
Norma Sproul [returning]
Cheryl Zeiner [returning].

There is plenty of time to get involved; just call the church office and let Linda know. We will have an information meeting at the end of January.

Shining Stars

At today's service [postponed Lessons and Carols], I awarded a Stewardship 'Shining Star' certificate to each person that helped out this session in the 'Play, Pray, Hello USA!' ESOL classes for the Karen community.

The certificates went to the three pastors: John Endler, Ich Duc Nguyen and Gie Dor.

Those who had helped out with the program [in many different ways] were: Victor Agosto, Linda Carrasquillo, Bruce Davidson, Joan Davidson, Amy Endler, George Grisevich, Kari Miller, Norma Sproul and Cheryl Zeiner.

Without the help of the above, the program which provided 243 hours of English instruction would not have been possible. Thanks to everyone!