British School System vs. Miss Hartman; Round 2

I finally got to go back into the classroom today.  Just like the first time, this time was also interesting and a learning experience.

My teacher that I am working with was actually in the room when I got there this morning.  That made me a little happy, but also a little scared.  She screams a lot and has a voice that really carries.  Apparently in the mornings, the class goes through this routine where my classroom teacher says "Good morning students" and the students reply "Good morning teacher".  Then she told them to tell me good morning, so I had 30 little children staring at me and in unison saying "Good morning Miss Hartman."  Then she yelled out in front of the class "Someone get Miss (me) a chair to sit on!"  I was perfectly fine standing and wandering around the classroom, but I didn't want to question her on it.

She leaves and another teacher comes in.  It is now time for our health lesson.  Their health lesson was a review of a section they had done before, which was drugs and alcohol.  I was a bit surprised that this would be taught at such a young age.  I don't remember learning about this in third grade, but this school does a lot of things differently.  All of the students were very knowledgable, and I learned some things from the lesson, like you can drink here at age 15 if you are with your parents and pubs can serve you alcohol at 16 with your parents.  Also, you can buy cigarettes at age 16.  After health, we went to PE.

The PE teacher gathers the students around and tells them that they are going to play.  He has a thick almost irish accent, so I think he said 'grab football'.  I was trying to think of this in American terms.  So I'm like ok…maybe touch football.  Thats when he brings out the soccer ball.  Duh football here means soccer.  So then I am still confused 'grab soccer'.  Then he gives them further instructions to sit on their bums and scoot around like crabs.  Apparently, he was saying 'crab football'.  My initial thinking was way off!  It was actually quite humorous watching all of my students scooting around on their bums playing soccer.

He brought the students back into the classroom.  He has them create their own word search.  Thats when I notice a little girl crying.  I head over to her.  I ask her what was wrong.  And honestly this was all I could think of.

Between the crying and accent, I really couldn't understand a thing she was saying.  They all kind of mumble too, which makes it even worse.  I let the PE teacher deal with her and I went around helping the students create their word searches.  They could choose any topic they wanted.  The PE teacher came back and started helping a little boy work on his about birds.  The PE teacher asked "Miss do you know any birds?"  Do I know any birds???  Really?

I immediately say Cardinal.  I am given blank stares from the PE teacher and the student.  You know like 'Chirp Chirp'.  It is like I am speaking a foreign language.  They ask what kind of bird it is.  I say a red one.  It is my schools mascot and our state bird.  

After lunch it is time for their maths lesson.  (No, I did not make a grammatical error there, they put an 's' at the end of math.)  It is equivalent to 3rd grade so I was thinking multiplication, but these students are really advanced for their age, preschoolers at the school are writing full sentences, so of course the lesson was over division.  I quickly scrape together any information I have about division before I head over to help the students.  I walk around for a little bit observing before I dive into helping.  All of the sudden I hear her start screaming at this kid in front of the class.  "Pay attention.  You got every single one of your questions wrong yesterday!  Listen and you might get one right!"  I felt bad for the little boy.  She then had me go sit by him to make sure he wasn't misbehaving.  

He had absolutely no idea what to do.  I start helping him with his long division.  Once I started, I actually remembered how to do it.  I start explaining the problem 48/3.  In order to explain division I had to use some words that apparently they don't know, like subtraction.  After I guide him through the first problem and then look over at him and for the second time today gave me the deer in the headlights look.  Awesome!  I came to teach in the UK because I though I would be able to understand them and they would be able to understand me, and so far today I have been 0/2 on helping students.  I try helping him again on the next problem adjusting some of the words I use.  He kinda gets it now.  I tell him that he is doing a great job and to keep working hard.  He gives me a big smile and his whole face lights up.  I don't think he gets praise much in that class.  The teacher yells too much.  He shows all of his finished problems to the teacher.  She asks "What have you done here?  What is this?"  Dang it!  I just knew it was my fault.  They do division a little differently here and I just helped him do division wrong.  Well I really don't know how to do division another way, so I was sent to the hall to work on a bulletin board.  I tried to help all of the students I could.  Some actually liked my division better! Ha!

Well, every day is a learning experience and today I learned a lot.  First, that my teacher yells way too much, probably from her lack of procedures, rules, and classroom management.  Second, just because I an in the UK and the people speak english, it doesn't mean that I will actually understand them. Finally,  division should be taught the same way everywhere.  

Now off to prepare myself for 3 different countries in 9 days!  Ta and Cheers!