I can't believe that I've already had my first two full work-weeks at Alba Longa! I'm happy to say that I love my job, my "co-workers" and my students! As you all already know, I work Mondays-Thursdays with students in 1° ESO and 2° ESO, the Spanish equivalents of 7th and 8th grade. I technically work 12 hours a week, with eight of those hours being split in the classroom between 1° ESO and 2° ESO and the remaining four hours being individual meetings with the teachers of the classes to talk about our classes, etc. However, I'm actually in the school about 16 hours a week, spending a little extra time planning my lessons, printing materials, preparing presentations, talking with the other teachers, etc. I help out in the bilingual program which means that the students that I teach have half of their classes in English and the other half in Spanish. My classes are English, Technology, Physical Education (which here is more than just a gym class, it's actually a mix of biology, health and gym), Math and Natural Science. Here's my schedule:
Monday: Physical Education with 1° ESO
English with 1° ESO
Natural Science with 1° ESO
Tuesday: Meeting with Rosa, the math teacher
Wednesday: Math with 1° ESO
Technology with 2° ESO
Math with 2° ESO
English with 2° ESO
Thursday: Meeting with Javier, the technology teacher
Meeting with Manolo, the physical education teacher
Meeting with Ramon, the natural science teacher
Natural Science with 2° ESO
(Lourdes is the English teacher; since she's my "boss," we don't have a weekly planning period, we usually talk about our classes together over coffee during one of the two daily "recreos" in between classes or by email.)
I really can't complain about any of my classes; truthfully, I like them all! I really like my English classes, my Physical Education class and my Math classes. For technology and natural science, I've found that I, too, need to study just like the students because it's been ages since I've studied the material myself! A lot of what I do in Technology and Natural Science is translation between the terms and ideas in Spanish into English and vice versa. Many times, Javier or Ramon have asked me "And this? Katie, how do we explain this in English?" and I have to say "Umm, let me get back to you tomorrow; I've got to look it up!" Things like mechanical pencil, t-set squares, measuring density using the metric system- all these things are new to me in Spanish let alone translating from one language to the other!
The kids are awesome; todos son encantos. They're at a good age where they're not bratty and yet they still have a lot of energy and want to learn. They're fun because we can joke around in English and Spanish, and yet they know enough about when to listen and pay attention. Maybe it's because they're excited to have a "foreign" assistant, maybe it's because it's only been two weeks- all I know is that they're really good, nice kids so far :) I know that I shouldn't have "favorites," but I do... in 1° ESO, a boy named David and a girl named Alexandra are particularly cute, always asking me millions of questions both in and out of class about my weekend, my hometown, how to say specific things, etc. The call me "teacher" and say thank you after everything... adorable! There are also two girls who are not in either of my classes (they're not part of the bilingual program) who make it a point to run into me everyday in the hallways. They always say hello and want to speak with me in English about anything in general. They're both 13 and one says that she wants to be an English teacher one day.
The teachers at IES are great, too! I was really nervous before starting work that I wouldn't feel accepted, that I'd be on the outside, etc. but all that negativity has gone completely out the window. The five teachers that I work directly with are super nice and very interested in my input, background, etc. I'm constantly asking them about Spanish grammar, etc. and they, too, always ask me to correct their English! Except for my technology class, which follows a stricter syllabus, I am able to have a lot of say as to what lessons I want to cover while I'm in the classroom. I can take as active of a role in the day's lesson as I want, which is wonderful. I do most of the talking in my English and Math classes while I play more of a supporting role in the Natural Science, Technology and Physical Education classes. I'm sure my role will continue to develop and change as the year goes on but for now, I'm pretty content. I get along with everyone really well... who knew that as an International Business and Spanish major I'd like being a teacher so much?! :)
The teachers at IES are great, too! I was really nervous before starting work that I wouldn't feel accepted, that I'd be on the outside, etc. but all that negativity has gone completely out the window. The five teachers that I work directly with are super nice and very interested in my input, background, etc. I'm constantly asking them about Spanish grammar, etc. and they, too, always ask me to correct their English! Except for my technology class, which follows a stricter syllabus, I am able to have a lot of say as to what lessons I want to cover while I'm in the classroom. I can take as active of a role in the day's lesson as I want, which is wonderful. I do most of the talking in my English and Math classes while I play more of a supporting role in the Natural Science, Technology and Physical Education classes. I'm sure my role will continue to develop and change as the year goes on but for now, I'm pretty content. I get along with everyone really well... who knew that as an International Business and Spanish major I'd like being a teacher so much?! :)
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| Cristina, me and Anais. Are my host sisters beautiful or what?! |
¡Hasta luego!
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