Teaching Backwards

Teaching has been a challenge for me. Big time. In America I have been trained so much. I have more training than most because of all the districts I have been in and have been so luckily to be trained in many programs. I've also learned how to teach and rely hugely on technology. We use iPads, MacBooks, smart boards, projectors, document cameras and google everything. By the way I love google apps they are incredible in the classroom. Okay so that being said: now take it all away. Strip the classroom literally down to desks and a chalkboard. In addition take all that training and try to unlearn it. Take all methodology of how you teach in America and toss it out the window and try to teach soley with the main goal to be speaking. In addition take an upper grade teacher and give them first grade curriculum. Holy hell. It is hard. I honestly think it would be easier if I had no training and no experience. It is so hard!

It's been a few weeks now and I am still getting new students every day which makes things even more difficult. My saving grace is the really adorable kids I have. 

As hard as this has been for me I'm putting my all into it to try and keep those kids engaged. Which in itself is a challenge. They go to school all day long and then come to English school for three more hours! Some of them are only 6! Speaking of which talk about the need to differentiate! I have some kids who can read and speak wonderfully and some who can't read at all. My classes are on average 10 kids with Wednesday being my biggest class of about 15. Now factor in that some kids are 12 in the same class with the 6 year olds all learning first grade curriculum. Getting a 12 year old to be engaged in curriculum about a cat eating jam: near impossible. 

The point: it's hard.

But no one said it would be easy. At least most of them are smiling. 

Here's to the weekend!