I've been in Georgia for just over three months now, and haven't talked much about the actual reason I'm here...teaching. I've been asked by many, "How's the teaching going?" And for some reason I find that to be a difficult question, so much so that I actually get tongue tied when trying to answer. It would be unfair for me to say that I really understand what goes on when it comes to school and its ongoings, but for a moment, we're going to pretend like I do :).
Here are some basics. My school day starts at 9:30 a.m. and I'm there no later than 2 p.m. Pretty kick ass schedule yet by the end of it, or sometimes right in the middle, I'm exhausted. And I finally realized why...it's a freakin' roller coaster. I teach 3rd grade, two 6th grade classes, and 7th through 12th, all varying in size, skill level, and the desire to actually learn. I work with two co-teachers. One, a self-proclaimed know-it-all who, in her own words, makes no mistakes. And the other, a dear hearted woman doing her best to learn and teach the language at the same time. Every day I greet them and ask them how they're doing and most days I get the same shoulder shrug and "so-so" response. Some days they have "the headache" and just recently they've been "better today." I keep my fingers crossed that the latter response sticks for just awhile longer because eventually the answer will have to turn into "good."
When I first arrived they both seemed excited to have me here because Georgians love guests. Well, it's been three months now and a performance that long gets exhausting. True colors are starting to show and maybe it's my own paranoia, but I think I might be considered more of a government spy than an educational resource at this point. And just as many of the other teachers are warming up to me, one of my co-teaching relationships is now equivalent to a rocky marriage...we're rarely on the same page but we're going to hang in there and wear smiles for the sake of the kids :). And come June, I'm pretty sure she'll be packing my bags for me. It's definitely trying but I just keep my deep breathes at the ready. My other co-teacher and I have a great relationship, and although there is a larger language barrier there, her kindness makes it much easier to communicate with her. There is absolute truth to how far a warm and genuine smile can go. Now on to the students...
In every class there's at least one that wants to learn. And if its my 6th grade, it's almost all of them :). Most classes I get the opportunity to lead an exercise, and a couple times have even taught the entire class. I'll never forget the first time I did this and at the end, one of the students came up to me and said, "Reihel, you are a great teacher." If it's been one of those days (or weeks) where I'm pulling teeth to get my students to talk, its definitely brief moments like this that re-engergize me. My 6th graders continue to participate and therefore get the best out of me. They are at that perfect age where it's not too cool to learn and its ok to like your teacher. So its funny that my 7th graders, just one year older, are the exact opposite. I can only imagine what fun they'd have if they were in 6th, but instead they screw around and are lucky if they get a smile, let alone a game of hangman, outta me. Somedays I think its a lost cause with them, but then whose fault is that? Am I not trying enough or are they not? I guess I have five weeks to figure that out!
The 6th and 7th grade are definitely my two extremes. The students that show up to my 11th grade are great and I can actually hold conversations with them...they even brought me a cake on my birthday! Unfortunately school holidays and meetings have been falling on their class days lately so a quick "hello, how are you" is all we've exchanged in weeks. My 8th grade just stares when I speak because they still can't understand me, however I'm managing to teach them "Let it Be" by the Beatles, which always brightens the room when we practice. Gotta love music. And my 3rd grade, well they're just the cutest! Quick to learn and quick to forget, but their love notes and drawings more than make up for it :).
I came here with high hopes, under the impression that I'd be helping a country so desperately wanting to learn my language. I imagined teachers so eager to speak and work with a native in the classroom, and students so excited to develop their speech that they'd listen so intently to every word. And although this does exsist, for me, it mostly comes in doses...and small ones. It never crossed my mind that some might see me as a "threat" or that learning English would be more work than it was worth. I never thought that some might enjoy routine because to them it's security. I never thought that out of 100+ students not ALL of them would have the hard working desire to escape a town, that although poor, is what they've always known. No, these thoughts never crossed my mind. Naive? Maybe. But had I thought these things before, it may have altered my decision to come.
Last week, we had a meeting with The Minister of Education and Science to discuss the education system, the purpose of our program, and answer any questions we might have. Come to find out, we were brought here to have a social impact on the country as much as we were for our native English speaking ability. As the Minister said, knowing English doesn't make you smarter, it just opens up so many more doors. We are meant to be an example of opportunity and to motivate their youth (which is surrounded by elder generations still stuck in a soviet mentality...some still toasting to Stalin, no joke) to strive for a better life. He was very honest with us and said that we won't be here to see the difference we're making. This is one of the first steps to turning an entire education system upside down and it's going to take years. But one of the biggest contributors to its success will be the introduction of foreign ways that we bring to our towns and those we meet, given that many have never met a non-Georgian before (no pressure!)
Here are some basics. My school day starts at 9:30 a.m. and I'm there no later than 2 p.m. Pretty kick ass schedule yet by the end of it, or sometimes right in the middle, I'm exhausted. And I finally realized why...it's a freakin' roller coaster. I teach 3rd grade, two 6th grade classes, and 7th through 12th, all varying in size, skill level, and the desire to actually learn. I work with two co-teachers. One, a self-proclaimed know-it-all who, in her own words, makes no mistakes. And the other, a dear hearted woman doing her best to learn and teach the language at the same time. Every day I greet them and ask them how they're doing and most days I get the same shoulder shrug and "so-so" response. Some days they have "the headache" and just recently they've been "better today." I keep my fingers crossed that the latter response sticks for just awhile longer because eventually the answer will have to turn into "good."
 |
| my skola :) |
When I first arrived they both seemed excited to have me here because Georgians love guests. Well, it's been three months now and a performance that long gets exhausting. True colors are starting to show and maybe it's my own paranoia, but I think I might be considered more of a government spy than an educational resource at this point. And just as many of the other teachers are warming up to me, one of my co-teaching relationships is now equivalent to a rocky marriage...we're rarely on the same page but we're going to hang in there and wear smiles for the sake of the kids :). And come June, I'm pretty sure she'll be packing my bags for me. It's definitely trying but I just keep my deep breathes at the ready. My other co-teacher and I have a great relationship, and although there is a larger language barrier there, her kindness makes it much easier to communicate with her. There is absolute truth to how far a warm and genuine smile can go. Now on to the students...
In every class there's at least one that wants to learn. And if its my 6th grade, it's almost all of them :). Most classes I get the opportunity to lead an exercise, and a couple times have even taught the entire class. I'll never forget the first time I did this and at the end, one of the students came up to me and said, "Reihel, you are a great teacher." If it's been one of those days (or weeks) where I'm pulling teeth to get my students to talk, its definitely brief moments like this that re-engergize me. My 6th graders continue to participate and therefore get the best out of me. They are at that perfect age where it's not too cool to learn and its ok to like your teacher. So its funny that my 7th graders, just one year older, are the exact opposite. I can only imagine what fun they'd have if they were in 6th, but instead they screw around and are lucky if they get a smile, let alone a game of hangman, outta me. Somedays I think its a lost cause with them, but then whose fault is that? Am I not trying enough or are they not? I guess I have five weeks to figure that out!
The 6th and 7th grade are definitely my two extremes. The students that show up to my 11th grade are great and I can actually hold conversations with them...they even brought me a cake on my birthday! Unfortunately school holidays and meetings have been falling on their class days lately so a quick "hello, how are you" is all we've exchanged in weeks. My 8th grade just stares when I speak because they still can't understand me, however I'm managing to teach them "Let it Be" by the Beatles, which always brightens the room when we practice. Gotta love music. And my 3rd grade, well they're just the cutest! Quick to learn and quick to forget, but their love notes and drawings more than make up for it :).
I came here with high hopes, under the impression that I'd be helping a country so desperately wanting to learn my language. I imagined teachers so eager to speak and work with a native in the classroom, and students so excited to develop their speech that they'd listen so intently to every word. And although this does exsist, for me, it mostly comes in doses...and small ones. It never crossed my mind that some might see me as a "threat" or that learning English would be more work than it was worth. I never thought that some might enjoy routine because to them it's security. I never thought that out of 100+ students not ALL of them would have the hard working desire to escape a town, that although poor, is what they've always known. No, these thoughts never crossed my mind. Naive? Maybe. But had I thought these things before, it may have altered my decision to come.
 |
| the english classroom. |
Last week, we had a meeting with The Minister of Education and Science to discuss the education system, the purpose of our program, and answer any questions we might have. Come to find out, we were brought here to have a social impact on the country as much as we were for our native English speaking ability. As the Minister said, knowing English doesn't make you smarter, it just opens up so many more doors. We are meant to be an example of opportunity and to motivate their youth (which is surrounded by elder generations still stuck in a soviet mentality...some still toasting to Stalin, no joke) to strive for a better life. He was very honest with us and said that we won't be here to see the difference we're making. This is one of the first steps to turning an entire education system upside down and it's going to take years. But one of the biggest contributors to its success will be the introduction of foreign ways that we bring to our towns and those we meet, given that many have never met a non-Georgian before (no pressure!)
There's always resistance to change because staying the same is what's easy, it's just not always good. We were brought here to initiate change, so remembering the positive days (or moments) is what supplies the energy to power through the less than favorable ones. One day I want to change the entire system and then the next, I just hope I did enough to have a positive impact on at least one kid. I go back and forth wondering which is more important and I'm sure I'll never figure it out. So...How's the teaching going? Well, it's work, and like every job it has its ups and downs, road blocks and politics. The best and worst part of it all is that when all is said and done, I get to go home. But my co-teachers and students, they're already there.
