On your mark, Get set...

We had two weeks of staff orientation.

In two weeks we were introduced to a new city, culture, home, school, language, food, traditions, positions, expectations, lots of people, a few students, .... two weeks. No big deal, right. 

There were multiple meetings where I looked at other new hires only to see the same 'deer-in-headlights' look upon their face. Sometimes, I saw that look on the returning staff faces. That always made me feel a lot better! 

As overwhelming as those weeks can be, and they certainly have their moments, there was also an emphasis on doing what we needed to do to feel good about life here. The director of the school is Incredible and she has cancelled several meetings or plans to provide us more time to prepare, work in smaller groups, attend to life-things instead of school-things, and even just to relax. She built several 'fun' activities into the schedule and forced us to leave the school early on several occasions. (Before school begins, the classroom is really not the place teachers want to be, and yet when you're setting up the classroom for the first time it's also tough to get us out! So much to do!) 

One activity was a trip to the beach town, Jurmala the school is in between Riga and Jurmala. All the new hires were taken by school bus and left there, forced to take the train back into Riga so we wouldn't go back to the school. We enjoyed some great pizza, and so did a swarm of wasps. Then walked down to the water. We were actually in the Gulf of Riga, and not the Baltic Sea... I wouldn't normally claim a difference, except that the water was flat. I've seen bigger waves in a bathtub! The water was surprisingly cold since it was in the 80s and had been hot for a the past few days. I went in up to mid-calf and by that point I couldn't really feel my toes anymore. It felt kind of good in a refreshing way! 

A week later, all the returning staff was back and the week seemed to have more stressful moments and a stronger sense of urgency. So, on Friday, with school starting first thing Monday, everyone was told to leave the school no later than 3:30 and a trip on one of Riga's boat cruises was booked. 

 Although most of us were completely exhausted and the weather was threatening rain, we had a great time on the boat cruise! The rain held off and we even had sun for a bit.

It was a great way to wrap up orientation and get ready to GO on Monday!

And so it begins...

When I moved to Morocco, I missed a week of orientation so that I could stand in my best friend's wedding. I made up for that by moving to Latvia a week early... because it works that way, right? I got back from Finland on Sunday and orientation doesn't begin for another week so I had a couple days to wander about and explore. 

On Monday, I was escorted by another staff member to the doctor, and then the radiologist for an x-ray, and then back to the doctor for a tick/lyme disease vaccine. A doctor's note is required to work with children here. I avoided the doctor for two years, but on my first full day here, that's exactly where I ended up. She also took me to the home goods store so I could look for some homey-touches to put in the apartment. I will compare that store to a Target... definitely classier than wal-mart and a little pricier... but the things are so pretty ;)

I had the whole afternoon and next day to wander through old town or the city center. Like most European cities, there are several churches, curvy little streets, and a fairy-tale-esque feel! The streets are cobblestone and most of the windows host little flower beds. Flowers are a big thing here, actually. Riga's population is around 700,000 so it's really not a big city, but it is Latvia's capital. The school is in a little town outside the city, so I haven't seen that yet. I like the quaint feel of the city. It makes it cozy.

I also did my first load of laundry here in my teeny tiny washer! I pushed buttons until it started and an hour and half later as my clothes continued to slosh about I tried to google the directions. But my washer is Russian... and so are all the user manuals! So I pushed buttons until it stopped. Good enough ;)

On Tuesday, I wandered about for the morning and then I was going to attempt the bus system.... but I chickened out! ha! Worst case scenario would have been me stubbornly walking home from wherever the bus deposited me. I checked the transport website several times, and each time the route would change! Which on one hand means most buses will get me there. On the other hand, it means its a bit crazy to navigate. As I approached the bus stop a few raindrops fell, but I was more concerned with trying to get over myself and go for it. But in the end I turned and walked to the grocery store to buy things for dinner instead. By the time I had walked the quarter mile distance, it was pouring!!! I got what I needed and walked outside. Only to find it was still raining... hard. I crossed the parking lot and took refuge in a fabric store as the streets outside flooded and lightning flashed. After 20 minutes or so, the rain let up a bit and I ran the 2-blocks back to my apartment. After putting on dry clothes, I realized how thankful I was I didn't get on the bus. There will be plenty of time for that another day. Preferably one with less rain. 

On Wednesday, I was able to meet some of my new colleagues! They had to do the doctor thing first but I was able to tag along and get to know them a bit. I love hearing about where other people have been and what brought them here! We were all scheduled to open bank accounts (another thing I previously avoided). Fun fact: Latvia, like Switzerland, is a good place to stash a lot of money. So now when I make it big as a teacher... oh yea, that doesn't really happen. ;)

My Wednesday night walk resulted with me totally lost in a park! haha!! I actually went in a full circle and am still not sure how. haha. Google maps helped me out of that labyrinth and I ventured home to rest my tired feet. A lot of the women here wear high heels.... on cobblestone roads. I don't see myself conforming to that....it's a sure-fire way for me to end up back at the doctor for more than a check-up!  

Today is stormy again. We are supposed to have a staff BBQ later where I'd be able to meet the other newbies... but it might be indoors now. 

Feeling the Heat in Finland

I needed to attend a training for my new school because everything is different. Well, I suppose some things are the same- I will be a teacher ... there will be students and a school .... there will be learning ... that's about the end of similarities. ;) 

The training was intended to introduce me to the new stuff and get me ready for "making the PYP happen in the classroom" (that was the name of the training). Unfortunately, by the time I was hired, all the US based trainings were full.  So I had to attend the one in Finland... too bad, right! 

I left the US on the 22nd. Barely but finally made it into Latvia on the 23rd. Showered and spent a night in my apartment. And then took the 50 minute flight north to Helsinki on the 24th. The good news is since the sun hardly sets here/there (right now), jet lag wasn't bad! 

 Many joked before I left that I would be freezing cold, forget what warm feels like, become a polar bear, etc. And yes, I fully anticipate a whole new level of cold in the coming months. But Finland was far from an introduction to chilly Baltic weather. It was the mid 80s the entire time there. The workshop was in a school designed to keep heat in.... an it did!

The school and hotel were outside the center of the city, so I can't say I did a lot of exploring in Helsinki... but again, it's only a 50 minute flight :) 

The workshop was fantastic! Exactly what I needed. Explaining the PYP program in a few words is a bit difficult because it is a huge, and awesome, idea. A few basics about it... *as I best understand it at this time...

-The PYP is inquiry-based... so basically instead of standing up front and regurgitating information to my students so they can complete worksheets, they will be challenged with open-ended questions and a bit more free to pursue information that is and feels relevant to them. It's the constructivist model of teaching.

-It is concept-based.... All of the themes or units are structured around a big idea. There are six main themes. The goal is to integrate all the material- reading, maths, science, together under the theme. The concepts are big picture-- so instead of WWII, we would examine conflicts... what causes them, how are they settled, what repercussions, etc... big picture concepts vs facts and figures. 

-The ultimate goal is internationally-minded students.... makes sense for an international school. Makes sense for anyone in today's world, if you ask me! Getting students to be well-rounded people who can think and solve problems. Students who recognize the responsibility they have for caring for our planet and know how to cooperate with other people regardless of background and differing perspectives. (This may seem like something all school's should strive for, and it should be, but sadly there is not always emphasis placed on this. Not the case with PYP- it's the central focus.) 

-There are a bizef amount of specific terms and abbreviations related to the program... I'm still sorting through all of those :) That was actually something we did at the workshop... we spent about a half hour just breaking things down and putting them back together. It was so very helpful! 

I spent three days there externally sweating from the high temps and stuffy room. And internally sweating the fact that I still didn't really know what was going on. I met some wonderful teachers there who were able to give me advice and talk me through some questions I had. I do admire the teaching community and wonderful mentors I've met because of it! They weren't afraid to admit that this style takes a bit of adjusting and time to figure out, but that it is worth it in the end. The workshop leader even admitted that after several years of working with the program there are still new things she discovers and figures out. One told me it's like the first year of teaching all over again... and that's exactly how it feels. 

Two years ago, I had no idea what to expect. I had little idea what I was doing. Trial and error was my everyday and I frequently worked harder than ever just to feel that I was surviving the day. 

It was a great year though. 

I learned. I grew. I changed. I survived and (like to think I eventually) thrived.  

Looking at the next few weeks, I am filled with those familiar doubts and fears. I am anticipating a year of confusion, frustration, hard lessons, and that sense of failure that makes eventual success feel so good.

The temperatures will cool down here eventually. But I have the feeling things are just heating up in my career..... bring on the second first year of teaching. 

the essentials

I hate packing.

And I am Positive I've said that before, but I will say it again. I hate packing.
I can't really figure out what it is or why exactly I hate it so much.

Maybe its the pressure.... fit everything you want and need for the next (amount of time) into one or two bags. AND make sure they are only so big or small. AND make sure they don't weigh too much. AND make sure the liquids are small enough. AND of course don't forget anything. AND AND AND

Maybe its because I am forced to make choices.... black shoes or brown? .... but if I take the black pants, these shoes look better.... I like this top, but then will I need a sweater?... this shirt is light weight..... but I like that one more.... does this look better or this one .... is that too much? (yes. the answer  to this one for me is always yes.).... but what if..... ugh!

Maybe its because I am realize how much stuff I have .... (that I may not be making the most use of). That's not an excessive number of pants.... thats not too many shirts.... but, what if, someday, just by chance, I want to wear this.... no one should have as many t shirts as I did. I don't even think some of those were mine! Where do these things come from!! .... Knock yourself out, Goodwill. Sell it all at once, I dare you!

But I think the real reason I hate packing is that I can't pack what I really want....I can't pack my family. I can't pack my friends. I can't pack that happy, adorable, 20-pounds-of-drool nephew of mine (technically he fits in the suitcase, but they have laws about that)! I can't pack my parent's house. Or my sister's. Or my favorite places. Or the smell of fall. Or the beautiful sun setting over the fields.

I can't pack those things.

The sermons at church this past month have discussed consumerism and our never-ending desire for more. I live simply and yet still feel I own a surprising amount of stuff. In one sermon, the pastor asked "what would you grab if you only had a few minutes to get out?" I have of course asked myself variations of this question hundreds of times! But it reminded me again, I can't take the things I really want.

Of course, this also reminded me of how richly blessed I am!!! To have a life so full no suitcase could ever contain it. To know that I could fill suitcases with all the amazing memories and laughs I have shared with loved ones. To know that if I had nothing but the people in my life, I would still be happy....Those are priceless things.

And, no, I can't pack them. But I do take them with me. I have a 'suitcase' overflowing with wonderful moments from the summer and past. As I sat rocking my nephew to sleep the other night, I unpacked a few of the precious 'things' in that suitcase. They make saying goodbye so hard, and yet at the same time, those things are what give me the strength to follow my heart and God to wherever he may send me. No matter how far or near.

So thank you, family and friends, who helped fill my memory suitcase over the last month. I have loved our times together. I look forward to many more.
And I am so grateful airlines can't charge excess fees on these!! ;) 

Catsup

My students love ketchup. To a nauseating degree, in my opinion. It goes on everything! Chicken, fries, rice, mashed potatoes, ketchup. They just can't get enough. One of our recent math sheets had the word spelled 'catsup' instead of the more common 'ketchup' and my kids found it to be the funniest thing ever!

Anyways, it seems I need to play 'catch-up' with my blog! ...whoops.

Let's see, in the last two months(ish) I have:

~Spent a few days in Gibraltar/Southern Spain.
~Experienced Carnival. And a lovely day by the Med Sea!

~Lesson-planned like it was my job. Oh wait, it is.

~Greeted another friend here in Morocco (Kelsy!!).
~Ventured to the desert with Kelsy. On camel-back of course, because that's how we roll.
~Called in 'sick' for a day.
~Went to the zoo that same day. I felt much better ;)

~Celebrated a dear friend/mentor/mom/co-worker's birthday. Happy '89th' deary ;)
~Learned about the various cultures at our school by sampling food. Yum.
~Cheered on two of my little guys in the first ever GWA Spelling Bee. One was named 2nd grade champ!


~Purchased fresh strawberries everyday for a solid week. I love strawberry season!
~Been roommate less for a week. And enjoyed it a little too much.
~Baked muffins. They were delicious.
~Eaten out far too much. But that's not a complaint!

~Saw lights/art come alive at a random event here in Casa.
~Received a few videos and lots of pictures of one adorable nephew... can't wait to snuggle that kid!

~Art projects. (there were too many verbs to select from.)
~Laid on the roof and got some color. It may have been red. Also, freckles. Still. (Sidenote: Dad, remember that time you said they would be probably be gone by the time I was 16... wrong. You were wrong.)
~Watched Captain America. In IMAX. 3D. Captain America is a beautiful man ;)

~Received lots of hugs and high-fives.
~Prepared for conferences (hopefully more details on that to come...)
and ~Planned out some things for my last few months here in Morocco.

Tour Guide

We had a winter break scheduled for the last week of February, but mine got a little longer and a whole better when my friends came! Their week here went (way too) fast! We still managed to fit in plenty of exploring, picture-taking, and laughing! It was a little nerve-wrecking to play tour guide and I was quite nervous before they arrived. Kim and Brian are amazing though and they were instantly willing to take Morocco as it came! I actually really enjoyed sharing my life with them and showing them some of the fun places Morocco has to offer.
 Here's a quick break down of the week:

Wednesday: Pick them up from the airport. Walk the beach and see a beautiful Casa sunset over the Atlantic. 

Thursday: Tour Hassan II Mosque. Explore Rabat's ruins, memorials, Kasbah, ocean views, gardens, and medina. They also got to try some famous Moroccan Mint Tea (shame on me for not getting it to them sooner!). 

Friday: Off to school! They got to meet the little ones (my plan to not tell the kids about my friends totally worked! They were shy and perfectly behaved all day! I should have surprise visitors more often.) I think Kim's favorite part of the day may have been the school lunch... we get some delicious, fancy lunches! My favorite part of the day was putting Kim to work ;) She read them a story, helped them with their various activities, and corrected a ton of papers for me!! Thanks again, Roomie! After a long day at school, we ventured to Rick's Cafe for a fancy dinner. 

Saturday: The real fun began when we took off for Fes! Its quite a train ride, but they got to see a lot of the Moroccan countryside. Once we got to the Medina we were whisked off to the souk (open market) to buy ingredients for dinner. Back at the riad (hotel), we were able to watch and help prepare a traditional Moroccan tagine. It was a beef, pea, and artichoke tagine. The first thing we had to do was cut up an artichoke. The cook made it look incredibly easy but its shocking how little you get from such a large vegetable. We had a little competition to see who could cut the best artichoke. Jasmine totally won and Kim and Brian were successful also! I failed (unsurprisingly.) More mint tea and a few hours later our stomachs were more than ready for some food!! Jasmine and I introduced Kim and Brian to the real way to eat a tagine and they dove right in! 

Sunday: Breakfast on the rooftop in the sun taking in the view of Fes and surrounding hills. We booked a tour guide to show us around Fes (because that place is a maze and he would know all the 'good' spots). He was fantastic!! He spent all day with us, and almost missed his train because of us! We saw all the major crafts and trades in Morocco. And learned a lot of history. Jasmine, Kim, and Brian even tried a camel burger! Yum Yum. Kim and Brian were loving it... I knew they were Fes people! We went up to the panoramic view and ended the day with some ice cream in the Jewish quarter. 

Monday: Breakfast and then an early train back to Casa. Then it was time for some souvenir shopping! We went to the Habouse and Brian even tried his hand at bargaining for the 'good price.' Then Jasmine and I treated Kim to a real Moroccan luxury... the hammam! You can ask her for details on that ;) 

Tuesday: a SUPER early taxi ride out to the airport where good-byes were shared. Another teacher was on their flight to Paris, which ended up being a blessing since there were some ticketing issues. She was able to help Kim and Brian out and got them safely to Paris! I was sad to see them go, but the other thing I learned from our great time together was that Kim and I will always be friends! No matter the miles, no matter the time spent apart, we are Roomies forever!! 

Mysterious Me

I have never taken a sick day. And the few times I've had to do residency things in town during school hours, I have managed to fit it into plan times or while other activities are occurring. Basically, my students don't really know what its like to have a substitute there in place of me.

But that changed recently. Kim and Brian were coming to visit all the way from America!! I couldn't take off Friday due to a school policy, so instead I was going to be gone on a Thursday. I wanted to prep the kids (which means bribe them to behave well for our lovely subs!) but I didn't want to tell them about my friends coming because I knew that would make for a crazy Friday. So instead, I told the kids I would be gone on Thursday, but I let them guess what I would be doing.

Our Wednesday writing topic was "Miss Feldpausch's Grand Adventure" and each student wrote about what I would be doing on my day off. They have some very interesting ideas about what I do in my free time:

"I think Miss F is going to America to buy us more Laffy Taffies" (This was a common thread seen throughout the writings)
"Maybe she will also bring us donuts... maybe she will visit her grandma... maybe she will kill a shark with an AK-47" (...maybe not.)
"She wanted to go to Michigan, but didn't have a car. So she found a dolphin and asked him. 'Of course' said the dolphin..."
"I think she is going to Antarctica to play with penguins. Then she will see a killer whale and ride to the arctic to see a polar bear."
"Last she went on a roller coaster. When she got to the top she saw a plane going to Morocco. So she grabbed onto it. Then dropped money to her grandma so she could pay."

I was also mauled by monkeys, stranded in a jungle, swallowed by a whale (don't worry I had a flashlight), attacked by an angry gingerbread man, and written into another Star Wars movie... but my character was just a floating head. He even drew a picture of it.

These may just be the best stories they write all year!!

Lost in Translation

I love my students.
I have no doubts about their ability to hear me, despite the many times they choose not to. But sometimes things just get lost or changed or misheard. And that's when conversations like this happen...

Me: Yassir, can you get your whiteboard out?
Yassir: But if I take off my sweatshirt I have a GWA shirt on underneath.
Me: (totally confused) okay. And your whiteboard...

Me: What would the opposite of outside be?

Happy Holidays from Room 205!

Amine: OUTSIDE!
Me: the opposite of that....?
Amine: OH! Outside. I mean outside. I mean INside. (collapses dramatically onto the table)
Mondays are hard.

Nourhane: Miss, how you spell (quiet, mumbled word that started with an f)
Me: How do you spell... what word?
Nourhane: How do you spell (same mumbled word with an f)
Me: French? F-R-E-N-C-H
Nourhane: Like this?
Me: "I like to play games with my French."  Oh, you said friends didn't you?
*The kids don't struggle alone!

Our Egyptian Mummies

Me: Would you rather live in Ancient Egypt or Ancient China?
Amine: China! because pyramids are awesome!
Me: Ugh! I quit!
Other students: *giggles*

Sometimes, it's not the languages fault... it's their smarty-pant ways!

Our spelling words this week are all compound words. We talked about compound words being two words put together to make a new one.
Me: Number 8 is 'playground'
Hosam: Miss, How many words do we have?
Me: 16, just like every other week.
Hosam: so we're done!
Me: That was number 8. We're only halfway.
Hosam: But each word has two words in it. 8 + 8 =16. So we're done. (Closes his notebook and gives me his best smartass smarty-pant smile)

Home for the Holidays!

After spending last year in southern Spain for the holidays, I was really looking forward to celebrating Christmas again with my family. And I was really hoping for a snowy white Christmas... perhaps I wished too hard!

I flew into Grand Rapids shortly after the worst ice storm in years passed through. Thousands of people lost power, branches were down all over, and everything was covered in ice!! I used to say "hurricane Amanda" was coming to town when they visited from Colorado. I guess I am more of an ice storm! Mom was bummed that we didn't have power and she couldn't show off the lovely Christmas lights. But we had heat and lots of candles! I was also full of fun stories to share and with no TV, mom and dad were forced to listen! :) Not for long though, since we got home around 11:30pm which is 4:30am in Morocco! I was ready for bed!!

I cannot find the words how share amazing it was to be home! I loved loved loved it! Most people were sick of the ice and snow; I kept saying, "It's Beautiful!" Sadly, not really 'snow' to play in since there was a solid layer of ice over it. But still so beautiful!

I was able to see the whole family! With the exception of that big brother of mine! He wasn't willing to trade in his sun for the snow! I was able to see a few friends, including one currently living in Argentina!! I went to the movies twice and ate American food like it was my job! But the best part by far was becoming an aunt!!

 Looking back, there is no way I could have handled waiting for this cutie from far away country! Being there to hold his little fingers and kiss his squishy cheeks made a great trip even better!!


Spending the day with this little guy made the next day (the day I had to leave) easier to handle. After flying in with an ice storm, it only made since to fly out with a massive snowstorm!

After boarding a plane twice only to have that flight cancelled, landing a lucky spot on a later flight (there were 32 people on the stand-by list for that flight), finding my luggage which I am confident took an earlier flight than I did, taking a painfully slow bus to the other airport, and managing to snag a ticket (for free!) on the later flight out to Casa, I was so excited to see Morocco! I was only a few hours later than originally scheduled too! I still haven't stopped praising God for getting me back before school started again. Emailing in emergency sub plans is Not on my list of things to do!

Now school is back up again and the routine is returning. I am thankful I got a snow fix... but it is nice to be back in warm, sunny weather!

Almost half-way there?

Tomorrow is our 70th day of school.
[I think...all the K through 2nd teachers have different counts!]

Tomorrow is also the last (half) day before the holiday break. Part of me is shocked to be at this point in the year already! Another part is not surprised at how fast it's gone. With so many holidays and breaks throughout the fall, it felt like I did a lot of everything except teach!

But we have had some good times in room 205...

 We started the year with a unit on Dinosaurs! After learning about paleontologists and all the tools they use, we grabbed our tools (toothpicks) and dug for fossils in the dirt (chocolate chips in a cookie)!! Added challenge: create a dinosaur out of the chocolate chips you recover. My friend on the left had the best (albeit only because everyone else ate the 'fossils') attempt!

 They made these masks in French class. I have no idea why. But they loved them!! I still find the stray mask tucked into a desk or cubby.
They also had a storyteller come in for French class one day. I left to make copies and came back to find my kids staring at a man in a cape wearing a Fez hat and playing the guembri (guitar-ish). My non-French speaker informed me later that his friends all translated for him so he didn't miss out! Sometimes, they're sweet like that!




We studied Morocco! From the different mountain ranges to the symbols on the flag, we looked at different parts of life here in Morocco. The students all prepared presentations at home and shared them in front of classmates and parents! One presentation was on couscous, the national dish. His mother made a huge plate of couscous that my students couldn't wait to devour! Shortly after our unit was the school's annual Moroccan Festival and Traditional Moroccan dress day. *I don't think pink fur actually qualifies as 'traditional' but it was a chilly day.



We joined with the other second grade classes and all of the lower school to sing in the Jazz-inspired Holiday Concert. 2nd grade sang 'Winter Wonderland' and 'How High the Moon.'
(I would like to brag for a moment...in the top picture, all those kids to the far right sitting quietly in nice little rows, that's MY group! Classroom Management Win!!)

 Most recently, we did a math unit on polygons and 3D shapes. We used straws and play-doh to create 3D figures like pyramids, cubes, and prisms. We also did a classroom scavenger hunt. They were struggling to find many pyramid shapes... an object that joins in a pointy tip...with this group of boys... I'm glad they struggled!




Overall, this group is certainly different from my bunch last year. But also wonderful! They have crazy imaginations that never seem to end (nor would I want them too!). They love to hug, giggle, and talk. and talk. and talk. But they are also a kind, respectful, sweet, and helpful little community!

Basically, I won the class lotto! ;)

It's been a fun year so far and I am very excited to see them grow and discover even more!

Poetic Genius

I love seeing my students from last year in the dismissal area each morning and afternoon. Actually, today I got to see them a lot! One of the third grade classes had extra recess during our recess time and I was able to see several of my kiddos... I can't believe how much they've grown! I got lots of hugs and pleas to 'come back' to them. At the beginning of the year, I did miss them dearly. Now, I like my current group just as much. Last year's kids will always have a special place in my heart though. After all, they were my first ever class!

Anyway, today one of them ran up to me at dismissal with a piece of paper in his hand. He asked me to take the paper because he wrote me note.  Instantly, I remembered all the bizarre and inappropriate things he said last year ('note' is already a slightly terrifying term to hear from a student. He then called it a poem and I felt better. kind of.) so with the anticipation of regret, I asked him to read it to me. Unfortunately, he had a bus to catch and no time to read it but I took the note/poem anyway. And I am so glad I did!

Sidenote with information really only relevant to this story: If I had to rank the comments I hear most throughout the day, "Miss, I don't have a pencil" is definitely in the top 5. And I am sure all my teacher-friends can understand the emotions that follow that comment. At the beginning of the year, each student was given a lovely red pencil box complete with two pencils (and I have given them several more since then). But of the 17 pencil boxes in my room, I am guessing only 4 would actually have a pencil in it. I remind the students DAILY that I am not responsible for their pencil. They are.

Now that you have that thrilling tidbit of info, here's the 'poem':

Lost your pen = no pen

No pen = No notes

No Notes = no study

No study = fail

fail = no diploma

no diploma = no work

no work = no money

no money = no food

no food = skinny

skinny = no lover 

no lover = no marriage

no marriage = no children

no children = alone

alone = depression

depression = sickness

sickness = death

Lesson: Don't lose your pen.  

I was laughing out loud! I showed it to my teaching partner and then went to the boy's current teacher to ask what exactly he has been teaching them. 

I plan to frame this poem. It may just be one of the best note/poems I've received.