So my first week of teaching - I was so excited because I could tell from the outside that it was going to be a nice school, it's even right next to a coffee plantation ;) And sure enough when I first walked in I was in awe. Seriously, there are murals, beautiful murals on the walls, painted by the high schoolers. Everything is so open with gates and windows and sky lights letting in so much natural light. There are separate buildings for the high school, elementary, and pre-primary grades, a building with a little (sad) library and computer room, one for the office, and one for the cafeteria so the students can run right outside when they're done eating. All these buildings are connected by sidewalks with roofs over the top for when it, obviously, rains. Even the stairway to go up to my classrooms is open, which is necessary for when its nice, and it usually is nice most of the day. Okay, yes, I did say classrooms - plural - I teach mostly fourth grade (24 students), but a little in fifth grade also (28 students).
My students were so welcoming - they call every teacher "Teacher" and then their first name, and since Allison is easier for them to say, I am Teacher Allison. That's only one of the things that took some getting used to. One of my first thoughts after my first day of being at this school was "I'm so glad I had three wonderful, amazing learning experiences in an American public school" because if I didn't, I probably would have been so lost. (This is definitely a learning experience, too, no doubt). My mentor, Kim, back home is to thank for the majority of my teaching style - I learned so many good ideas and techniques from her which are definitely coming into use here! My cooperating teacher at this school, Viviana is extremely nice and welcoming - she made it a point to introduce me to all the other faculty. However, she is new and has only taught preschoolers... so we are helping each other quite a bit, which is actually kind of awesome for me to voice more opinions. My second day at the school I actually found out 45 minutes before class started that I was going to teach the lesson... about the book I didn't even read, and with no lesson prepared... but it actually went really well after I quickly skimmed through the book and made up a little story map activity - not the best by any means, but it worked considering the circumstance.
Alright, so I realized that teaching here is like teaching a whole class full of English as Second Language learners - talk about veryyyy good practice. All of the students are native Spanish speakers, clearly, well except maybe like 3 of my students but they primarily speak Spanish.... BUT in this school, they learn every subject in English (except of course Spanish and French classes). I think this is a unique idea, except that some of the students know very, very little English, if any I'm beginning to realize. Also, they are used to copying notes from the board for pretty much everything, so I had to gradually start implementing my more hands-on approach - but I don't get to use it nearly as much as I would like. This is for 2 reasons: 1. there are very little teaching materials (mostly just paper.. and everything else I have to bring), and 2. some of my ideas are too abstract for them, as it would be for anyone learning in a different language. I have found out that my students LOVE acting and dancing (perfect match?) so I try to let them act out scenarios in most subjects and to incorporate their favorite things when ever I can. It's so adorable how my students try so hard to talk to me in English, but sometimes I even get to practice my Spanish with them - especially with the ones who don't exactly know English. It makes me feel like I'm actually helping them, like when cute little J.J. had a question on his test, I said it in Spanish and suddenly he understood it (go figure, right?). My first week I thought my students would hate me because I expect them to be quiet when I talk so I don't have to yell, which I don't think they're exactly used to. I told them I don't want to feel like I have to scream over their voices, and my voice sounds a lot nicer when I'm not yelling. Also, I push them so hard to think and to question rather than just try to get points for copying something down; I take away minutes of their lunch if they take away our teaching/learning time because they're out of their seats goofing around; I call on students to answer questions if they weren't listening (ooo that's the worst); I do all these things that are sometimes pushing the boundaries for me, but I am actually a firm teacher, I have to be. At the same time, when they're good, I try to be extra nice, I always try to be caring, and sometimes I'm a little silly in my teaching. I definitely got some laughs when I pretended to be Queen Elizabeth this week, but hey, it got their attention and now they know where she lives and hopefully some other things about the United Kingdom.
Honestly, after my first two weeks teaching here I had some doubts in myself, especially when my students claimed they at times they didn't understand me. I have to talk so clear, and slow, use simple terms a lot, even though sometimes I think they understand more than they say. Already, midway through my third week, I feel like I am gaining more respect from them, because I also try to use Spanish translations when I can and I show interest in knowing how to say something in Spanish. It's definitely a challenge teaching in this kind of environment, but I have 12 weeks left to make these kids mine and to get them a million times more motivated about learning because right now I'm just having a hard time seeing it. Trust me, it WILL be there by the time I leave.
TODAY: A couple days ago I asked Viviana what she thought about us having "finish early activities" for when the students are done with their work to keep them quiet and basically just preventing the chaos whenever they get a chance - to which she agreed was a good idea. So I made these four folders (I got the idea from Teaching Esme) that say "If... you... finish... early" and then right below it translated "Si... usted... termina... temprano" and hung them up on the wall. I was hoping to use them right away on Monday, but of course things never go as planned with schedule changes and all sorts of things constantly, so they've been hanging there. Ever since I put them up, the kids had been asking me "Teacher Allison, the folders? What for?" It's adorable how they are so intrigued by this new little addition. I kept telling them that if they are good listeners and we get our lessons done I can explain what they are and fill them. Well, two days passed and we didn't get to them, but I told them it wasn't my fault and I got a big "BUT TEACHERRRRR!" Haha I wanted to laugh but that might have been mean. So today (Wednesday) I FINALLY just took a little time before the lesson to show them all the different kinds of QUIET at YOUR DESK activities they can do whenever they are done with their work instead of getting up and talking to their friends. Today they didn't get to use them yet because we had to cut the lessons short to practice for their talent show, but at least now hopefully it will motivate them and keep them quiet.
