Since my last post was a kind-of downer about finding housing, I’m now going to write about how STOKED I am for my school. And let me be the first to say, I honestly cannot believe it took me longer to write this school blog than it took me to write mine last year.
But first, I’m just going to leave these here because everyone needs to vote: www.votesaveamerica.com https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org As I explained in my last blog, my year, school included, didn’t start off too smoothly. For the first three and a half weeks – until last Wednesday – every day, every class period went something like this: Me: *runs to my coordinator’s office* “Hi! Where should I go?” Coordinator: “Umm, I’m sorry I still don’t have the teachers’ schedules” Me: *smiles painstakingly* Coordinator: “Go up to [insert classroom here] and ask?” Me: *runs to classroom* “Hi, sorry for interrupting, do you have English this hour?” Teacher: “No, I’m sorry” Me: “Okay! Sorry again, thanks!” Me: *goes to next door* “Hi, sorry for interrupting, do you have English this hour?” Teacher: “No, I’m sorry” Andddd REPEAT until a teacher would say yes, they had English. At that point, I would slink in, ten minutes late, and look at the teacher awaiting their lead. In the best classes, the teacher would have a lesson planned that I could help with. In the most difficult classes, the teacher would insist that I lead the class – and sometimes even leave the room even though that’s not allowed – and despite me not having known I’d be there until that very moment. I made do, but it wasn’t ideal. Besides that, I loved my school right away. The teachers and staff are clearly incredibly friendly and helpful as I wrote about in my last blog. A lot of the faculty are runners and have promised to show me good trails and parks! Everyone has been welcoming. A little bit about what the school is like: it’s located in a working class neighborhood in Las Palmas and is comprised of many families who immigrated to the Canaries. Each grade level has two classes (divided into Class A and Class B) and it was the first school on the island to have a bilingual program. The bilingual program on the rest of the islands is actually basedoff of my school’s program and many of my friends have told me their schools always talks about my school as the beacon of bilingualism. This cracked me up a little at the beginning, because almost all of my friends had schedules and yet this epicenter of organized English learning did not have class schedules for teachers or for auxiliars. But I digress, that’s been fixed. My school doesn’t use textbooks (except in math, I believe), but rather have a theme for each year and the teachers use the theme to plan various activities and learning objectives relating each subject to the theme. This year, the theme is both interesting and challenging: immigration. They’ve based it in Alice in Wonderland, but they chose the theme because they were selected as part of a grant program that is uniting six schools across Europe who, over the next three years, will be visiting each school and doing a kind of learning exchange. We will be the first school visited, representatives from the schools in Greece, Italy, Northern Ireland, England, and Lithuania will soon be here! The difference between my experience this year from last year is that of night and day. The English level of the students is extremely high here. I don’t know exactly the percentage, but a large portion of their day is in English. They are engaged in class and most try really hard to communicate in English with both me and their teachers. The teachers’ standards are also high and, while challenging for the students, it seems to me that, in the end, the students like to be held accountable. The teachers even always speak English to the students (except occasions with the littlest ones where they need a telling-off or a serious conversation that will only come through in Spanish). I teach both classes of 4-year-olds and then each class of 1stthrough 4thgrade and I have one group of 5thgrade. This group of 5thgraders just put on an entire play in English about the human immune system. In English. When school started just over a month ago. To say I was impressed would be a major understatement. For me, teaching these groups of students means two major things: First, I’m only teaching one grade level at a time. Though of course different students are at different levels within each class, my experiences last year of trying to teach a 1stgrader at the same time you teach a 6thgrader or even 1stand 2ndgraders at the same time etc. was way more challenging than it has been to differentiate for within just 5thgraders or just 2ndgraders etc. This means I spend way less time trying to get everyone on the same page and way more time enjoying English conversation and activities with the students. Second, I have class with most of my students twice a week with the exception of the two groups of 4-year-olds and the one group of 5thgraders, who I see once a week. That’s a huge difference from the maximum once every two weeks and minimum once a month (sometimes even less) I saw my students last year. This makes all the difference in the world for me as a Teacher’s Assistant (aka auxiliar aka TA). The students remember what we talked about last class and we are all building a classroom culture and relationship together. Last year, I felt like I had almost zero control of that because of how little I saw my students and how many different teachers I worked with. I’m already better with most of my students names than I was in February last year – and not for lack of trying. The biggest [related] difference, however, is that it’s only one school. I repeat: ONLY ONE. And yeah, yeah I know it was “one school, just seven villages” but do you have any idea how nice it is to be in the same school every day??? Even when I don’t have class with my kids, I see them outside and in the hallway. The majority of the students already know my name! And the great thing is, if they don’t know, they don’t hesitate to ask me. Note: I don’t want to, in any way, be a damper on the pueblos. I learned so much last year and I’m grateful that Spain doesn’t just put the TAs in schools with the most resources. I did and do have such a deep fondness and love for the pueblos last year. Plus I had adventures I could never have had anywhere else. This year is just easier in every way. For example, last year, the students (and even some teachers) often commented on my short hair – saying I should grow it out or going as far as to say I was ugly with short hair. This isn’t a big deal and I’m confident enough to wear, and like, my hair however I want it, but it’s a downer of a work environment. In contrast, when I walk into class I am often greeted by students running up to hug me then saying “Ms. Jordan you are BEAUUUUUTIFUL!” Again, I’m not waiting on 7-year-olds to tell me I’m pretty, but it makes a big difference in the work vibe. Through everything, the biggest thing with having one school and seeing my students in class once or twice a week and then EVERY DAY in the hallway is that I think it humanizes me, as described above, and it definitely helps me get to know and humanize them even more. I’m getting to know their personalities and thus am already figuring out what encourages or discourages different students. I’m learning about their siblings, where their families are from, and so much more. I tell them they’re smart and thoughtful and they actually believe me. In turn, they’re getting to know me better too and we all work better together. The teachers I work with are fundamental to this exchange. No teacher has spoken to me in Spanish in front of the kids and each of them makes it clear to their classes that the same level of respect given to the main teacher, is given to me. Basically, I’m so happy to go to school everyday. That is not to say that there aren’t classes or students that are more difficult than others, because of course there are. And there are still classes or days where I feel overwhelmed and like all I’m doing is classroom control or days where I wonder why exactly I’m there, but overall? It seems productive for everyone and I’m very much enjoying myself. Other little things that made a big difference:
While finding an apartment wasn’t the easiest, I’m so grateful to be having this school experience and am looking forward to more joys and challenges of the year ahead.
2 Comments
Molly King
10/23/2018 03:04:15 pm
So excited for you!! This sounds amazing! (Especially the coffee in the teacher's lounge!!) ☕️
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Jordan
10/24/2018 03:21:01 pm
Thanks Molly! It is GREAT!
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November 2018
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