NAME:
MARILYN JEAN BRYANT
SCHOOL:
LOS ALTOS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
CLASS:
FOURTH GRADE Room 627
SCHOOL PHONE:
650 948 3788 ex 627
The Lord has been preparing me my entire life to serve him as a
teacher. I learned so much about him listening to the stories and
teachings that my father and mother shared with me and with so many
others. I learned more about him from my Christian teachers, Sunday
School teachers, and youth leaders and pastors. I learned even more
about him as I memorized passages and read my Bible. I remember
asking Jesus into my heart when I was seven, during a Spiritual Emphasis Week
at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan.
My parents were missionaries under the Conservative Baptist Foreign
Mission Society (Now known as CBI) My father and mother, Dan and
Lucille Carr, along with my oldest brother (born in 1945), headed for
China in 1945 on the first ship, the Marine Links, after World War II
ended. My dad, born in San Francisco, and raised in Petaluma,
California, was a Navy chaplain, and served in the Pacific theater. While
serving, he was flown over China and felt the Lord directing him there
when the war ended. He and my mom, who also felt called to the
mission field, met in Seminary in Philadelphia. My mom was from
Parkersburg, West Virginia, and she led summer children’s Bible clubs
in Appalachian communities in the summers during her college years.
(This is why the book Christy by Catherine Marshall is a favorite of
mine.)
My parents were married on June 6, 1944 – D-Day!
My second brother was born in 1948 before the Communists took over, I
was born in Sikang, Sichang, China (near the Tibetan border), on
September 7, 1950, after the Communists came to power. My parents,
brothers and I were finally forced to leave, after being held under house
arrest for a couple of years. Before my father died, he wrote an
autobiography, which I treasure, of our years in China.
We headed to Taiwan, where my parents began church planting, and
where they founded a seminary, Taiwan Theological Seminary, where
young men and women are still training to serve the Lord in full time
ministry. They were both outstanding teachers and my greatest role
models.
I know the fears and the difficulties of moving and changing schools. I
attended a Taiwanese kindergarten in my little town, was home
schooled for part of first grade, was in a dormitory for half of first grade
and all of second grade at Morrison Academy. It was in second grade, at
the age of seven, where I asked Jesus into my heart to become my
Savior and Lord. I attended half of third grade in Parkersburg, West
Virginia, the other half and fourth grade in Wheaton, Illinois. I returned to
Morrison Academy and attended from fifth grade to eighth grade (we
lived near the school these years). My mother was my fifth grade teacher
and I really enjoyed the experience. I was able to observe a master
teacher closely! Then we headed back to Glendale, California where I
attended ninth and tenth grades. I finished up my eleventh and twelfth
grade back in the dorms at Morrison Academy.
Upon graduation in 1968, I flew home to attend Judson Baptist, a
two-year liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. I had never set eyes on
the school before. I received my AA and then transferred to Fresno
Pacific College (now University), another place I had never been. I
graduated in 1972 with a BA in Humanities, with an emphasis in
Speech Communication and Literature.
I met my husband Bob in college where we were both involved in choir
and theater. I majored in Humanities and he majored in Biblical Studies
with a minor in Music.
Bob is a native of Campbell and attended Campbell High School and
this is where my family finally settled. (there is quite a story here in how
the Lord works “in mysterious ways!” We were married at Saratoga
Avenue Baptist Church in 1973, with my father officiating. We still attend
this church, now called Westgate. Over the years, we've taught Sunday School,
worked in VBS, worked on the seasonal decorations, sang in the choir and then
the worship team
I continued my education at San Jose State in 1975 and received my
Secondary teaching credential in English. I began substitute teaching at
Valley Christian High School from 1975-1977.
I taught for three months (filling in for another teacher), at Valley
Christian Junior High (8th science, and various electives 7th) – I was
unable to accept a long term commitment because our son Rob, was
born in 1978. I returned to teaching in 1979 and spent eleven years at
Southbay Christian -- (9-12 English/literature/writing, speech/drama,
journalism/yearbook, typing/work processing, 8th bible, 7th geography).
My reason for leaving, was that the high school and middle school
closed.
I headed to Pinewood where I served for another eleven years. (9 & 12
writing, summer school writing for high school and middle school,
yearbook/newspaper, research librarian. The reason I left was that the
Lord made it clear that I needed to head back to full time classroom
teaching.
My next assignment was back to Southbay and middle school (it had
been added since I left). I taught sixth grade Bible, reading/writing,
English/spelling, social studies. The school closed again permanently!
I am now at LACS, beginning my eighth year, and thank the Lord for this new
ministry. I came over with many of the Southbay students and taught one of
the fourth grade classes. I followed them up to fifth grade and then returned
to fourth grade. I am looking forward to this new year and of
being of service to you and your student(s).
FAVORITES
VERSES
John 3:16&17
Psalm 27 (especially verse 1)
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Isaiah 12:2
Lamentations 3:21-26
John 14:6
Psalm 23
Joshua 1:8 & 9
FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
Psalms
Genesis
Isaiah
Deuteronomy
John
Luke
Acts
Ruth
Esther
FAVORITE BOOKS
War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy AND Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
The Citadel – A.J. Cronin
Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Persuasion – Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen (all of her books!)
The Good Earth – Pearl Buck
The Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
The Source – James Michener
Exodus – Uris
ADOLESCENT BOOKS
Ann of Green Gables/Entire Series – Lucy Maude Montgomery
Chronicles of Narnia Series – C. S. Lewis
Young Pilgrim’s Progress – (from John Bunyan)
Christy – Catherine Marshall
The Secret Garden
Sarah, Plain and Tall/Skylark/...
Love Comes Softly... (all of series)
Heidi
The Count of Monte Christo
Scaramouche
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
Little Men – Louisa may Alcott
The Little Princess
Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew
THINGS I ENJOY DOING
Singing (especially with my husband), Reading and sipping *tea or
**coffee; studying; flower arranging; going to the beach or San Francisco zoo
or the Monterey Bay Aquarium when the weather is cool and breezy (my favorite
temperature ranges from 45-59 degrees); tearing out pictures I like from
magazines, watching birds, wrapping packages, watching TV & movies, various
crafts...
MUSIC
Praise songs & hymns
Classical music (especially featuring piano & strings & harp & oboe)
Folk Music
Celtic Music
Favorite Tunes – Old English Melody (“Greensleeves”) and Londonderry Aire
("Danny Boy")
FAVORITE MOVIES
Ben Hur
The Sound of Music
How the West Was Won
Chariots of Fire
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Persuasion
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Star Wars
TELEVISION (from my past and *now)
Wagon Train (all time favorite series)
Star Trek:The Next Generation and Voyager and Star Trek
A&E (Jane Austen’s books, Brontë books, Horatio Hornblower…)
Bonanza
Mission Impossible (original series)
Murder, She Wrote
Rosemary & Tyme
Are You Being Served (favorite British comedy)
Keeping Up Appearances
As Time Goes By
Rumpole of the Bailey
(Mysteries: i.e Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Rosemary & Tyme ...)
The Big Valley
Remington Steele
Bill Cosby (favorite American comedy)
Ann of Green Gables Series (thoroughly enjoy the books and series)
Sarah, Plain and Tall and sequels
Love Comes Softly and sequels
Animal Planet (great fun!)
Discovery
Extreme Makeovers: Home edition (current favorite reality)
So You Think You Can Dance
Monk
The Closer
COLORS
GREEN (all shades)
GOLD-Yellow
Brown (all shades)
Crème
Red-Black
Lavender-Purple
Sky Blue
FLOWERS
Yellow roses
Purple-Blue Irises
Golden daffodils
Orchids
Yellow/White daisies
Hydrangeas
Sunflowers
COLLECTIBLES
Anything British (teapots, teacups and saucers, books, pictures, English
breakfast tea and Jasmine tea are favorites (no herbal teas)
Thomas Kincaid
Cats
Books (England, Cats, Crafts, Flower arranging, Historical,
Geographical...)
FOODS (diabetic – Type II) – I’m not keen on spicy foods, especially
peppery or salty
Spaghetti
Chinese Food – (potstickers, steamed rice, bean sprouts, snow peas,
egg drop soup, noodles, bok choy… NOT SPICY…no tofu)
Tomatoes (!!!)
GUAVA's (Most missed fruit from Taiwan -- Hardly ever fine them!!!)
Eggs (prepared all ways)
Almonds - (raw)
Strawberries
Raspberries/Blackberries/Blueberries
Steamed clams or mussels
Salmon (grilled, baked or poached)
Roast Beef
Chicken (grilled or baked)
*Tea (English Breakfast tea or Jasmine tea – no herbal)
**Coffee (100% Columbian) Starbucks- coffee frappacino or latte
Favorite drink – iced water
FAVORITE CANDY !
(occasional indulgence) -- SEE's dark chocolate covered almonds
To train my students in heart, mind, soul, and body to become balanced
Christ-like students who earnestly seek to know, love, and serve God.
(LUKE 2:52]
To guide my students to become:
Committed Christians
Effective Communicators
Critical Thinkers
Quality Producers
Community Participants
