Well, it's been a week or so. So here it goes.
Last week was rather frustrating dealing with expectations for lesson plans, books, etc. Why frustrating? Because information is not always given in the beginning but after you have done it wrong. Yep, that's right! No one said there was a particular lesson plan template until I turned my plans in and they were different. Oops! Maybe you should have told me. Anyway, we had a meeting and got that all sorted out! Now my plans are on a template and have all the information they wanted.
Next is books. While this may sound simple, it is NOT here in the UAE. The right hand doesn't always tell the left hand what is going on. So, the first week of school, the girls are given a bag with books in them. There are about 6 Arabic books and 2 Math books. Obviously, I will be using the Math books so the girls take them out and we store them on the shelves. Next, we are given 3 blank Exercise books. These are for students to write in as their portfolio (I assume assessments at the end of a theme or unit...WRONG!!). After a parent asks Mrs. Fatima about the girl's book, she tells me that these books are for daily/weekly student work. Oh, ok. Now, I will use them as they were intended. Again, you should have told me this to begin with. Ah, but it's not over yet. Mrs. Badrya comes and asks me to the students English, Math and Science books. I give her the Exercise books that I assume she is refering to. NOPE! She wants the books provided by ADEC. I look at her confused. I don't know what she is talking about. By the way, she is speaking broken English and so am I. I finally figure out she is refering to the Math books given in the bags. So I give her the Math books and now she wants English and Science. I repeatedly tell her there are none. She seems confused now and leaves my room. I have no idea what will happen with that. But basically, we have Math books but no English and Science books to teach from and the administration did not know this. Right hand, left hand. So, we teach what we know and use resources that we have personally brought or what limited resources may be in the Resource room.
It is nice to get back to the basics at school, but I definitely miss some textbooks.
Last week was rather frustrating dealing with expectations for lesson plans, books, etc. Why frustrating? Because information is not always given in the beginning but after you have done it wrong. Yep, that's right! No one said there was a particular lesson plan template until I turned my plans in and they were different. Oops! Maybe you should have told me. Anyway, we had a meeting and got that all sorted out! Now my plans are on a template and have all the information they wanted.
Next is books. While this may sound simple, it is NOT here in the UAE. The right hand doesn't always tell the left hand what is going on. So, the first week of school, the girls are given a bag with books in them. There are about 6 Arabic books and 2 Math books. Obviously, I will be using the Math books so the girls take them out and we store them on the shelves. Next, we are given 3 blank Exercise books. These are for students to write in as their portfolio (I assume assessments at the end of a theme or unit...WRONG!!). After a parent asks Mrs. Fatima about the girl's book, she tells me that these books are for daily/weekly student work. Oh, ok. Now, I will use them as they were intended. Again, you should have told me this to begin with. Ah, but it's not over yet. Mrs. Badrya comes and asks me to the students English, Math and Science books. I give her the Exercise books that I assume she is refering to. NOPE! She wants the books provided by ADEC. I look at her confused. I don't know what she is talking about. By the way, she is speaking broken English and so am I. I finally figure out she is refering to the Math books given in the bags. So I give her the Math books and now she wants English and Science. I repeatedly tell her there are none. She seems confused now and leaves my room. I have no idea what will happen with that. But basically, we have Math books but no English and Science books to teach from and the administration did not know this. Right hand, left hand. So, we teach what we know and use resources that we have personally brought or what limited resources may be in the Resource room.
It is nice to get back to the basics at school, but I definitely miss some textbooks.
yeah, the no textbooks thing has gotten to me also. I was told to use Oasis Living with my Cycle three girls, but sometimes there are articles in the magazine that I think cross the line for their culture, and also it is written way beyond what my girls are able to read. What's a teacher to do? I am printing short reading comprehension stories from the internet and making copies. Thank God for the internet..
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