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<font size="-2"><a href="stories.html">TIM</a></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="debbie.html">DEBBIE</a></font> •
<font size="-1"><strong>JOANNE</strong></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="lj.html">L.J.</a></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="matt.html">MATT</a></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="rory.html">RORY</a><font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="kelly.html">KELLY</a></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="brad.html">BRAD</a><font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="josh.html">JOSH</a></font> •
<font size="-2"><a href="mary.html">MARY</a></font>
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<img src="img/fvm-logo-75x75.gif" align="left"><font size="-1">"N</font><font size="-2">O OFFENSE</font><font size="-1">
M</font><font size="-2">ISS</font> <font size="-1">J</font><font size="-2">OANNE</font><font size="-1">, but you should really work
on your raps." Well, of course I should. I don't even like rap. But Jose, one of my inherited
fourth grade students, seemed to think it necessary for my survival in Camden, New Jersey to be culturally adept in the music
scene. All I was trying to do was create an interesting way for the children to absorb the information. Based
on their vocabulary test scores, and despite Jose's criticism, I'd say it worked.</font>
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<font size="-1"><img src="pic/joanne.jpg" align="right">Two weeks ago I wouldn't have been alone in front of a classroom of 18 nine- and ten-year-olds. I was an aide in this
classroom — the nice one. I went from desk to desk helping stragglers with problems scribbled on blackboards
and enlightening inquiring minds with the spelling of words such as <em>amphibian</em>. When an educator suddenly
took medical leave, and the fourth grade instructor was indefinitely bumped to that class, I was asked to step up as the new
fourth grade teacher for the remainder of the month. I took the job.</font>
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<font size="-1">I have gratefully adopted the philosophy that it is only through challenge and an occasional bit of discomfort that
we can discover ourselves more fully. The eight full days that I've spent in the loudest classroom at St. Anthony of
Padua School have taught me to trust in God to create a purpose from the chaos into which I had been thrown. The
behavior of attention-deprived, hyperactive, prepubescent children provoked a need for discipline, organization, and leadership.
God equipped me with the necessary skills and rescued me by softening my heart to the reasons these kids act as they do.
Just observing their actions could send any substitute unable to see beyond the disarray running for the door, but it has drawn me
closer to each of the students' hearts and permitted, for me, a glance into each of their personal lives.</font>
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<font size="-1">Next week sometime I will be serving my last day. I won't be bringing in 2007 as a full-time teacher,
and I'll be able to resume my role as the aide in the classroom. It will be tough to hand them back over, just as it
will be to leave all of my Camden ministries down the road, but I can check teaching off my list of things to try. I'm
now a little less fearful, somewhat more daring and undoubtedly reassured that God will never place upon His children any burden
too heavy, any task too daunting.</font>
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<font size="-1">Now I ask for your prayers and support as I move into my next adventure — learning to rap, of course.</font>
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<font size="-1"><em>• Joanne, Camden '06−'07, '07−'08</em></font>
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<center><font size="-2"><em>If you're a former FVM and would like to contribute a story for the website, please
e-mail <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank">Lizzy</a>!</em></font></center>
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P.O. Box 29276 • Philadelphia, PA 19125
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