بداية - Beginning

My 2nd year teaching in Abu Dhabi began quite nicely!  There weren't any major issues and the day went fairly smooth.

It was great seeing my old students!  They seemed quite happy to see me and came to give me hugs, hand shakes, and say hi.  It was nice!  My girls from last year looked so much older today; 4th graders have to wear a shaylah (head scarf).  It was weird seeing them wear it, but it made them look so much older.  That plus the fact that they had grown over the summer (as all kids tend to do:). 

After greeting my students I went to my room, 3/3, to try to get ready for the day but discovered that I couldn't get much done because parents and students kept coming in to see which class they/or their daughter were in.  I had one mom who wanted her daughter put in my class and asked if I could do that.  I told her she needed to talk to modeera (principal).  We'll see.  Anyway since I wasn't getting anything done I left and went and chatted with the other LTs. 

Everyone seemed ready to start just unsure of how to exactly start.  There was no morning assembly which is why we were all confused.  The students were told their homeroom (not really sure what this is as their homeroom teacher may not be their Arabic teacher), and then they went to their class. 

Once the girls got situated in their class I arrived and began introducing myself to these little 3rd graders.  We had a productive morning going over rules and routines.  We did some letter games and number games and they made a name tag.  I am really going to spend a lot of time going over the rules and routines this year; I do not want the problems I had last year.  I had a good morning with about 15 3rd graders.  I have some that don't know all their letters and can't count.  But that is to be expected.  As of right now I'm just not sure how many there are.  From the informal assessments I did today with the letter and number games I identified 3 already.  They either don't know or they froze, so technically I guess I'll have to wait and see. 

I had grade 3 for 3 periods and then it was time for fussha (break).  The only issue here was that the girls wouldn't/shouldn't be coming back to the classroom but I didn't know where they would/should be going.  So I told them to leave their bags outside.  Imagine my surprise when I came back in the room and saw their bags by their desks and chairs pulled out.  I know we had pushed them all in before we left!  Evidently their Arabic teacher was going to have class in my room, but changed her mind or was told otherwise because the students weren't there.  They came back for period 5, but I was supposed to have 4/1.  So I had to figure out what to do with these 3rd graders while I tried to supervise the 4th graders in their room (4/1).  I had a student go to the teacher room to try to figure out where they needed to be.  After 3 tries Fatima finally had a solution.  Miss. Nowayer was going to come get them and take them where they needed to be.  So I went and told 4/1 that they would be coming over to 3/3 in a minute and gave them instructions (they were chatty, I'll have to stop that).  Once we got the whole thing straightened out I had 45 minutes with 4/1 before it was time to go.

I thought I would have a huge problem with the shaylah's, as the girls and women tend to take them off and put them on all the time, in essence play with them, but I didn't.   The girls just wore them around their neck.  That was nice.  I really didn't have any huge problems with this class, but they were chattier than the 3rd graders.  I think that comes from the fact that most of them knew me from last year, there were only 6 that I didn't have last year.  The administration did a good job of separating 3/1 from last year so hopefully I won't have as many problems.  I just know that I will have to work on the talking.  I should have started today, but I only had 45 minutes with them.  I'll see them tomorrow morning so we'll definitely be going over rules and routines then.  Before I knew it, it was time to go home.

I noticed a huge difference in English ability between the 3rd and 4th graders.  I had the 4th graders coming up with rules for the classroom in complete sentences, whereas the 3rd graders told me read, math, and science.   The 4th graders also gave me complete sentences when we went over the calendar, whereas the 3rd graders just told me the day.  I know the 4th graders are a year older, but they both have had English for 2 years now.  I will bring this new group of 3rd graders to where the 4th graders are now.  I did it last year, there's no reason I can't do it again!!

All in all I had a very good first day.  I just hope and pray that it continues and doesn't go downhill once the honeymoon period is over!!