Teaching in Tela

I think this is the best year I've ever had in teaching. I know that's a very bold statement to be making at my age but it's true!

My students are delightful, stimulating and also challenging, making life very interesting for me. I have 3 boys who gave me heaps over the last 6 months but are now eating out of my lap. It just took 3 parent interviews to fix it and now the boys are doing as they are told and not yelling at each other when they feel like it.

The girls on the other hand could not be nicer. There are 6 intelligent girls who do not have hang-ups, love to work and love helping the slower children when they can not understand. It's like having 6 Teachers' aides who do exactly as I ask. All this in a big classroom, with only 16 children and a room that is cooled by 4 large fans. It's nicer than being inside out. To make it even better the weather is cool, in the low 20's and very pleasant apart from the rain and the puddles and wet paths leading to school.

We have an interesting parents' day coming up. It's very serious! We all have to teach the children while the parents hover around watching us work. I have to take 2 lessons and I've chosen Maths and Reading. Miss Calix, the school principal and a lovely lady, explained it all to me in Spanish. She does not like to work too hard and I do not blame her for that either. She works at another school, teaching Grade 2 from 7am to 12 noon and then rushes straight to our school to act as principal until 5 pm. It's good that she does not like a heavy load, Because she's arranged for us to have student free time on Friday from 3.00 till 5.00 to prepare the 2 lessons we are teaching on the open day. I 'm quite happy with that! I can hear you teachers out there complaining that we've got it too easy.

It is so much easier here than teaching in a first world country without the unnecessary stress and paperwork and so rewarding.

If you'd like to see some of my students working please have a look at this Youtube video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9K1NWzIZgs