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Just like in the college of Education, Peace Corps wants its volunteers to student teach. They call this practice school. We have a Moldovan experienced English teacher work with us and we teach for 3 weeks, 2 lessons a day. For 7 days I taught the 5th grade. It was so much fun being silly with 11-year-olds, however it was frustrating that they didn’t understand much of what I was saying. A few of the students would get the point, but the majority would not. (they begin studying English in the 2nd grade). I had fun and saw progress even with the less advanced students. The last day I made brownies and we played musical chairs and sang “The Shark Song” and “Hello My Name is Joe” which both are very physically active songs. The kids really enjoyed being silly and learning about what American kids do.
Right now I am in the middle of the 2nd half of practice school. I have the 9th grade and my class is all girls. They are much more inhibited than the 5th graders and are not as willing to be silly…yet. We have had 2 days of classes and have 5 more to go. I definitely enjoy teaching this level too because I can actually talk to these students (again, not all of them get it, but that is a multi-leveled classroom for ya).
There are definitely some things which I do not enjoy about practice school. Like in America, we write lesson plans, however the Moldovans are very specific about what they want on their plans and have the belief that if the plan is short or not how ‘they’ would do it, then the lesson was horrible and you are not a good teacher (even without observing the lesson). They also put so much effort into long term plans and the agenda (like a grade book kept for the grade with info about all the classes they have) and it seems like much less effort is put into actually teaching. This is something that I definitely will struggle with (me being so stubborn) and will have to accept the cultural difference of it.
That reminds me! The other thing that I have a HUGE issue with (as do most PCV TEFLs – and we were pre-warned about this) is that Moldovan teachers give out grades in class in front of everyone and tell them what they are doing right/wrong. (for example: “Maria, you did not pay attention today, you were rolling your eyes and talking too much to your neighbor – you get a 6 (equal to a D)” and this is a very ‘nice’ example.” My American sensibility is that grades are private and no-one’s business but the students, the teachers, the parents and the administration…not the other students. My partner teacher argued with me that I will change my thought on this, but I don’t think that I will. Only time will tell.
hey if you need some good powerpoints ( i dunno if your school has a computer) but I have lots of stuff from my teaching in china. Let me know, I also have some good ideas about what worked with kids lessons, so if you wanna pick my brain im here!! Sounds like your having fun, let me know what i can send you.( FOOD, MAGAZINES, ETC! I miss being abroad can i go back? the real world sucks!!
The united states of…... whateva!
Emily () - 09 08 07 - 02:35
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