Okay. I'm going to start taking the time to write about some of the wonderful things that have been happening over the past few months- things I have been wanting to share for so long but up until now have not had the time to do so. I also know that in sharing these experiences, I will grow fond again of all things 'fakatonga.'

This past week I had two very touching moments happen to me at school and so moved was I that my eyes filled up with tears both times. The first, happened in my classroom. As a reminder, I teach English reading to forms 1, 2, and 3 (grades 5-8ish in US standards). My students suffer tremendously in reading, both in English and in Tongan and this is in large part to the fact that most students have no books at home nor access to them aside from the few, 'odd-end' books I have in my classroom.

I was having such a hard time with them in their reading that I decided that what they really needed was just to pick a book and explore it on their own- go through the pages at their own pace, pronounce the words when they felt comfortable to do so, and have the opportunity to look through the books' illustrations. So, I decided to bring D.E.A.R. to my school. Do you remember that?

D.E.A.R. stands for 'Drop Everything and Read' and it was a program that I remember doing in middle school. The kids come into my classroom and immediately walk to the shelf to find a book of their own, which they can read for ten minutes before I begin class. It's great because the class gets very calm and quiet, which provides a great transition for when they need to start learning and paying attention. It also allows me time to finish any notes or reorganize myself from my last class. The best part however, is when I get to walk around and observe them reading. This is the moment that I was talking about- the one that makes me want to cry with happiness.

I see these children who- for some, have never held a book on their own, or attempted to read one on their own; sounding out the letters of words. They're asking me questions about how to pronounce things or what things mean in Tongan. They look at the illustrations and point to pictures that they have never seen before and ask me what they are. Sometimes they get so excited about looking at the illustrations that I see them raise the pages of a book in the air and scream out to a friend on the other side of the room to have them just look at what new cool picture they have found. Of course, this is a distraction, but it is such an amazing one. They are so excited to learn about the world and I had no idea how much it would mean to them to have this time to read to themselves and look through books.

The value books have is irreplaceable and although the internet is opening up the world to children with endless opportunities to access corners both far and wide in a more convenient, efficient, and timely way, the sight of seeing the excitement on my kids faces when they open a book and flip through its pages is so much more personal and moving for me. I will never underestimate the power that books have ever again. The moment I see my children explore their way through a book, all the hard work that I put into teaching instantly becomes justified. That moment makes everything worth it. It reminds me of why I am here and it reminds me that my kids want to be here. They want so much to learn.

Yep.

Those ten minutes of D.E.A.R., at the beginning of each class, tell me that I'm doing something right in teaching them and that feels good.