Teaching Week 1: Matilda, Indiana Jones, and America

Monday June 9

My first real day in the classroom. Mondays are quite different. But I think the children are finally accepting me.

I walked in the room and was hug attacked by all of the children. I was so happy.

We started off the day in morning assembly. All of the grades gather in the gym and the principal talks to all of the students. I don't know why, but the gathering reminded me of the scene in Matilda where Bruce had to eat the cake. There was no cake, but the students were presented with awards from their athletics competition. I had several cherubs receive awards for that. He also did a mini bible lesson.

Once dismissed, we had our own bible lesson. Today we talked about The Parable of the Lost Sheep. The children listened and then got to act out the parts (shepherd, lost sheep, and other sheep). The children were divided into groups of 5 or 6 and acted away. I was told to keep watch. They went crazy. I had 'sheep' baaing all over the room and 'shepherds' carrying their 'lost sheep' back to the heard. It was utter chaos. Each cherub had a chance to play every part. I had to go around asking them how they felt playing each part.

Maths lesson was next. Working with decimals this time. There is not much to screw up there. Thank goodness! I was assigned to the lower group again. They are really smart. If they were in America, they would be on grade level, but the others in the class are above grade level, which is expected. I just had to explain some things better and they got it no problem. Some of them even said it was their first time finishing their homework.

Lunch passed. After lunch, they went to the other Year 4 classroom and sang songs until the priest and bishop showed up. Some children had to go to a confirmation meeting.

After that we went to play time (recess) for the third time. I went outside this time because the sun was shining. I just told them I wasn't dressed appropriately and I said maybe some other time.

After play time, the children worked on their Egypt books. I got to wander the classroom and chat with the cherubs. I also had to cut out sarcophagus for the children. I mistakenly started literally cutting out the sarcophagus and my teacher yelled at me and told me that I was only to cut out part of it, leaving the boarder in tact. Two girls kept asking me questions. They asked if I had met Indiana Jones. I had to crush their dreams and tell them Indiana Jones was not a real person. They were actually devastated. They asked me how to say different things like 'naughty' or what I call chips and crisps. They were quite amused with that.

Not much to their days, but it was pretty good.

Tuesday June 10

We started the day again with collective worship. Today we talked about the Prodigal Son. They read the parable, takes about it, and prayed about it.

Next was maths. They worked with money decimals today. Ordering and adding decimals with money. I wasn't placed with the lowest group today, but the second lowest. I liked working with them. I just had a group of 4. It was nice. Dr. P showed up while I was working with them. He didn't stay long. That was fine. I don't know if I help them too much, or I am a better explainer than my teacher, but the children seem to understand it when I teach them individually or in small groups.

Lunch time.

I came back to the room and was assigned to work with the cherubs at the painting station for their Egypt books. I was given instructions on what to do and I was expected to do it. The cherubs were creating their own postcards. It was supposed to look like a sun setting on the pyramids. I had to mix red and yellow paint to get a lovely orange color. Then I had to lay newspapers on the table to cover up any potential messes (there were a lot). Then my teacher sent over students to begin their painting. It was supposed to be like orange ombre, but it ended up entirely orange. Whatever. Then they had to cut out pyramids. Sounds simple right, wrong. They were really struggling with that. I had them fold the paper and cut off the corners and then when it unfolded, it would be a triangle. Well that didn't quite work. Then we had to glue the pyramids to the soaking wet paper. And then glue the message to the back. This took a really long time.

Afternoon playtime. I went outside with the children. My children came running to me and wanted to play the hand game Down By the Bank. It is really simple. I remember learning it in girl scouts. They really love it. More cherubs from other classes join in too. It is fun.

After break, all the other cherubs had to paint. I picked the groups and had them just paint instead of doing the whole thing. That went a lot quicker.

Clean up time. Prayer. End of the day.

Wednesday June 11

We started with maths as soon as the bell rang at the beginning of the day. Working on the same things we did yesterday. I had to work with the lowest group again. It is just that they are really slow, not necessarily that they don't understand it. I really had to be on top of some of them so they would work.

I went out for first play time with the kids. I started playing down by the bank then they wanted to play little Sally Walker. I didn't know how to play, so I just stood back. While standing back, a little girl took my hand. She asked if we could walk around the playground. We walked for a while. While I was walking on the Yellow Brick Road with the little girl, some boys joined in playing little Sally Walker. One of the boys in my class had to copy one of the girls who did the splits. He ended up ripping his pants while attempting the splits.

After play time, a computer tech came in the room and my teacher told me to get up in front of the class and talk about what I will be teaching them. I told them I would be teaching 5 lessons on America. They all seemed pretty excited. Then I asked them if they had any questions. Boy did they! Almost every student's hand shot up. Most of the questions they had, I could answer with, "I will talk about that in one of the later lessons". That satisfied them. One cherub asked if Springfield from the Simpsons was real. I told him that there is a city called Springfield, but people with yellow skin do not live there. While this was happening, Dr.P walks in. Great! He sits down and starts listening. my teacher finally finishes up and tells Dr. P that I was just filling in while she was busy and that I was not teaching a real lesson. Whew!

Then she did a reading of a book, I guess you could call it that, over the World Cup. Each day, at 8:00 the author publishes a new chapter in the book. It includes details from the past nights games and includes a mystery. It was actually pretty good. I got asked to sit between Katie and Christian because Christian was being bad. Then we quickly headed to meet an author that came to visit the school. She has written many scary books. Her name was Cathy M something. She wrote 'The Other Me'. A movie about it is coming out soon. She got the children really excited.

After lunch, we headed back in with the author. She had the children come up with some scary situations. Once we got back in the classroom, the children were to write down their scary ideas so they could write a story about them later.

I stayed inside for this playtime because my teacher wanted to look over my lesson plan. I really didn't have it completely done, but she looked at it anyways. I don't think she particularly liked it, or even me for that matter. She is really scary and mean. She told me that she doesn't think that I will be able to get the whole lesson done.

The children came back in for their RE lesson. Their church lesson thing. Todays topic--Sin. After my teacher stopped talking, it was time for the children to reflect about what sin was and how you could build a bridge of friendship after you have sinned against another person and God. I walked around and observed the children as they worked. Some were very good and hardworking, and others were not.

Thursday June 12

Last day in the classroom for this week and I have to teach! Eeek! Not ready for this, but it doesn't matter. Its fine. I got this. Not really, but I have to do it anyways.

My teacher started checking RE books for the sin passages the children were supposed to write. The queue from her desk started growing. She barked at me asking if I knew what the assignment was. I told her the requirements and she had me start checking the books too. The students came over to me because they thought I would be an easier grader. I probably was, my teacher is really strict. After I check all of their RE books, the health teacher comes in.  

We sat in a circle, like we normal do and discuss change. We discussed how some change is welcome and some change is not welcome. The children had to talk about different changes they could encounter. Many talked about moving house or losing pet. I like the health teacher. She is friendly.

Play time. I went outside with the children. Like normal, I just played and watched them play. Time to go back in. PE class time. Thank goodness. I like the PE teacher too. Very nice and I don't have to do much.

In PE today, we played football because it marked the first day of the World Cup. The children were split into 5 groups with different color bibs (jerseys). They then had to choose a country flag with colors that matchesd their bib. The blue team choose USA. The PE teacher looked at me and I threw a fist victoriously in the air. During the games, The USA team would chant USA USA USA. It was pretty funny. We played several games inside. The children got really into it. The PE teacher and I talked for a little bit about how the children are super competitive about football because they all are on the same playing field. He asked if any sport was like that in America. PE finished and the students went back to the room and changed. 

Lunch time. The best part of the day. I sat and ate for 30 minutes. I was about ready to head toward my classroom to set up for the lesson, my teacher pops her head into our lunch room and told me that she was going into the classroom and I should follow her. I followed. 

I had a prezi that I wanted and needed to show for my lesson. I brought my laptop over so we could plug in into the projector. The tries different USB cords and nothing works. They she tries reconnecting the things to the computer to see which ones controlled what. We finally find the correct plug, but my computer doesn't have a place for that plug. Luckily, I did a prezi on a website, so I could pull it up anywhere. The computer moved so stinking slow!  But it eventually pulled up my presentation. My teacher then proceeds to tell me that she will be sitting in on my lesson. I absolutely did not want her in there, but I wasn't going to argue. I practices what I was going to say until the children came in. 

When they came in, they all asked if I was teaching now. And they cheered when I told them yes. I was so darn nervous. My teacher had a few things to collect and finish up, so she used my time for that. I needed that time. Eventually, I was up. 

I began by writing the WALT on the board (We Are Learning To). I literally just made it up because my teacher told me I needed one. I then began in on my all about me presentation. They were all listening very well. When I showed them pictures of my cats they all started talking about which one was their favorite. I regained their attention and continued. When I showed them the Biltmore and told them that it had 250 rooms. They again started talking. 

Once all about me was done, I moved onto KWL. I asked them what they knew about Indiana. They said a lot of random things. Then on to what you want to know. They said things like climate, feativals, gun laws, height of people, etc. they were all reall getting into it. They all had their hands up wantig to talk. 

Now about Indiana. I got through all of my facts and they were pretty good. I began talking about the project I wanted them to do. I explained the directions and sent some off for laptops. Mrs. Bennett pulled me aside and told me not to let the children turn on the laptops because it was almost time for afternoon play. 

Back in the classroom after break, I had everyone begin their projects. The laptops sucked and wouldn't work, so the students didn't get much accomplished. I was a little sad because I wanted them to get it done. Some children just didn't do their work. They were distracted. I kept putting them back on task. I think I made the fact sheet too hard too because hey kept asking me questions. They didn't know what I type in or even look for. I felt like that part was a failure.  

With 5 minutes left of class, my teacher told me to go make photo copies of all of the sheets so the children could take them home and work on them. I collected the sheets and made my way to the copier. I just stood there not knowing what buttons to press. I went back to the classroom and told my teacher that I wouldn't have enough time to print them all and then cut them all. She told me I would have time, so she sent me back to the printer with blank paper. I went to the office and asked the secretary if she could help me make photo copies. She said no because she was busy. She told me to find my helping teacher. As soon as I stepped out of the office, I found Miss. Kelly, out classroom aid. I asked her. Thank goodness she helped me make copies. I think I really looked deaparate. I got everything copied and I made my way back to the classroom. I handed the papers back to my students as the bell rang. 

They all left and I went up to my teacher to ask her how she thought it went. She said I told you so, referring to not having enough time for my lesson. I would have had time if the laptops worked. I left right after that because she makes me so mad.

Barcelona bound!  Ta and Cheers!