Graduation, Grades, and Field Trip

Wednesday was 5th grade graduation at Ammoryiah.  It was the worst graduation ceremony/celebration ever.  I found it very surprising since they love to put on a show and celebrate here.  We gathered in the theater and had our attendance celebration since we are no longer having morning assembly (it's too hot).  After the class with the highest attendance was recognized the 5th graders stood up and walked to Ms. Keltham, the principal, and shook her hand.  Then they returned to their line and sat down.  The 5th grade teachers said a few, litreally just a few, words and then 2 students said "shukran/thank you".  Khallas/finished.   And we exited the theater for break.  Pretty pathetic.

Grades were due May 30th and Wed. Ms. Keltham was reviewing the grades and deciding if any needed to be changed.  Yep that's what they do here.  They change grades if they don't "look" right.  So I'm talking with Andrea about my final evaluation from her (which was good by the way) and Ms. Salama, the assistant principal, comes in to talk to me about one of my students' grades.   She is getting a C in English and all her other grades are As or Bs.  This just didn't look right and she asked me if I would change it.  I told her that Aya can't read and her writing is not good at all.  She is just beginning to be able to write a sentence, when my A and B students can write 3-5 sentences on topic.  She shouldn't even be getting a C, but Esis (the computer grading program) wouldn't give her anything less than a C.  So I explained this to Ms. Salama and she replied "does her mother know?"  Well, she has been a C student all year so I would think that she knows.   She can't read.  I can't give her a B.  She agreed to let me keep it a C and left the room.

Today was the third grade end of the year field trip.  Yesterday they got a note (in Arabic) telling them that they were going to Al Ain Mall Action Zone (an indoor amusement park like thing).  I was able to read that much of the note.  This morning I collected 20dhs from every student in 3/1.  This process went much smoother than it did when we went to the zoo in October.  The girls and I have learned a lot since then!!  

After I get their money we go out and board the bus; one bus for 4 classes.  It was a packed and hot ride.  Plus I think the bus driver took the longest possible route to get to Al Ain Mall.  We finally get to the mall and we walk them upstairs and head to the cinema.  Yes, the cinema.  Imagine my surprise, and the girls'.  They were upset.  They wanted to play not watch a movie.  They were told that maybe after the movie they would have time to play.  Yeah right, we got to the mall around 9 and we had to be back by 11:30 for dismissal.  There would be no time for playing.  We get settled in the theater and the girls get their popcorn, juice, and 3D glasses and the movie begins.  We are watching Animals United (a very very stupid movie) in English with Arabic subtitles.  The girls are bored, and angry and most of them don't really know what is going on.  About 1/2 way through the movie a lot of the girls came to sit by me and we were talking about the movie and America.  They loved to hear me sing the songs with the movie; The Hookey Pookey, Splish Splash I was Takin' A Bath, and Fun, Fun, Fun (she'll have fun, fun, fun, till her daddy takes the T-bird away).  After the movie we went to the food court for a Hardees lunch.  Most of the girls had brought money and wanted to buy ice cream, candy, or balloons so that took a long time.  We did make it back to school just in time for them to reboard the bus and go home.  I think Action Zone would have been a better field trip.

Scary things about field trips in the UAE: 1) they don't believe in counting the children to make sure they're all there, 2) they let the girls stand up on the bus, and 3) the girls were allowed to leave the theater unsupervised.  I can't change everything, but I did count my girls in 3/1 before we got on the bus at school, before we left the mall, and when we got on the bus.  I also tried to get my girls to sit down, but when everyone else is standing and walking around why should they be sitting?

108 degrees at 8:45