We’re now officially teachers

It was such a busy week that I’ve missed blogging for a few days.  I was preparing for all the different levels that I am teaching. Now we’ve both had our first classes so I’m a little better oriented.  I’ll let Jerry blog about his experiences.  For the most part it was great, the kids are wonderful and don’t know quite what to do with a teacher that doesn’t speak their language.  You should see the pantomiming that goes on when they try to convince me they have to go to the bathroom right after their ten minute break. I’ve said yes a few times because I’m not really sure whether they are “conning” me or not and I don’t need an accident in the classroom!!!!  Classes are 40 minutes long with a ten minute break after each class.  Not hard to tell when it’s break time, the students watch the time down to the second.  There isn’t a bell so everyone just has to be on top of their schedules.  We meet our van at 7:30 and get to school about 8:00.  Classes start at 8:30 until 4:30.  We’re home by 5:30. .We don’t have any classes on Friday so today we are off, not sure if that will last or not.  I have 9 classes which took me all week to prepare for.  I also go into some of the other classes to see how the other teachers handle their classes which has been very helpful.  Now for the response to the “for the most part”.   One of my first grade classes is quite difficult to manage.  As soon as they figured out I couldn’t understand what they were saying some of them decided they could talk or do whatever they wanted.  I was relieved to hear that it wasn’t just me.  The other teachers are having challenges with this class.  After several attempts to quiet them down I went on with the ones who wanted to learn and finished the lesson.  I’m going to suggest that the other English teacher who has the class and I team teach in that room.  There are 24 kids and when you start checking on someone’s work you can lose control quickly.  Hopefully team teaching will help.

The kids are all at different levels with English.  Some grew up in English speaking households and are very good speakers.  Sedefsu, the little girl I met last weekend, speaks great English and was my “helper” in kindergarten.  Her mother, Sibel, loaned me some great books to read to the class.  Even though only a couple know the words that I’m reading they can understand the story with the pictures.   I’m going to try Dr Suess’s Green Eggs and Ham next week. 

The other news is that we got our residency permits yesterday.  We can officially stay in the country until next Sept.  That was an important part of working here.  Otherwise we were only on 3 month visas.  The weather is still beautiful but we can tell fall is coming soon.   We have a week break the middle of November and we’re trying to figure out where to go.  It is a very important Muslim holiday so we’re thinking of going to Italy even though the weather won’t be great.  We can fly out of Ankara which is only an hour and a half away.