The school year is slowly coming to a close. Students have finished their exams, today is the last day of their English Winter Camp, and they are trying their best to contain their excitement of not having to come to school. I don't blame them. These students study as hard as a kid in college; long, long hours. I discovered yesterday that they will get a "winter break" beginning on Friday, Christmas Eve (yes they still have school this day). They will come back in February, have their "graduation", and then go on "spring break" for two weeks. With a puzzled look on my face, I had to ask, "Didn't they just get off of vacation? And they get another?" The response I received, "Students study very hard here. They deserve it." All I could to was agree, because it is so true.
My co-teacher stopped me today after observing that I looked "gloomy". I just kind of smiled and said no, I just have a lot to do and a little time to do it. She asked me what I was working on and I shared with her that I was applying for a job upon my return to the states, still in education of course. Then she began to explain how our teaching styles are different. She told me that she noticed that I stimulate students more and that she has been impacted by the activities that I provide for them. I thanked her for her kind words. The last thing that she asked me was if I could look up books for how I teach. I explained to her that many of the things I use don't come from a book, for me it comes from what I have learned, the little bit of experience that I do have, and a lot of creativity. She said that she is always so focused on scores and students scoring high on exams and usually nothing else. My response to her was while we want students to do well and score high, if they are not stimulated by the material it will be difficult to keep and hold their attention. The things that they learn should have some kind of meaning to and for them. I told her that when she has time we could sit and discuss whatever she wanted to and that I would be more than willing to help her come up with ideas for her students.
During one of my classes yesterday I witness two boys being punished for not working and playing around. No, it was not I who issued the punishment! My co-teacher made the two boys stand with their hands behind their backs, and put a pencil in their mouth. I think they were standing for a good 30 minutes if not longer. When they still proceeded to act up, she grabbed them by their hair and thumped their foreheads. Anything goes here!
With Christmas days away, I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas, being mindful that it doesn't matter if you don't get a gift from a loved one because we have all been given the most precious gifts of all, and that is what matters most.
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