First Days of School!

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The first two days were supposed to be very easy as we weren't expecting any (zero!) children to show up. However, we actually ended up with quite a few students (and parents) coming. I taught my heart out and experienced an extremely demanding foreign educational environment!

To begin, my school is an all boys school (1st grade - 5th) and all male staff. The week runs from Sunday - Thursday and the day starts at 7:30am. Although I have not seen it yet, there is a morning assembly in the semi-covered courtyard that lasts 15 minutes and all of the students do exercises and read the Qur'an.

The class schedule is broken up into seven 45 minute periods. There are Arabic teachers and licensed English teachers (myself and 9 other men) My first three periods are spent with one of my first grade classes (I have two). The kids speak no/ very little English. They do, however, know their letters, numbers, and a few colors. The boys are VERY active and talkative and are not used to school structure.

There is a brief 15 minute lunch/breakfast break @ 9:15 am. Students are given pre-boxed lunches that include some type of bread and cheese wrap, fruit, a desert or two, and juice (YUM lol). During this first week the food was brought to our classrooms. Teachers are also provided this delicious boxed meal (lol).

After teaching three periods we are supposed to get 4th period off (this didn't happen the first day). There is a 15 minute recess which only lasted 5 minutes the first day. There was also a school candy man who came around with a basket of candy and randomly gave them to the boys during my lesson (sugar is not very helpful). School day ended at 1pm this first week, but will end at 1:30 normally.

So there's the basics. This will be a very challenging experience. I won't post the whole truth online, but those close to me will get to know just how amazingly challenging and rewarding this experience will be...so keep in touch via Skype, FB, phone calls or text.

STAY TUNED!