Frustrations

Differentiation.  Supposed to be the way to teach.  Teach students at their level, not focused on grade level requirements.  As each child learns at a different pace they should not be required to master the same content.  So you have different groups based on what they need to know and what they can accomplish.  Yes, sometimes you have to teach to the whole group and they all need to do the same thing, but for the most part students need to be working at what they can be successful with.

So, this is my frustration.  We are pushed to differentiate, yet when we try we are told that it's too easy.  Here are a few examples.

1. Spelling.  Just like reading spelling is developmental.  And in my opinion students do not need to be learning how to spell words that have absolutely no meaning to them.  Yes, they need to learn new vocabulary but do they have to spell the words correctly?  The students' spelling list had consisted of words like fraction, devastation, conflict, economics, ocean... you know content words from our science and social studies units.  Vocabulary words that they need to know to understand the concept.  Well, I suggested that the spelling words be actual words that they use in their writing.  I mean I have students who can't spell who, what, when, where, him, hair, here, her, favorite, friend.  You know words that they actually need.  So we changed the spelling lists.  Now mind you these words are still above most of their spelling ability as they still have difficulty differentiating between the vowel sounds, but they were words that the students use in their writing and spell wrong.  Well, we've been told that these words are too easy!  So we now have to use Reading Street (more on that later) to get our spelling words.  I want to show the person that made this decision my students' writing and have him see their spelling!
2. Reading.  We had gotten these great leveled readers from Oxford Reading Tree (a UK company) that we cannot use anymore because they do not align with Common Core Curriculum from the States.  So we now have to use Reading Street.  Which could technically be a good thing if you were teaching native English speakers who are mostly on grade level or maybe one year behind.  That is definitely not the case here!  See grade 4 was given the 4th grade box which includes on grade, below grade, above grade, and ELL and ELD leveled readers.  One would think that would be a good thing.  I mean lots of differentiation available, right?!  Well there's a problem.  Even the below grade level readers are too high for the majority of my class and the ELD (English language development) and ELL (English language learners) texts are way too high.  See most of my students are reading at about a first grade level, and these leveled readers don't go that low.  Yeah we could borrow, but then what is first grade going to use?  We have these great leveled readers that the kids can actually read, but we can't use them in instruction.  Granted I am going to use them for independent reading, but for guided reading (which should be at instructional level) I have to use Reading Street which is at almost all of my students' frustration level:(  How frustrating for me and for my poor students.  What kind of service are we providing them?
3. Everyday Math.  Another great program if you were teaching native English speakers.  Why am I teaching these students about US money and US measurement?  Doesn't make any sense to me?  But we have to use EDM so that's what I'm teaching.  Now one could say that it is preparing them to be global citizens, but don't they need to know their own money and measurement system? 
4. MAP testing.  This is a standardized test that is based in the US and aligned with Common Core.  Great since that's the curriculum we're using, but again it's designed for native English speakers and these students definitely aren't.  They are having to read 4th grade level passages and answer questions.  The math test turns into a reading test.  Students are frustrated because they can't read it so they don't try.  Can't say as I blame them.  I mean if I were given an adult Arabic test, just because I'm an adult, I'd probably give up quite quickly.

I am wondering when the higher ups in this country are going to realize that they are doing a huge disservice to their kids by treating them as native English speakers and not realizing that they are learning a foreign language.

OK enough of that.

I went to Cirque du Soleil last week with Vanny and Jane for Valentine's Day.  It was amazing.  I was so glad that I paid for the cheap (not all that cheap 300 dhs) ticket to go.  Lots and lots to breathtaking acrobatics and stunts.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.  I would definitely go again and highly recommend it to anyone!

My spring break plans have changed.  Padmini, a woman from church, asked me to go to India with her and a few other ladies.  Since I was planning on going to Greece alone it was quite easy to change my plans to India.  That plus the fact that I hadn't heard back from the travel agent that I was working with.  We're thinking of 5 days in Delhi to see the Taj Mahal and other things.  As of right now, we're definitely going, just not sure when; either the first or second week of April since those are the 2 weeks I have off for spring break.

Summer plans haven't really been made yet, but as of right now I'll be in the States nearly 2 months!  That will give me plenty of time to make a trip to NC and spend a great deal of time with my family!  More to come on that later (after I get my spring break plans finalized:).

86 degrees at 7:30pm.  Winter is definitely over:(

Bye Bye Winter!

Without knowing the actual temperature outside there are some fairly certain signs that winter is ending in the UAE.

1. The women stop wearing heavy shawls.
2. The kids aren't wearing their big heavy winter coats anymore (they're down to spring jackets or light sweaters)
3. I don't need the heat on in the car on my way to school.
4. I don't need to have a cup of tea to warm up when I come home from work.
5. I don't need to wear a sweatshirt at home anymore.
6. I can wear my sandals without my feet freezing.
7. I need the air conditioning on in the classroom.

So I guess winter is on its way out.  Yes, there will probably be some cool days still, but they're beginning to warm up.  I would be excited about that, but that just means that it'll be too hot to enjoy walking to Al Ain Mall or having lunch or dinner outside.  That's just life in the desert!

Last week at school we had International Day.  Grade 4 was responsible for covering Europe and my country was Italy.  Not sure why I picked that one, but I did.  The kids researched Italy and made posters along with bringing in pictures and food for our celebration.  The day started off with an extended assembly where one student from each class presented information about their country.  Then the kids marched around an itty bitty circle in the middle of the assembly area to show off how they dressed up for their country.  Next year I'll put more creativity into it and get the kids to dress up according to what they used to wear in that country. This year I just had them wear jeans and either a green, red, or white shirt. It was a fun day and I hope that the kids learned something about Italy.  Actually I thought that part was kind of silly.  After the assembly I took my class around the assembly area to look at the posters and information of other countries.  They were eagerly pointing out countries that they had been to (Malaysia, Thailand, England, Egypt, and Morocco) along with things they had seen when they were there.  They loved looking at the pictures, but they couldn't be bothered to read anything that anyone wrote!  We didn't have time to look at all the posters because they had to be back in class for Arabic followed by Islamic studies.  They weren't too happy with me, but hey I wasn't going to give up my free time!!  Mr. Marwan (their Arabic teacher) could have taken them around if he wanted to.  After Islamic I put the food out, which consisted of pizza, spaghetti, pasta with pesto, some rice thing, grapes, cheese, some cookie thing that was supposed to be biscotti, tomatoes, grape juice and cake.  The kids just wanted the cake, but I made them take either pizza or spaghetti as well since that was going to be their lunch.  They loved eating in the classroom and they did an excellent job of cleaning up!  I think I have trained them well in that area!!  At the end of the day we went out to the quad where there was left-over food from other countries and the kids got to sample more food.  It was a mess!  My favorite part was the huge basket of fruit.  I got a bunch of bananas and litchies to take home.  I had never tried a litchi before, and I found out that they are delicious.  They are super sweet and juicy.  They look like spiky little balls.  You peel the spiky part off and inside there is this clear fruit about the size of a peach pit.  Inside the clear fruit is a smaller pit, but of course you don't eat that just clear fruit beneath the spiky covering.  Yummy! 

I am busy planning a trip to Greece for spring break.  I will be going by myself as none of my teacher friends want to go and my other friends don't have 2 weeks off at the end of March/beginning of April.  It'll be the first time I've traveled alone.  Technically though I won't be alone because I'll be going with a tour group.  As of right now I'm thinking of Athens and Lesvos or Rhodes (other Greek Islands) along with a one day tour of a few of the major Islands.  It really is going to come down to the cheapest one.  I'm planning on going for a week and then maybe to another Emirate for a few days.  I still haven't been to Fujairaih and I've heard that I NEED to go there.

In the classroom things are still going pretty good.  The kids have their really good days and then they have their days when none of them want to listen.  It's those days that frustrate me beyond belief.  The boys can be totally rude and disrespectful sometimes.  Some of them even have moments of outright defiance.  I know all kids have their days when they don't want to listen, but it seems to happen a lot here and it's the majority of the class.  Just 8 more weeks and then spring break!  I can make it!!  I re-arranged the classroom and put them in groups of 4 instead of groups of 6; maybe that will help.  We'll see.