First Week of School = Success!

First Week Of School

We all survived our first weeks of school!! (huge sigh of relief!) There is a lot to tell, so sit back, relax, and read on!

My roommate Ashley and I teach at the same school, (along with Melinda and Heidi, who live in an apartment above us)and we take a bus part of the way to school, then walk the rest of the way. It’s not too hot in the morning, and it’s a nice walk, alongside a lagoon and park. We get to school at about 7:30, an hour before school starts. On the first day we were really nervous! We didn’t know how many kids we would have, how much English they could speak, or what they would be like. And since I don’t have a classroom, and float between rooms during other teacher’s prep periods, I got to school on the first day not knowing where some of my classes would be! 

But it all worked out. We had an assembly, then began classes. I told all my students that I would be giving them journal assignments every day, so we started on those and then we went over classroom rules and procedures. All during orientation, we were told that the first day and the first week are critical to the rest of the year. If you don’t establish clear guidelines, procedures, and expectations for your students in the first days, then the rest of the year you may be struggling. You can be strict at the beginning and ease up as the year goes on, but it’s nearly impossible to be lenient at the beginning and then try to gain control (as I learned first hand while substitute teaching!) 

Well, I was trying my hardest to have clear expectations and structure to my classes. Which was a bit difficult, since the schedule changed EVERY DAY. On the first day it was a regular 1-6, with lunch after 3^rd period. The next day it was reversed (6^th period first, 1^st period last). Wednesday was all mixed up some classes (like 3,4,and 5) in the morning, then class meetings and lunch, then periods 6,1,and 2. Nuts. Thursday was different again, and Friday we had a Back to School assembly in the morning, then periods 4,5, and 6. Then Lunch, and after that a school dance. (The assembly and the dance were hilarious)

So even with a crazy schedule that changed every day, I was still able to get some things done in my classes. My first period was more difficult, because on the second day I had twice as many students show up. All of the new students had been registered for my class. So it was like having the first day all over again. Then on Wednesday I had another 6 or so come in, with my name on their schedules. This is a U.S. history class, and there is another U.S. history class taught by a different teacher that has only 2 kids in it!! So here I am with 30 kids, 9 of which did not have desks on Thursday, and there’s another class with just two. Again, it’s a bit crazy.

Even with all this craziness, I apparently was able to exercise some control over my classes. One of my juniors went to my department head (who is the most awesome lady ever, by the way) and asked to transfer out of my class. When she asked why, the student said “Because Miss Mills is too strict!”. My department head answered, “So you want to transfer out of a good class where you’re really going to learn into a class where the teacher will actually hit you?” of course the kid said no. And yes, corporeal punishment is very present here. Technically it’s illegal, but it still happens. However, us WorldTeachers would NEVER hit our students.

So even though I don’t have a classroom, I am getting used to it. It’s really not too bad, because I have 4^th period in the library and the A/C is always on Full Blast in there, which is awesome. 2 of my other classes are also in rooms with A/C, but the other teachers don’t always turn it on all the way. Plus, I’ve had students help me carry my stuff back and forth. The only drawback will be next week, when we get our new textbooks. I’m going to have to enlist more kids to move them from room to room, and hopefully none get lost in the process. All this week, we never knew the schedule until we got to school and saw the bulletin, but starting next week we are on a regular schedule, which will be nice. 

I feel like there is so much more, but I am running out of time. And I never know when the internet will decide to stop working. So I’m going to say adios for now, and hopefully I can get pictures up next week!!

Love and miss you all