I wanted
to give you an update on my life, while telling you about an incredible opportunity
I have this summer.
LIFE.
What a year it’s been for Ms. Klunder,
the name I hear approximately 389 times a day Monday through Friday. I am finishing
up my third year of teaching fourth grade in Wichita and learning an abundance
about where I have been called and what it means to be persistent in love. This
school year has been my most challenging so far, but also full of evidence of
the daily sowing. I have taken on more roles within my school and district, having
completely packed weeks every week. I started the school year as a “Master Teacher”
for incoming fourth grade teachers to our district. They got to sit in my
classroom for 3 hours and learn about classroom management, expectations as a
new teacher, and see what a model classroom looks like. It was super humbling
to share with new teachers, as I am still very much learning how to do my job and
by no means have mastered anything. I will finish my ESOL classes through
Newman and take my Praxis test in May. I plan to begin my Master’s in
educational leadership this fall and am moving to fifth grade! All very exciting
things, but the best moments have been the laughter, learning, and love I
experience with my students. The life lessons my students have absorbed this
year and the ways they have applied many of my “sermons,” as I call them, has
been profound. Just this week I was teaching about acting on impulse, and half
an hour after I had a student come up and say, “You know Ms. Klunder, I
realized that I acted on impulse last week at recess when I got upset at
*student* and ran after him.” WOW. That’s the good stuff.
OPPORTUNITY.
A couple weeks ago I was approached
by my friend Leslie about a need this summer in China. As many of you know, I
had the honor of going to Baoding, China last summer with International English
Cultural Studies, IECS, with my sister Erica and Leslie. I was a part of a team that
helped with the English Week at Hebei Finance University. We left for China
about 12 hours after I finished my last day of school, which was crazy and
exhausting. And to be honest, as much as I would’ve loved to go back this year,
I didn’t consider it with how challenging it was to finish school and go
straight into traveling across the world and running hard for two weeks,
despite it being one of my top 5 life experiences.
Long story short, Leslie is leading
her own team this summer to Langfang University, a city close to Beijing. She has a team of mostly college students, many who have never been to
China. One of the biggest ways we get to know students and build relationships is
through our teaching. She asked if I would consider going again, in hopes that
I could help with music for the English nights, bring teaching experience, plus
help carry her load as the team leader. Immediately my heart fluttered. There have
been so many little ways the Father has shown me this is exactly what I am suppose
to do. The trip leaves two weeks after school ends (hallelujah). I had all
these classes and trainings scheduled for the weeks of the trip, but everything
ended up moving into April and May. The two weeks were wide open in my calendar. I took a couple weeks to process about it, then
last week said yes to go!
Through teaching English in the classroom
setting, participating in “conversation corner” where we casually engage
students in conversation so they can practice their English, inviting students
to join with us one-to- one on trips to local sites, and hosting “English
nights” to meet for songs, skits, a lot of laughs, and a lecture geared to
start significant conversations, we are able to foster deep relationships.
GIVING.
Financial Need:
$2,500 (covering
airfare, in-country transportation, food, and lodging)
Would you please consider being a
part of this opportunity with me as you feel led? Financial and prayer
support are both essential to this trip.
There a few different ways to give:
·
For a tax deductible donation, please visit online
at www.iecschina.org and click on "support us" to donate. Be sure to enter Catherine Klunder in the comments field.
·
If you would like to send a check, please
message me for my address.
·
To send money through Venmo, my account name is
@CatherineKlunder
With expectancy and love,
Catherine
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