I was back in the classroom for my last day of observation.
I walk into the classroom and immediately put to work. I have to cut out candle flames and be an autocorrector on homework. These children did not spell "Building a Friendship Bridge" correctly, so I had to go back and add letters in.
Today was picture day. All of my cherubs came in with their nice clean uniforms and hair done up really nice. They all looked adorable. Since we had PE today, our class had pictures first. Students in my class were told to go and get any sibling they had in the building so they could take family shots. Some came back with older siblings, while others came back with younger ones.
After the sibling shots, they got to do individual shots. I was the lucky one who got to take them out in the hall and wait with them. I have a very rambunctious bunch. They were bouncing off the walls thanks to their lack of procedures and management in place. Eventually they all get though the line.
We had class wide worship when we were done by pictures. We started off by singing church songs (none that I knew, but I mouthed some random words to make it seem like I did). Then we lit a candle and had scripture and a mini lesson. Since all of my students are getting confirmed in the next few weekends, we talked about letting Jesus into our hearts and how you light up when the holy spirit enters you. To remind them of this, the students were to put together two colors of flame, glue their picture on the front, and write a prayer on the back.
PE was next on the agenda. We had to go outside because the gym was being occupied by the headmaster and Year 1 and 2 students. It was freezing outside. Children could either do football, relay races, or basketball. I was secretly hoping I could help with basketball because that is the only thing I really know something about. Luckily, the PE instructor let me have basketball. I head over to the court and realize that the basketball hoops have soccer (football) nets under them. That is where they are going to play soccer. He points me in the direction of a pole with a whole at the top and three on the sides. This was the basketball hoop. On the ground, instead of the court were circles surrounding the pole. I just went along with it and refereed the game. Even if I didn't understand the court, I still knew how the game was to be played. I think I did a pretty good job, given the circumstances. We all go back ins tide once the meeting in the gym is over. I was at the end of the line corralling the children. A worker shouts across the playground "Miss, can you help me?" I responded "Sure" and I walk toward him. Then he said that I don't think I could help him because he noticed my accent. Then he asked me why I would choose to come to Liverpool in such crappy weather. We continue gym in there. They pick up playing basketball--Still incorrectly.
From the gym, we go back to the room. The children change and I hang up all of their flames onto a bulletin board (#4 for me). Then it is time for lunch.
Picture taking was going on in our normal room, so we get shoved off into the library, which is being reconstructed. We spent our lovely 1.25 hour lunch in there freezing. The whole school was cold, and I was not dressed for it. The same guy that stopped me on the playground came into to do some work and realized the room was occupied.
I went back to my classroom early after lunch to see if there was anything I could help with. She told me that we were going to be working on Egypt booklets. I could handle that. Then she told me that I needed to work on a bulletin board with Abby, who is also in Year 4. They give us the supplies and we are off to work.
We arrive at a completely blank bulletin board. We had to put the background on, then the boarder, the title, the flames, and then decorate it the rest of the way. Literally from start to finish. This board was for confirmation. They told us what they envisioned for the board and we had to make their ideas into fruition. They wanted "Confirmation" on the top in a semi circle. It took us a while to actually get the word how we wanted it. After we were done putting that up, two different teachers walked my and told us that we spelled it wrong. I know we are from America, but I think we can spell confirmation.
That same worker guy approached us again. He asked if we knew what way someone went and then talked about how he needs to learn to multitask better. Then he begins to tell us that men need to use their 4% of estrogen that they have because it will make them better. He goes into a speech saying that women are actually superior. We didn't argue with him.
We continued with the bulletin board. Next we had to put 60 flames with the children's faces on them in the center. The teachers said they wanted it to look like a fire. I do my best to arrange the red, orange, and yellow flames to make a fire. I think I did a pretty good job. We finished the rest of the board with just 20 minutes left in the school day.
I go back to the room and help the "poorer" students (thats what my teacher refers to them as) with they Egypt fact book. I am only back a few minutes when my teacher puts me on the spot. She is pointing to a body of water and asks me what one it is. What the heck!? I could barely tell you all of the bodies of water in the united states. I stare at it for a while and she told me just to give a guess. I guessed Mediterranean Sea, and luckily I was right. All of my children clapped for me! Yay me!
We finish the day with prayer and then we are done. I talk to my teacher after class to confirm what my unit is for teaching. Both Abby and I get to teach a unit on America. Woo Hoo! That shouldn't be too bad.
The only thing that helped get through the day was the fact that I was going to see Lion King tonight. I have already seen the show before, but it was so good I couldn't wait to see it again.
It was just as good as I remembered. The costumes memorized me. I am so glad I got to see it again. Everyone I went with loved it too!
Well off to get 4 hours of sleep until I wake up for my flight for Ireland! Ta and Cheers!
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