Four Good Days

Well for those of you concerned about the tone of my last oh...10 posts I'd like to state that I just had my first run of consecutive good days since I got here. Four days without feeling like either bursting into tears, kicking a hole in something, hiding in fear, or jumping off a bridge!

Monday I went into school and told them I'm wasn't sure if I wanted to sign on just yet. I had a long conversation the next day with the principal and he was really incredible. The guy is quite inspiration I have to admit. Anyway, the gist of our conversations has been that he thought I was doing a really good job and that I was an asset to the school. He thought my drama skills were needed and basically that, because I cared about the students, I was the right person for the job. I also had some conversations with the head of the school and the director of the school who all were very supportive. Heck I even went and saw the school pyschologist and had a conversation with her (reluctantly) and all in all it seems to have gotten me through.

I've had absolutely fantastic advice from the principal about classroom management and I've learned more in the last week on that level than I did in a year of teacher's college and 18 months of teaching before that. Things like laying out books on tables where students are supposed to sit, having materials organized and ready, writing the lessons objectives on the board, creating worksheets to focus on... kicking kids who are misbehaving immediately out to get the class under control and having work ready for those who have been kicked out ready are HUGE things I've learned. Much of this sounds elementry but its key to teaching these kids (and probably millions of others as well).

Much of what I'm doing here flies in the face of what I was taught to do in teacher's college at York. Teacher's college was all about co-operative learning and integrating all learning styles into a lesson. If something wasn't a group based project that integreated dance/drama/music/art and social justice it was a failure. Unfortunately that stuff doesn't work here. Having kids read a passage and fill in some missing words here focuses them, makes them feel like they've accomplished something, and gives you a jumping off point for a review game where the material is discussed. Not exciting but it works. All the crap I learned in teacher's college and was forced to do is useless to real world early teachers. I actually think a lot of what we were taught is interesting but as a first year teacher in this situation its somewhat useless. Lessons on how to assess would have been nice....bah...my axe grindeth over.

Anyhoo...I'm feeling more confident largely due to the amount of support the school is giving me. They're giving me training as well.

As for England I'm beginning to manage that as well. I don't feel as confused, disoriented, fearful, and anxious as I did. I've started to realize that the English folk are loud and more agressive than I'm used to but that's not much to be alarmed about. A lot of what I hear is bluster.

Maybe I'll actually enjoy it here soon!

Thanks to everyone who's thrown support my way. You know who you are. Couldn't have made it without all of you.