At my usual Thursday school, I'm getting annoyed that I'm sort of ignored sometimes (by the other teachers in the morning). I realize that they have important school things to discuss and whatnot- but I feel like it takes them forever to warm up to me...ask me how I'm doing, etc.... and while I'm teaching, I almost feel like I'm taking up their precious school time. I know for sure that they definitely don't do much English instruction without me there... and they're supposed to do it twice a week. A lot teachers, in all my schools, find it hard to take out an extra 20-30 minutes for English instruction when they need to focus on other subjects.... and I understand that they're going to teach things they feel most strong in when it comes to their extra-curricular instruction. None of the kids are tested in areas besides math and French (in terms of national testing), so similar to in the United States, things that may be listed in the curriculum or standards, but aren't tested, sort of fall by the waste-side (ie English, German, music, arts, science, etc.).
I know if Murielle were there, I probably wouldn't feel like this quite so much, but even sometimes in Anne-Laure's class, I get that feeling. I am also getting really frustrated with this school on their behavior management. Today, during lunch, I asked if they ever tried using behavior systems.... sort of test the water, see if they were open to hearing about how we do it in the US. They were like.... yeah, we've seen some before.... takes a lot of effort on the teacher's part to keep track of points or moving names... we go with the yell and punish approach... hahaha. I was like.... sort of shocked that they were so nonchalant about it. Do they not see that they're yelling at the same kids every time? They don't even explain why a kid is in trouble and work with them on what they should do the next time. One kid lied today, and the teacher just let him have it and then he wasn't allowed to go to library. He was never asked.... why did you lie?, oh because you have no glue.... well next time, ask me for glue, and don't lie. Something as simple as that could help rectify the problem the next time he needs to glue something into his notebook, but instead, he just resents the teacher.... and I can tell, already as a 6 year old, he hates school.
I also learned that the replacement, who is in the process of becoming a teacher, has no formal training. Working in schools as a replacement and learning from other teachers is her training, and thus, she will probably continue the yell and punish approach. Apparently, this way of becoming a teacher is new, but has changed in the last year. She's like in some middle group of new teachers who only need a certain amount of classroom time and the occasional in-service to learn pedagogical teaching theories and types of activities. I'm confused about the whole thing.... it appears that every teacher has had a different kind or amount of training.... but explains a lot of what I see. I know our system isn't perfect either, and isn't controlled at a national level like it is in France.... but they need to scrap the current system of how to become a teacher and mainstream it for a longer period of time than keeping something in place for 1-2 years! Seems nuts to change your pre-service teacher standards so frequently! (And to go from much higher standards to much lower standards...)
Anyway.... after talking with them at lunch, I was just ready to get home. It was cold outside and I wasn't looking forward to going to another school. When I got home it snowed really hard (nothing sticking), and I felt even less like going. But.... once I got there, I had a great time. I worked with a teacher I've only met once and she was great. I'd say she's in her mid-late 30's and she took notes on everything I did. I felt needed again:) And her kids were so excited to ask questions about the US (yep, got the "Do you see the stars?" question a few times), and they enjoyed learning about breakfast food....
It was a good lesson because a few items that we eat for breakfast, the French have started eating in recent years.... cereal, pancakes, bacon.... so the kids picked up on the vocabulary easily. They don't ever eat pancakes or bacon for breakfast, but they do eat cereal, yogurt, fruit, and pastries for breakfast, if they eat it at all. They were shocked that we would even consider firing up the stove in the morning.... or that we would eat eggs and bacon so early in the morning. They just aren't morning eaters! I was going to add oatmeal and grits to my list, but that would have been way too foreign a concept:) Hot food for breakfast? What are you nuts? (However, they think it's hilarious that we rarely eat hot lunches.... at least for kids at school who bring in sandwiches. What do you mean they can't use the microwave at lunch time if they bring their food?) I also explained pb&j (because they asked if I ate peanuts and laughed for some reason.... I was like, yes, and we eat peanut butter... on a lot of things). I once again got really shocked faces.... you put what with what? It's so funny that something so normal to us (pb&j) is so strange to them:)
Both teachers and classes I worked with were very thankful for me taking time out to come teach lessons and said that it was just what they were hoping for.... so it made me feel really good:) So- I guess I'll be doing my "double" until the March vacation.... and then Murielle will back after that...and I won't need my second school as a spirit-lifter, hopefully....
This afternoon I'll be lounging, making more materials (somehow I'm teaching emotions, age, body parts, clothes, snowmen, food, school supplies, and recipes all at the same time.... if only I could figure out a subject that all the teachers want to do at the same time....), and video chatting with some friends! Yay! Tonight starts my weekend:)
Reste cool:)
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