The rundown

October 10, 2008 at 8:26 am | Posted in a trip called teaching, Cultural education | Leave a comment

I really need to try to write a few times a week because now when I finally sit down to write, I have so much to say, I don’t know where to start. Or, I can remember having a bunch of “I should write about that” moments, but I’ve forgotten what I was referring to.

Let me start by saying this experience is completely different than last year, which was exactly what I was hoping for. Last year, my work day consisted of giving English conversation classes to groups of teachers at a high school that was working on becoming bilingual. It was fun getting to know the teachers, but the whole routine got really old really fast. Not to mention, every move I made, the other language assistant at the school also made because we had the same function and the same schedule.

This year, I spend my day (usually from 10:30 or 11 until 4:30) going from class to class helping the teachers with whatever they happen to be teaching that day or leading an activity that I planned myself. I’m more involved in some classes than in others, and my least favorite aspect of the job is the times when there’s nothing for me to do and I just stand around looking awkward in front of the kids. But that’s happening less and less as the teachers (who are mostly all new to this bilingual school thing) and I figure out how I can participate in the class.

I like that I’m getting to know the kids although it’ll be a while before I know all of their names. Just about every girl, and female teacher’s, name is Maria this or that (Maria Jose, Maria Jesus, Maria Teresa, etc.), which makes things complicated. I also like seeing how smart some of them are, and I’ve been surprised to see that one of the worst-behaved kids is also one of the most clever.

I like that I’m learning how to interact with kids, and I’m getting a better understanding of what they’re capable of at what age. Last week I had my first private English class with a 5-year-old girl, and I left the class thinking she was a little terror because she refused to participate in any activity I tried to initiate. After having a couple more classes with other kids around her age, I realized it was partially my fault — 5-year-olds can’t read…who knew? I also thought she was just copping an attitude when she said she didn’t remember her birthday, but it turns out little kids don’t necessarily know their birthday. All news for me, as I’ve never worked with kids in any form or fashion besides babysitting a long time ago for a couple of neighbors who weren’t much younger than me.

Even the school itself is much different than the school where I worked last year. I’ve already mentioned how small it is, and the teachers keep telling me they’re like a family, even though several of them are new this year. Breakfast (a morning break from 11:30-12) and lunch (from 2:15-3) are served in the cafeteria, but this is no typical cafeteria food. Breakfast usually consists of coffee or tea with an assortment of pastries and fruit, but sometimes they mix it up, like when we had chocolate and churros one day earlier this week. Lunch is a multiple-course meal, starting out with something light like salad or lentils and then getting more serious with offerings like lasagne or fish. It’s always fresh and plentiful, and there’s always dessert followed by coffee.

On my first day, one of the teachers advised me to bring my lunch as the school food engorda (gets you fat). I ate at the school the first two days as it was too good to resist, but after lunch I felt so full and sleepy that it was impossible to stay on my toes in my last two classes of the day. So I started bringing my lunch this week and have felt much more awake in my afternoon classes. However, I think I will let myself partake in the feast a day or two per month.

I’ve really only been on the job for about a week and a half now, so I’m still feeling it out. I think I’m lucky as far as the school I got placed in, as it’s in a nice town, the teachers are enthusiastic, and the students can be loud but are generally well-behaved. It’s going to be a learning experience for me as well as my co-workers and students.