Friday, June 22, 2012

The Lasts (but only until August)

This time of year is always filled with "lasts"...

  • The last test of the year
  • the last day of school with the kids
  • The last day of school with teachers
  • The last time you step foot inside your classroom until August
Living internationally adds even more "lasts" sometimes:
  • The last view of Prague Castle until August
  • The last trip to Tesco until August
  • The last ride on the trams and metro until...(well you get the picture)
  • The last stroll through Old Town
  • The last visit to the Harry Ghost
  • The last visit to The Pind
  • The last gelatto at Cream & Dream
As I experience all these lasts, it still seems surreal to me...I can't believe my first "year" in Prague is over. I have fallen in love with this city and the school I have come to serve. I feel very blessed and privileged to be used by God here! And as I experience all these "lasts", I look with anticipation toward my summer visiting supporters and family in the States. It will be wonderful to be back in Virginia again...but I also look with anticipation to August and returning to a new flat, new roommates, and a new year! So here is to enjoying the time God has given me now..and looking with hope to what comes next!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Confessions of a Bookaholic

If you know me well at all you know that I love books--a lot! I also enjoy watching movies and tv shows--like "The Gilmore Girls". So, recently, when a friend posted on facebook "The Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge" (http://bookreviews.me.uk/rory-gilmore-reading-challenge/), I couldn't help but look and see what books on the list I had read. (I'm at about 50.) One of the books on the list was War and Peace. Back in August, I had made it my goal to read War and Peace before the end of the school year, and I finished it months ago, but it did get me thinking about some of the books I have read over the past school year. So, here is the no-where-near-complete Becca Miller 2011-2012 school year reading list. (And for the record, some are rereads--yes, I do that. :D Also--they're in a random order, because I listed them as I thought of them!)

  • Teaching Redemptively by Donovan L. Graham
  • Philosophy annd Education: An Introduction in Christian Perspective by George R. Knight
  • Foundations of Christian Education by James Braley
  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  • The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien
  • The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  • Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  • Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins
  • The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
  • The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
  • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  • A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
  • The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
  • The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
  • The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
  • Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
  • Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
  • Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
  • A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
  • Terrier by Tamora Pierce
  • Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
  • Mastiff by Tamora Pierce
  • Through My Eyes by Nathan Whitaker and Tim Tebow
  • Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman
  • A Love that Multiplies by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
 So, there you have it a short-and-by-no-means-complete list of books I have read since last August. :)

Monday, June 18, 2012

Fritz the Frog's Adventures in Ancient Egypt

Years before I was born (before my parents were even married), my dad used puppets a lot of the church my Grandfather pastored. Amongst all these puppets was a quartet of frogs-very cute frogs. I like frogs--I think a few of my classes are convinced they are my favorite animal. They aren't, but they're a really fun theme for my classroom! So, when I found out I was going to be teaching second and third grade here in Prague, I thought it might be fun for one of those frogs to make the move with me. Since they're my dad's puppets, I let him choose which one.
So, thus begins the adventures of Fritz the Frogs from Fritzerland (my uncle named him--not me!) in Prague, Czech Republic.
When it came time to teach a unit on Ancient Egypt, I thought it might be fun if Fritz helped me. So, with my help, Fritz wrote a couple of e-postcards to my class, met them, and then was whisked off in a time machine to Ancient Egypt. As an end of of the year-end of the unit activity, I thought it might be fun if my kiddos wrote some stories about Fritz's adventures while in Egypt. Enjoy a few of them! (And please remember 1)These are 2nd and 3rd graders and 2) Most of them are not native English speakers!)

Fritz in Ancient Egypt
 
Once upon a time, there was a curious frog called Fritz. He was a very kind, brave, and curious frog. One day he was so curious about Ancient Egypt. So, he made a time machine and went inside. And in five seconds he saw a pyramid. Then, he saw a lot of frogs in the Nile. He went to play with them. He met Hannah, Peter, Silvia, Lilly, Andrew, and Michael. They played "Jump Frog" and some other games. But he was bored, so he went to the palace and became friends with King Tut. Then, King Tut taught Fritz the hieroglyphic alphabet. Soon, Fritz went outside and saw someone messing with his time machine! Then, he ran over to see what happened. And he broke it! Fritz ran back to the palace to tell King Tut. So, King Tut fixed it.

The End

Fritz Lost in a Pyramid

There once was a frog and the frog's name was Fritz. He lived in Ancient Egypt. There was a bad man. He said to Fritz, "Go with me to the big pyramid." So, Fritz said, "Ok." So they went to the pyramid, and the man took Fritz to the the big pyramid, and the man took Fritz to the top of the pyramid. Then the man said, "Wait here until I come back." So Fritz was waiting two hours, then five hours, then nine hours, but the man did not come back. So, Fritz thought the man forgot about Fritz, but he did not. He left Fritz in the pyramid. The Fritz was not waiting in the bi g pyramid but he was going to a door but the door stopped Fritz. But then Fritz heard something outside the pyramid. Fritz thought it was some guards, but it was not guards. It was a Hero. The hero's name was Miss Miller. Miss Miller was a good queen she was always helping people and animals. Miss Miller looked in the pyramid where Fritz was. Miss Miller looked and looked, and Miss Miller found Fritz. So, Fritz was save, because Miss Miller took Fritz out of the big pyramid.

The End

Fritz the Frog's Visit to Ancient Egypt 

Once upon a time Miss Miller sent Fritz the Frog to Ancient Egypt. His time machine broke, so she built her own one and went to Ancient Egypt. She got him and his time machine and came back.

The End






I must admit, it's nice being the heroine in stories! Have a wonderful summer!