It was my first full week of teaching this week. Well I guess not quite because Wednesday was Independence Day and therefore a day off. But, I won't be teaching any regular classes on Wednesdays this semester so the week was pretty similar to what it's going to be. My regular classes teaching schedule is looking like the following (for this semester):
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | ||
1 | 7:30 – 8:15 | 5A | ||||
2 | 8:25 – 9:10 | 6A | 12 | 6A | ||
3 | 9:20 – 10:05 | 6A | 5B | |||
4 | 10:25 – 11:10 | 5A | 5B | |||
5 | 11:20 – 12:05 | 5B | 6A | 5B | 5A | |
6 | 12:15 – 13:00 | 12 | 6A Class Hour | 5A | ||
7 | 13:10 – 13:55 | Tutoring 12A |
The 12th class also has English 2nd and 3rd hours on Tuesday which I will occasionally help with. Also, all of these classes are being team taught with my counterpart. So far it is going just fine. We seem to mesh well together which is awesome. She tends to teach more of the grammar (as there often needs to be a Bulgarian explanation) and I tend to teach the vocabulary, writing, and pronunciation. We both do the dialogues together. My counterpart created and implemented the first test (placement test) and we will grade them together. I have also implemented writing journals with our 6A class which they will write in at least 2 times each week. They tend to do a great deal of scripted work so it will be fun to see what they can do with the language they have and how they will be able to improve over the course of the year (and potentially next year if I teach them again).
The whole school system here in Bulgaria is so different than what I'm used to that I'm just trying to understand what needs to be done, where it needs to be done, and when. There also seems to be a bigger focus on yearly plans than plans for each individual lesson with each class relying almost completely on the book curriculum. I'm trying to model my teaching after my counterpart at this time in order to see what works and what doesn't quite work with the books we are using and the students in the classes. The school I teach at is a 1-12 school with a focus on the arts. All of the students in my 5A class are singers and all of the students in 5B (pronounced "v") are dancers. The 12th class is mainly dancers (traditional Bulgarian folklore) as well. I know these students are creative, I just need to find out what makes them want to learn English the most (they are quite a few students who are just lazy).
Well that's about all for this post, here are a few photos:
Me with one of the 5th grade classes:
Me with the same students:
Some drawings the 5th graders made of themselves:
Some drawings the 6A class made of themselves:
Sliven in the morning from from my apartment:
Sliven at night from my apartment:
Sounds great! I think you're going to do wonderfully and your city is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteYou look so professional in front of the class!! Great pics!! What are you doing with all of the "down-time" in your daily schedule?? Any daily routines starting to emerge? What have you been cooking for yourself? Are you used to showering over your toilet yet?? We think of you often! Had a great visit from your mom this weekend. She took care of us, actually. In fine Cynthia Martens style!! <3 BRCQ
ReplyDeleteThanks guys. All my "down time" is spent hanging out at school in the mornings, usually reading something or another. Then I run errands or do Bulgarian lessons in the afternoon. Afterwards I usually eat a late lunch, early dinner and then I go online. I'm going to start doing yoga twice a week I think plus my extracurricular things will start up in October so I'll have less free time. Oh, and there's always lesson planning.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not a fan of showering next to the toilet but I'm used to it now. Oh, how I wish I had a bathtub. When I come back that is the first thing I'm looking for in places to live, nice bathtub. For daily routines it's mainly all around what time I need to be at school, down time in the late afternoon, some sort of online entertainment, reading, incense, bed. I'll give it a few more weeks when I actually am set on my school teaching times and classes (after school included). Thanks for the questions!
I think of you guys a lot as well! My mom told me she went up there to stay with you, sounds like fun. Wish I could visit. We should skype sometime!