Tim and I have survived our first week of school. I have to say, it was better than my first first week of school, but I was definitely ready for the weekend.
Monday was inservice. Tim and I were at the school from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, trying to get ready for our classes. We found out at 1:00 pm that the student computers weren’t ready to be handed out and wouldn’t be for another week or two. We had been encouraged to run paperless classrooms, but we would have to make due for now. Unfortunately we can’t ask the students to go out and buy school supplies and the school as virtually no binders. I managed to find 59 5-subject notebooks. We have 58 high school students...that is until the counsellor informed me we got 10 new students that day. Needless to say, the organization and supplies have been a bit of a road block this week, but we have managed.
Each day this week, we have arrived at school around 6:30 am and left between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm. I think that means we’ve already put in our hours for next week. It takes a long time to plan for 6 different classes, especially when most of them are classes you’re not familiar with. My textbooks for two of my classes have not arrived, in fact, I don’t know if there are any coming and neither does the principal.
Even though it has been crazy, it has been fun to meet and get to know the kids. There are a lot of things I’ve been told about how they are different from other kids in the lower 48 (which they are in some ways), but they are just regular kids. For the most part, they are well behaved. A lot of them are very quiet. They are struggling with 100 minutes classes (they are used to 50), but then again who wouldn’t struggle with 100 minute classes. Overall, they’re good kids. I hope that I can manage my billion lesson plans well enough to give them interesting, productive classes.
Friday night we had about 8 teachers over to our house. We taught them how to play Bang. Robin was especially excited that she got to be the sheriff. She asked if we could pin the card to her shirt and then demanded that we take a picture. Heather, well Heather was the first one to be killed.
Monday was inservice. Tim and I were at the school from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, trying to get ready for our classes. We found out at 1:00 pm that the student computers weren’t ready to be handed out and wouldn’t be for another week or two. We had been encouraged to run paperless classrooms, but we would have to make due for now. Unfortunately we can’t ask the students to go out and buy school supplies and the school as virtually no binders. I managed to find 59 5-subject notebooks. We have 58 high school students...that is until the counsellor informed me we got 10 new students that day. Needless to say, the organization and supplies have been a bit of a road block this week, but we have managed.
Each day this week, we have arrived at school around 6:30 am and left between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm. I think that means we’ve already put in our hours for next week. It takes a long time to plan for 6 different classes, especially when most of them are classes you’re not familiar with. My textbooks for two of my classes have not arrived, in fact, I don’t know if there are any coming and neither does the principal.
Even though it has been crazy, it has been fun to meet and get to know the kids. There are a lot of things I’ve been told about how they are different from other kids in the lower 48 (which they are in some ways), but they are just regular kids. For the most part, they are well behaved. A lot of them are very quiet. They are struggling with 100 minutes classes (they are used to 50), but then again who wouldn’t struggle with 100 minute classes. Overall, they’re good kids. I hope that I can manage my billion lesson plans well enough to give them interesting, productive classes.
Friday night we had about 8 teachers over to our house. We taught them how to play Bang. Robin was especially excited that she got to be the sheriff. She asked if we could pin the card to her shirt and then demanded that we take a picture. Heather, well Heather was the first one to be killed.
Saturday was a needed break. We finally got some pictures put up on the wall, so I guess you could say that we finally are moved in. We spent the evening trying to lesson plan for the following week. (I’m almost ready for Monday).
Today after church, I decided to make birthday brownies for Heather. The day she moved to Togiak was her birthday. Tim and I didn’t find out until later. We found her at the school, sang her happy birthday, gave her brownies and a card, and ate the brownies. Not a bad ending to the day.
Well, the whirlwind is about to begin again. Wish us luck as we start a new week. We’ll need it!
Today after church, I decided to make birthday brownies for Heather. The day she moved to Togiak was her birthday. Tim and I didn’t find out until later. We found her at the school, sang her happy birthday, gave her brownies and a card, and ate the brownies. Not a bad ending to the day.
Well, the whirlwind is about to begin again. Wish us luck as we start a new week. We’ll need it!
