In Kuwait I will be teaching 6th grade English. My student population will be made up of Kuwaiti students. The school uses a US curriculum and almost all classes are taught in English.
So, sixth graders in Kuwait. Pros? Many are eager to please. Cons? Many are eager to please and need a lot of positive reinforcement. Here, students call teachers either Miss (First name) or Mr. (First name) but, for the most part, it's a lot of Miss, Miss, Miss.....and I find it quite distressful. They blurt out MISS first, then raise their hand, then say Miss as many times as they feel needed until they have their needs attended to. I'm not sure how I will deal with this, but I will find a way. They have developed this habit over time, I just am not sure why others have permitted it.
Unfortunately for the students, lockers weren't available and these poor lil tikes had to lug huge, heavy backpacks all through school. As expected, there were lots of details to sort out over the span of the first week for everyone concerned: staff, students, and administrators equally.
There are so many wonderful things going on in my life, yet, my 3 weeks here seem to be much longer. At times, I feel like it's surreal. The sand everywhere, the heat, the wind, and the color tan is EVERYWHERE! When I have time I will take pictures of buildings and places around here. Food may have the same label as in the US and other places around the world, but the taste isn't the same.
I spend so much time thinking about my job. Mostly in a good way, too! This is such a change from my last job. I am the grade co-ordinator for 6th grade. The con to this is it's my job to deal with discipline issues at hand. A pro is that I get to set the tone for the transition for these students. Time will tell if, indeed, they chose an appropriate person for this position. One thing that interests me is that I'm being allowed to see what others see in me, that I have failed to see in myself. I am trying to not let the past cloud the present. This, in itself, is a great experience and lesson for me!
More later!
So, sixth graders in Kuwait. Pros? Many are eager to please. Cons? Many are eager to please and need a lot of positive reinforcement. Here, students call teachers either Miss (First name) or Mr. (First name) but, for the most part, it's a lot of Miss, Miss, Miss.....and I find it quite distressful. They blurt out MISS first, then raise their hand, then say Miss as many times as they feel needed until they have their needs attended to. I'm not sure how I will deal with this, but I will find a way. They have developed this habit over time, I just am not sure why others have permitted it.
Unfortunately for the students, lockers weren't available and these poor lil tikes had to lug huge, heavy backpacks all through school. As expected, there were lots of details to sort out over the span of the first week for everyone concerned: staff, students, and administrators equally.
There are so many wonderful things going on in my life, yet, my 3 weeks here seem to be much longer. At times, I feel like it's surreal. The sand everywhere, the heat, the wind, and the color tan is EVERYWHERE! When I have time I will take pictures of buildings and places around here. Food may have the same label as in the US and other places around the world, but the taste isn't the same.
I spend so much time thinking about my job. Mostly in a good way, too! This is such a change from my last job. I am the grade co-ordinator for 6th grade. The con to this is it's my job to deal with discipline issues at hand. A pro is that I get to set the tone for the transition for these students. Time will tell if, indeed, they chose an appropriate person for this position. One thing that interests me is that I'm being allowed to see what others see in me, that I have failed to see in myself. I am trying to not let the past cloud the present. This, in itself, is a great experience and lesson for me!
More later!
So, today was the first day of school. I don't think there were too many "typical" student stereotypes there that weren't represented. Which means, pretty much, that the kids here are "normal".....lol
ReplyDeleteOur school uniforms are not here so students are wearing navy blue pants/skirts and white shirts/blouses. The girls were really excited this morning and wanted to start school before the bell rang! How refreshing. Break time is held (for the most part) in shade but in the heat. This reminds me of my days spent in the Philippines. It is a bit different having segregated floors. But, at 6th grade, it seems fine. I have my office on the boys' floor, so I flit between the two. I share my rooms with other teachers. So, I have to cart my things back and forth. I also have an ESL teacher for some of my students. They work in a very small group with her. My school is a bit rustic in appearance but it's filled with hearts of gold! More pics to follow soon!