Our first week of teaching is over.
(Long breath).
Chris tells me that no one who has tried teaching ever says that they are overpaid. I would not say that, either. It takes an incredible amount of skill and discipline to teach well, and the learning curve has been steep for me this week.
Today was a little more organized than yesterday, although morning ceremony is killing our first class. We had less than 30 minutes for our first class again today and they are getting so far behind (and its only the second “real day” of school).
It’s interesting, but I feel like Tom has an automatic command of the class that I can’t attain because he is male, he is very tall, and he has facial hair. I really think that does it for him. He can be much more soft-spoken than me and maintain discipline and order, but I feel like I have to project more and be more strict to maintain the same level of discipline. So, I applaud all those aspiring male teachers. I know male teachers can have the reputation of being push-overs too, but I think it’s easier for a male to attain respect simply by their appearance.
Already I’ve had one student tell me an assignment was unfair (“all the other teachers said we could have the entire week to number our notebooks and you just gave us one day”). On the other end of things, I’ve also had a student invite us over for dinner this weekend (which we refused because our weekend is full of visiting already).
We gave our first grade today: a graded notebook check. About 4/5ths the students had it done and received a 2/2, and no one received lower than a 1. So, hopefully people will see that we are serious now about grading homework and quizzes.
Today is what you might call the first “real” day of classes. The schedule was created and we had all five of our classes back to back, starting at 7:30 and ending at 11:25. 6th period is our “free” period and since there is no one here to prepare the teachers’ lunches at present it is left up to the teachers. So, our free hour is spent helping prepare the lunch and drinks for the teachers and collecting our thoughts.
On Tuesday the Okies will be in Rio Viejo early, ready at last to welcome 79 bright, smiling, yellow and khaki clad youngsters into our 15x15 foot, concrete block, wide-windowed, naturally lit aula; and into our 2 rules and 13 classroom procedures. Hopefully we will have a blackboard as well.
Jim Elliot once wrote to his parents:
No one warns young people to follow Adam's example. He waited till God saw his need. Then God made Adam sleep, prepared for his mate, and brought her to him. We need more of this "being asleep" in the will of God. Then we can receive what He brings us in His own time, if at all. Instead we are set as bloodhounds after a partner, considering everyone we see until our minds are so concerned with the sex problem that we can talk of nothing else when bull-session time comes around. It is true that a fellow cannot ignore women -- but he can think of them as he ought -- as sisters, not as sparring partners!
Elizabeth Elliot, Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot, p. 50.
“Ramirez needs help,” Inez explained to Kelly on Thursday. We know it is true. He is one of the hardest workers I have met in my life, but in the last couple of years a heart or lung condition has prevented him from doing as much as he desires and needs. Anytime his work requires significant exertion – anytime he walks the steep path to his field, or the 40 minutes to Inez´s pulperia or the bus stop in Las Mangas – his chest pains him and he can’t breathe well. Which makes a hard life harder.
From February 6, 2004
We (Kelly and I, and two brothers from New Hampshire named Tony and Jesse) pulled up to the path to La Moralla in the 1980s red Toyota pickup and climbed out a little sheepishly. There were about half a dozen men waiting for us at the path who had walked or ridden horse or bicycle the two miles from El Pital, and the four of us had driven the quarter mile from the other side of Las Mangas because we feared we would be late. Lazy gringos, I thought. But they welcomed us gladly nonetheless.
Tuesday, February 3
The long holidays are finally over and we have returned to school for in-school teacher seminars. I like the schedule of going to school from February 10th – November 20th and then having an extended “holiday.” I guess it works well here because there’s not much descrepancy in the seasons – it’s only wet or dry. So the idea of having a “summer” break isn’t as important since it’s pretty much summer year-round.
