Day 122 December 7
The first two periods of my day were absorbed by the school wide song practice, which was, to be kind, a disaster. I was dragged up to help lead songs, and I was really proud that my kids were still among the best behaved even without me there to supervise (though I was giving looks and head shakes, as well as aiming a few “inside jokes” from out in-class practices at them.)
I have Library and Music on Mondays, so I hardly taught until 10 and then Lunch was at 11:20. We just started prepping for the big week of science. I think they’re excited. I know I am, while also intimidated at the work load it leaves for me.
After school I had tutorias followed by coming home to plan out the rest of my week and really prep up for science. I kept a fairly quiet evening.
Day 123 December 8
The school day was spent preparing for the start of science projects and song practice (practicing with the whole school, as Nash so eloquently put it, is my new least favorite thing.) Behavior has been better, but that’s life. I’m having a hard time striking a balance as I try to occupy 20 kids while walking all 5 groups of 4 through their experiments, when they’ve no idea how to do any of it and have never done any of it before.
After school, Chris and I walked home together. We ended up helping some Hondurans push their truck up a hill, which seemed to confuse them (as a woman was helping them push.) After we got into town we went shopping to make granola and I grabbed my computer and towel before heading to their house. I was one of the only teacher’s who still hadn’t used the outdoor shower they have rigged up there (all properly covered, just outdoors.) It’s a pretty neat trick and I’d been meaning to try it out. I finally did after shopping.
We cooked up some granola and then had a dinner of grilled cheese with onions and tomato. We ate while watching an Inconvenient Truth, which was almost exactly what I had always expected it to be.
Day 124 December 9
I sped to school, chasing a red staff shirt that I only saw in the beginning but that remained far enough in front of me the whole way to school that I didn’t see it again until I was at the last big hill. Oh well, Michael is just a faster walker.
Today was a day of experiments! We started one and completed another, but three lacked either materials the kids were supposed to supply, or sunshine, which we hope for tomorrow.
I did pass the “twins test.” Several of the third grade girls wanted to see if I could tell the difference between Sophie (a girl I don’t know and hardly ever see) and her identical twin sister Erika (in my class.) I passed the first test and then they switched around parts of their clothes and what they were holding. I passed that test (twice.) Then I had to do it from behind, and I passed that test. All involved were in awe and I was just relieved to know that they believe they can’t fool me so they won’t play a switcheroo on us. I’ve still got my knack with twins!
During a recess-detention, I made a student help me write/translate the note home to his mom. I told him if he would try to talk to me about what the problem was we would try to work with it in the classroom alone, but between his shyness, lack of self-understanding, and language barriers, he c/wouldn’t. So, I wrote another broken Spanish letter home. She was less than pleased with him, but I don’t think she got the part of the letter where I think there’s something wrong, something that needs to change, and if there was something I could do I’d be happy to help. His outbursts have been a bit out of character, but I think I will have figure out something else because all of this anger/frustration from his elders seems to make him retreat more.
After school, I had all my car photos and information on my computer, but I left it open to the class. 5 kids stayed, not including the one I initially did the work for. Ah well, at least I snagged some. We just had casual conversation, in English, about cars. I think it was really good for their language acquisition and lust for learning. Also, they think I’m cool.
I walked home and had tutoring at Isaac’s where I met another third grader, from Miss Beth’s class, and a kindergartener who could have talked my ear off in Spanish. It’s a miracle she spoke slowly enough that I could catch enough to respond at all. Isaac was tired, so the tutoring dragged a bit, but I think he got the major concepts (including the ever important “if you don’t want to be doing this, doing it faster will make it go away faster and doing it slower will make me stay longer, keeping you from whatever it is you want to be doing.)
I went home and made dinner, having invited Luis over for a meal. Food and conversation always go so well together.
Day 125 December 10
Today I realized that my parents will be here in 9 days! I think I bragged on it all day. My kids and I worked on their projects more. Today, starting all of the projects and finishing most. We spent an expansive amount of time on just science, which is rare and usually dangerous as their attention spans are so short, but it worked out really well. They worked together well and were quiet for the most part, I was very pleased.
We had more song practice, in which someone broke open a log full of huge red ants that poured down at us from the hill they were on. My kids were sitting and as I saw the swarm of ants more toward them I actually picked up a girl to move her and ordered the rest up. No harm was had.
After school tutorias were hard to manage because of the song practice, but I tried anyway and then walked home with Beth and Mario. I went to the Cruz Bueso (fondly referred to as Target for it’s random items) and blew more money than I intended, which hasn’t happened in a long time. I got my Christmas “White Elephant” (without the joke aspect, just the same game set up) gift for the Christmas dinner tomorrow with the staff, my donation gift to one of the aldeas, my Christmas party stuff for my class, gift bags, tissue paper, and a tiny fake Christmas tree. It’s not much of a tree, but it’s something, and it will help.
Tutoring at Isaac’s was a success and I really think he’s picking up more and more. I’m making sure to use less and less Spanish also, except with his mom. Before Christmas I’m going to tip the woman who serves me every time, for free, for all that she’s done for me.
I went home for a lovely traditional Honduran dinner to candlelight during a power outage and managed to get to bed fairly early.
Day 126 December 11
At school we finished our science presentations and presented them. My kids are really good at speaking to the floor, so the fact that they were motivating each other to speak up was really good. The other kids weren’t really listening, but they did manage to be relatively talk-free. I consider it a success.
Luis came to school to observe classes, but didn’t come to my room until 5 minutes before lunch. He was able to witness me inform 3 students that I had graded their spelling tests, knew they had cheated, and that their tests were waiting for them in the office. I was less than pleased.
After lunch, several of my students touched my ever growing belly (it is the holiday season!) and informed me that since it was growing, I must be pregnant. Thank you students. I’m so glad nothing passes your attention. And I have a free dinner tonight…I can’t not take advantage of that.
I went home and waited for Tammi so that she could bake for Nash’s birthday party before going to Casa Villamil for a quick update. After, I went home to shower and get in my fancy dress.
The dinner was delicious and we did a White Elephant game (minus the gag-gift aspect) which was a lot of fun. First I got a really nice pillow, but it was taken. Then, I had a set of nice glass cooking bowls with tops for storing food. It was a pretty nice set and I was happy to have them (which I did for most of the game) but then they were stolen also. I opened a new gift, which was one of the last ones left and got 150 Lempiras worth of Saldo (phone credit) which is very practical and will come in handy. I consider my gift a success since it was stolen the maximum number of times a gift could be stolen (a red, non-stick frying pan.)
After dinner we threw Nash a birthday party. Josue DJed and set up his black lights and strobe lights. The pictures we have on the wall really stood out in the blacklight, it was cool. Also, the ceiling had toilet paper streamers that glowed nicely (which later was a problem when I learned they used all the toilet paper.) Most of the teachers had gotten gifts of alcohol from the White Elephant game, so fun was had by all.
No comments:
Post a Comment