My Kids :)

Now I introduce you to "my" class...the one I solo teach...Kindergarten!!  While this class definitely requires the most energy and enthusiasm from me as "laoshi", it also brings the highest dividends...huge hugs every time they come into class, beautiful smiles and fun personalities, and a million "thank you, Annie"s at the end...I LOVE it! :) I'm always starving after this class, but also so happy and satisfied. These nine kiddos have taken over huge parts of my heart!! Enjoy meeting them!

Brent. He is so smart...he picks up on new English words really quickly and is starting to connect spoken language with written words already. He could go SO far in life (easily be a Dr. Brent or Brent, PhD someday!), but due to some complicated issues in his past he cannot ever be adopted. Please pr*y that G0d will use his talents and his mind for His glory regardless!

Oh JJ (Jacob-Jai). We spent a lot of time with him on our last trip, and he has changed SO much since then. He used to be so quiet and sweet, but not anymore!! He is going full-steam from the moment he enters the classroom to when he yells "Goodbye, Annie" and runs up for a hug at the end. And his hair is incredible! :) I still love him to death, though. :)

Sweet Josiah...one of my new favorites. He can be typical rough-n-tumble boy but also incredibly gentle and loving. He always comes in with huge smiles and soaks up any attention and hugs you give him (when I was visiting him this weekend in his house he started crying big, heartbroken tears whenever I'd put him down and pick up another child. I had to keep holding his hand, stroking his hair, and saying "Wo Ai Ni, Josiah. Wo Ai Ni". His hunger for love and affection just breaks my heart so much. I'm giving him all my heart while I'm here!) 

Eric....you'll be hearing more about him later. Suffice it to say now that I absolutely adore this guy. He's definitely on the list of top three kids I'd adopt in a heartbeat if I was over 30. :) I love his enthusiasm for class and how he always takes care of his housemate, Tyler (below)...holding his hand, keeping an eye on him, and protecting him. He is so much fun to sing songs with because he gets really into all of the hand motions!

Tyler. Autism limits his ability to participate fully in class, but his smile always lights up our room. He is fairly quiet and mostly well-mannered, and very good at coloring (he concentrates so hard on it!). Zhang Laoshi (the main Kindergarten teacher) is great at working with him one-on-one and helping him to engage in the songs and actions for new vocabulary words. He has so much potential!

Moses. He is 11 years old (small, though, because he's a dwarf), but still in Kindergarten because of deafness and some delays. Since I don't know hardly any sign language, communicating with him consists mostly of made-up gestures. He always enjoys doing the crafts, though, and is the best in the class at coloring. He has a huge smile and gets excited about learning new things.

Kennedy. As soon as he comes in I'm met with a never-ending chorus of "Annie, Annie" and his outstretched arms reaching towards me to hug me and give me kisses on the cheek. I love it. :) He isn't able to color really well, yet, but still loves to make projects and pick songs for us to sing as a group. He has the best smile and his joy is completely contagious!

Joy. Every class has to have its little "pistol" and she is it for Kindergarten! As the only girl in this class, she is used to being the boss and having others follow her, which at times creates some challenges. :) With good boundaries and consistency, though, she is much more cooperative and cheerful. When she smiles it is completely adorable. I also love her excitement about the crafts we do in class, even if it does lead her sometimes to take the glue or markers away from me. :)

Henry...the guy who gave me the nickname "Andie" for this class (which, funny enough, was given me previously by a sweet little adopted Chinese friend of mine). He has an absent eye so it is often hard for him to see the projects we work on, but as long as I hold it up to his eye once so he can follow it all back down to the table's surface, he's good! He brings lots of spunk and personality to our class and loves to shout out song suggestions for our warm-up time. He is one cutie pants!