After some some great planning and preparing time last night, I was pretty excited to teach my classes today. Being that the learners are not read to very often, I was excited to get to read to them one of my few favority books (thanks to Hassen)--Wheedle on the Needle. Being that it talked about where I lived and Brian had printed me off some great landscapes of Washington and skyline pictures of Seattle, I was set. For math, I made posters of the various terms and vocabulary that we had gone over the day before and were going over today. I also tried to plan my lesson so that I was all set for a fun review game for the next day. The learners, however, had different plans.
I tried to remember that I had only had these learners for one day. That being said, I still expected less 'beatings' between them and interruptions to occur. This, however, was not the case. Although not as bad as the day prior, my 5D class still did not really get what standing in a line, entering a classroom or respecting others within the classroom looked like. That being said, a series of events unfolded. The first time I had them, we had another nice talk about respect and dealing with problems. I explained to them that if another learner hits them, I want to know, but there is a time and a place. We also discussed that when you shout out, it interrupts others' learning and that I, as their teacher, would not tolerate such a thing. During our second period together, which was the last of the day, they entered the room like crazed animals instead of learners. Therefore, I got their attention, via clapping, followed by telling them all to leave my classroom. At first, they froze. Then I said, "Do I need to say it again?" They then filed out and immediately stood in their lines. With the beginning of this speech being, "How rude and disrespectful..." and ending with, "I am not mad...but I am sad because I had a lot of fun things planned and we will not get to do them now because of your behavior", the rest of the class period was a smooth flowing, fabulous last period of the day. We successfully got through the entire lesson with participation from all, and had time for me to share my picture of my family. Although I may have been a little harsh with the guilt trip at the beginning, they all left having reaching the learning target and with smiles on their faces.
My other classes had their ups and downs as well. The 'up' in every English class was when I read Wheedle on the Needle to them. The whole time their eyes were either on me or the picture. They participated throughout the lesson discussing the problem, various events and solution. The real pictures of the area were a hit, too, as they loved seeing actual pictures of where I came from and snow. They all laughed and enjoyed various parts of the book. However, when I would ask them to predict what was next, after explaining what a prediction was of course, very few answered. I tried to explain no answer was wrong, but even then very few hands were raised. I am hoping that it is just 'first prediction jitters' and that more hands will go up next time.
Although the read aloud went fabulous, the assignment was a stretch for them. I did a 'traditional' four square assignment where they drew a picture in each (problem, event 1, event 2, solution) and had one full sentence. Being that we did full sentences the day before, I figured this was a good next step. The issue was not their interest in the assignment, but rather the fact that it was unlike any assignment they had ever been given. The idea that their could be multiple answers was unheard of to them. They began to be confused how one person could use stealing tools and scaring the workers as their events, while the next uses moving to the mountain and collecting clouds. Despite the fact that the assignment had me sweating by the end of it, as I wandered from table to table, person to person, in, around and through very close quarters, I would still call it a success. For those who didn't finish, this project was their homework. 5D never got to finish the book due to the challenges they threw at me, so we will finish tomorrow. The other classes, 5C and 5E will be doing a vocabulary activity based off the words they did not know in the book today. A re-read might be in order...I will probably let the learners vote on it tomorrow.
Math went great for 5D, but had a few bumps in 5A. After making their nametags, we had problems with putting caps on markers and returning them. After the saying to, "put the caps on now" the third time, I was done. I then told them that their heads needed to be on their desks and nothing in their hands. This took a good minute or so before they all had done so. Using a similar speech as I had with 5D, I added in the fact that I had bought these markers and to use them was a privledge. After discussing respect, self-control was the next topic as their hands seemed to be magnetized to the markers and their pencils on their desks. We then did a minute of thinking about making choices and being responsible for your own actions, restarting the time everytime a pencil was touched. With two boys making this a game and touching their pencils every 30 seconds or so, the rest of the class went back to work silently while the two boys and I had a quick mini-conference at my desk.
The lesson following the management piece went great. It is interesting to me seeing the strengths of the learners here with these new math concepts to those of my students back home. When we first introduced standard, expanded and word from in Federal Way, expanded from seemed to be the most difficult concept. Disecting the number into smaller parts was hard. However, due to the fact that English is not my learners' first language here, the word form is definitely the most difficult. That being said, we will be spending a few more days on this concept to solidify it before continuing.
Although there were definite hiccups in the day, several spurring on the 'teacher talk', I would still call it a success. At least with two of my classes, they now know where the line is drawn and what is expected. I don't expect perfection tomorrow from them because of this, but I am hoping for an improvement, no matter how small.
Not counting breaking up small, in-class 'fights' (aka exchanging hits back and forth a few times), the number of fights I have now broken up outside the class has now hit 7--4 yesterday and 3 today. I broke up one pretty large one between two grade 7 boys, who exchanged several hard 'clips' (punches) before freezing mid-swing as I hollered. I then led them both to my classroom where we discussed their actions. I am pretty sure if I hear that line, "but, miss, we were just playing" as an excuse again...well, I don't know what I will do, but it is absolutely ridiculous.
My learners have caught onto my strong, anti-fighting feelings as proved today after school. As we were leaving Steenkamp in our taxi, one of my learner's were on the side of the road wrestling with another boy. After giving him 'the look' from the taxi, he smiled as the boy leaped on him. Instead of fighting back, my learner wrapped his arms around the other boy and patted his back while still smiling, as if he was giving him a hug. It was great. The 'hug' pose continued until we were at least out of site from them, all the boy caught in the hug-grip of my learner was flailing and trying to wrestle. It was great.
Despite the overall positive feeling I had from my lessons today, I was hit was something from out of no where after school. There are student teachers from the University of Namibia that are also placed at our school for 1 month--1 week observing and 3 weeks to teach 40 lessons. I was informed in the middle of my 4th period class that 2 of these student teachers were also being placed with my teacher, and I therefore had to sit down with them after school and let them choose classes to take from me. I was not happy with this at all, however I really had no choice. So one teacher took my 5A math class, and the other took my 5C and 5E english classes, now leaving me with 5D for both math and english. While they were choosing, they had some not-so-great things to say about the group they were not taking. I responded by telling them how great they were for me today and that they really were great learners, they just needed someone to care and take the time to set the boundaries. To this, I received two quite large eye rolls.
Overall, I am just frustrated with the predicament I am now in. Paula and Jan are coming in tomorrow to meet with the principal, and we will figure out a 2nd placement for me to have during my free periods. I know it will all work out in the end, but I hate that right after I have now started solidifying solid relationships and routines with my learners they are snatched away from me. However, I will still learn a lot from my 5D learners, and I know I will fall in love with whatever 2nd placement I get. Ultimately, I think this is yet another learning experience for me, as I am learning flexibility to the max. I am also having to learn to let go and just go with the flow, when that is not my usual when I am giving a group of children. As I already had considered the learners of 5A, 5C and 5E 'mine' from the moment they walked through my door, my biggest struggle is that I cannot control the teaching that will take place starting next week when the lose the 'mine' title. But I know I will connect with whatever new learners I am given tomorrow, and I now have the opportunity to practice teaching routines and establishing my management method again...so here goes nothing...
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