Monsy, my host sister and her best friend Catalina.
Apparently, running past the PE class this morning wasn’t the best thing I did for the students… Oops?
So things are largely going swimmingly, but lesson planning with my teachers today has reminded me that I’ve got to be clear on all of the program details. We’re here to teach listening and speaking, in a classroom of our own, with the kids to ourselves for at least 45 minutes. But one of my teachers wants me to be a literal co-teacher, with the two of us teaching everything from grammar to reading comp to speaking all in the same period with all of the kids. Now, I’m all for helping improve English as much as I can, but… not only do I doubt my ability to teach grammar all that well, it’s not what I’m meant to do. Quandary numero uno.
Enter lesson planning and fun ways to teach the grammatical structures of regret and hypotheticals, simple past, and gerunds. Also enter fun ways of teaching endangered animals, sports, aches and pains, and daily routines to middle schoolers with basic English skills. Quandary numero dos, tres, cuatro…
On the upside, I love my sixth graders, the chattiest group of classroom monkeys yet, and I think I did okay with my seniors (they’re a teeny bit harder to woo… I don’t know if I’m cool enough for them, but the way to their heart may be through English slang. Recommendations appreciated.). I’m finding I’ve got sway with the troublemaker boys and the quiet girls, which are polar opposite groups, but I’m not gonna fight it.
Last day of observation tomorrow, along with the first day of girls’ football practice! (Apparently, when you mention that you’d like to get involved with the girls’ football team, the next day you’ll have been appointed assistant coach.) Not sure when I’ll find the time or energy to keep training for this half-marathon I impulsively signed up for, but that’s for tomorrow’s worries. Tonight, some research on panda video clips and then sweet suenos.
