With the first day down, it's not going to be as difficult as I was fearing last night.
I had planned on reviewing my lesson plan on the 15-minute rickshaw ride with 3 other volunteers to our designated school ("Temple School" named for the worship house nextdoor). However, a minor flaw in supply preparation lead the four of us frantically sharpening pencils onto our laps, over the floor, and out the barred windows, with our eyes filling with the woody confetti bits instead of the surrounding's transfiguration from cluttered shops to overworked fields. All the sharpening helped get rid of my worries anyway.
We arrived and immediately began what will become a daily ritual - the good morning song. Then Ritu (one of our coordinators working at our school) shuffled us off to our classrooms.
While I was reluctant to start, several loud boys and a pair of subdued girls excitedly assumed their spots on the floor, and it's the eagerness in their wide-eyed patience that pushes me to begin. Teacher volunteers all get called "didi" (we were prepared for this in advance), which means something like big sister. As long as there's some authority established in that, it's fine with me.
They all seem so clever for what they've grown up in, but in that cleverness also comes misbehavior, testing me by refusing to do work or chattering to their buds in Hindi (head bobbling and all). The two girls I had today were wonderful; it was the boys put together that mixed up trouble in the back. There's really two main trouble-makers, but they rile up the others and then they all get distracted. I was limited on my disciplinary Hindi phrases today, but this afternoon we were equipped with simple weapons like "Come here!" and "Listen now!" and "Don't speak!" that will hopefully be lethal when combined with an evil eye and stern vocals.
My classroom's a three-wall punch at the end of the building with a lonely chalkboard inside. On the open side there's a half-wall with a doorway, but it still feels very much like an outdoor classroom. More distractions.
Worksheets and drawing activities work the best with them - the smart ones flow through, while the weaker ones can get individual tutorials from me in the trouble spots. But of course the activities need to be mixed up a bit, so I had planned some flashcard/chalkboard review sessions and what I thought to be some rather creative games as well. However, creative became synonymous with complicated, an so I abandoned several of these when I struggled to get my class to understand the rules. But with the blend of what worked and how the children generally accepted my presence into their little learning bubble, it was a wonderful introduction.
It's remarkable though, how those 2 hours drain me. Off to bed, 'til next time!
~christiana
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3 comments:
Hi--I am using my school email because it will not take my password for the home.
Now you have had 2 days of teaching under your belt. Separating the pesky boys always helps me and putting some up front. I have 10 pesky plus Jessica last year!!!
Games--Cut out 1 inch paper square (tiles). Put letters on them and have them make word families. Cake, make, take, rake etc. Also, give them a longer word and see how many words they can make from longer word.
Also, "Sparkle". Sit in a circle and spell the words out, each person says one letter , when last letter in word is said, next person says "sparkle" and next person is out. Once they get the hang of it, go fast. You have to listen or you are out. Object, be last on "in". Can sit on desks to start and then have them sit in chairs when out. They love that game. Can do the same thing with math facts. What is the age group?
Also do some play scenarios, if they are good you can reward. Like restaurant, playground, etc. to practice English.
We took boat up to Sans Souci, turned off the motor and drifted down the river listening to Beethoven and munching on goldfish. Lovely sunny, blue water and sky day. I printed your blogs for the Grandmas and Grandma Gail had the World Atlas out and we looked at all the cities you've been through.
Glad the food is adaptable and the coffee shop is a bit of heaven!!!
Love , MOM
Hi-Sounds like you're being challenged having to teach. I have a dance student now who is challenging (that's putting it mildly). The only thing she understands is that I will not put up with her nonsence. Sometimes I ahve to dismiss her from the room and tell her she can't come back in until she appoligizes to me and the whole class for her behavior. Usually her mom has to get involved, and yes mom does disipline thank God.
Geralyn always told me to take control of your class right off the bat. If you don't they will run over the top of you. You'll have to figure out what works for this group. You're dealing not only with age and gender, but culture too. That you may need advise on.
We had dinner with our cousin Paul this past saturday night. We went to Aunt Hildur's, at the golf course for 4th of July. Then came home a blow some fire works off in the drive way. The dogs hate fire works.
Kori finishes her bachlor's degree on July 11th. She got into grad school at Central for this fall. She plans to be done in 1 1/2 years.
That's all fro now hang in there.
Cousin Jennifer and Mark.
I love reading blog and seeing how well your adjusting! It makes me long for moscow though I'll proably have to post pone it till my junior year because I'm a maid of honor in a friends wedding next summer. But hopefuly you still plan on visitting Moscow when I do so we can have coffee together in our free time.
Keep Smiling <3,
Madeline
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