The Verows @ UAE!: Transfers...wanted and unwanted!

Hard to believe the end of January is this week! And the end of the month meant pay day! Well for some at least! There were several LT’s who did not get paid last Wednesday and unfortunately I happened to be one of them! The good thing for us is that we have two salaries and are used to living on Jennifer’s salary so it’s worked out okay for us. I just need to figure out why I didn’t get paid and when it’ll happen! I’m sure ADEC will get it all sorted out….and we’ll throw an inshallah on that too!

This week we received our kids’ first report card. Or marks as they call them here! I remember my grandmother asking me periodically, “How are your marks, Shawn?” And I would think marks…like an injury I was waiting to be fully healed or what? But they love marks here! I still say grades, and I’ll hear a “chu” (pronounced shoe – meaning what is Arabic) from a few kids. Sorry…Back on track! So we get their report cards and while some grades we were surprised they did that well in, there were some areas of concern. And we wanted to make sure we didn’t discuss each other’s grades all together so as to not have any issues later on. They both did poorly in Arabic. Well I say poorly – 58 and 67 – which here is passing! So technically they passed all their classes. I remember using that as an excuse! Aside from Arabic – Cole did great – all A’s and B’s. Ms. Sara said she loves having Cole in her class and he is always excited to share and participate – especially in Science. The school has a Science Club that she was helping out with and she invited three of her students to go and participate in the club even though it was for grade 2 and up. Cole loved it. They did some writing with “invisible ink” using lemon juice and then when you put it over a candle it turned the liquid brown and you can see the drawing or message. He got an award too from his teacher. Caralyn did great in English which was the area we were worried about in the beginning. We are going to do some math reinforcement at home to help bring up that grade. Ms. Emily is very proud that Caralyn is enjoying school and that she is beginning to want to participate more than the previous months. She has made a new friend, Kanna, who is also quiet and shy and Ms. Emily said they are perfect together. We met the Arabic teacher and her first comment was, “Cole is naughty, but very smart!” We were not surprised…not at all! But the school has an issue there because they go to Arabic with another class and while the other class is being taught; his class just sits there and does nothing. So can we blame him for being “naughty”? Not at all! And the worst part of it all is that the final average was only the final grade. So you expect a grade 1 kid to take one exam at the end of the trimester and that’s their average? That’s nuts. But they’re changing that this trimester. I felt like an Alief parent for a minute thinking, “it’s only Arabic – not like he’ll need that grade back in the states,” but it’s the idea of doing well in school so we’ll work on that. And I gave her my number/email (another déjà vu moment!) to call/write if there was a behavior issue. As a teacher – I would never wait 4 months and not call a naughty child’s teacher. But we’re not in Kansas anymore! And it’s even worse that she sees us every day when we pick up the kids. But anyway…we put it all into perspective!

We decided to try something new this weekend – ice skating! We had a blast. Jennifer didn’t last long – she said the skates hurt her feet. I think I had more fun than the kids! I was sweating so much – guess it was so much work. We even skated with a kid in Jennifer’s class – Na’ama. Caralyn says they are friends now. We tried to explain to Caralyn that we don’t really want her at our house since she’s Jennifer’s student – but Caralyn wants to play more with her. Maybe a park or something. I’m sure Na’ama will be telling all the kids at school that she saw Ms. JenFar at the mall!

We’ve both have had our observations now too. It wasn’t really that big of deal. You pick the date and period they come too. How much easier can it get? So that’s another hurdle completed. Now we have these portfolio’s that have to be “audited” by our administration. It’s even funnier – that at my school we’ve never had a meeting to really go over what exactly goes in the portfolio and such….love it! It’s another one of those ‘learn as you go’ things!

The weather here is starting to warm up a little. This week we didn’t have all our morning assembly’s since it was “so cold” outside! It did actually get into the lower 40’s and the highs around 60. So now with high’s in the 70’s it’ll be perfect weather!

My school did have a change this week – they transferred an LT to another school. And he was told one story how we had too many teachers, and such. Then we heard another from an Arab teacher who typically tells it like it is regardless if it’s not the popular thing to say. It’s called reality people! So he tells us the principal requested that the LT be transferred. He wants an Arab teacher instead. So it makes you stop and go, “uh oh”….but I think he wants an Arab teacher because he knows what these classes are like. It’s the 7^th graders. They are a mess! And the LT who is being transferred had two issues with them. And it’s one of those situations where it’s the kids’ word against the teacher’s. And so since he’s been transferred, guess who takes this class? ME! And I knew it would be since I have the least amount of classes. And I’m ready for the challenge I guess. Ready or not, right?

I’m also going to put in a transfer to teach at a cycle 1 school (elementary). At the start of the year, we were told that they were feminizing all the schools – meaning no males would be teaching in elementary grades. Well the latest email update said the feminization situation was still being discussed. So I got the impression they might not be doing it. And it’s hard to understand why they are doing it anyway. We’re in a culture where boys (from early on) are taught (indirectly) that they are superior to women and such. In a family if the father is gone, or dies, then the oldest son takes charge – even if he’s 15. I wish I could have run my family when I was 15! HA! So anyway… it’s no wonder these female LT’s have such a difficult time dealing with these boys. But there are some who are finally seeing progress. I think the number one reason for me to transfer is to actually teach. I want to feel rewarded to see kids really learn English. And I’d get to teach English, Math, and Science. So it all goes back to I want to really teach, and feel some sense of progress/reward personally and professionally. If I don’t get the transfer then I’ll keep “playing school” as one neighbor says! And with any transfer there is a risk associated with it. I could end up farther out and such. Time will tell! And it’ll be awkward to tell my principal since he has to sign my transfer form. But I think he’ll understand…well hopefully. I’m just going to approach it from the whole side of this is the grade level I am experienced with. Besides…he’s got to know there is not really good deep teaching going in in high school here.

This week in all of my classes at some point - we all had a laugh over the word synonym. The kids always crack up when I say synonym. And then they all repeat is quite a few times and laugh. I think, "finally you're willing to repeat a word to practice saying it!"

Here are this week's photos:

JenFar went on a trip to the Date Palm Friends Society.

They were taught all about the date palm!

Jennifer brought us a sussy - these date filled muffins. They are actually really good.

This is impossible! Cole's class did an activity about things being impossible.

They cut out pictures from magazines and newspapers.

Caralyn's examples of the 5 themes of geogrpahy!

Cole's award. The not being tricked part was because when they were reviewing for their final exam in math, they were coming up with answers that are there to trick you! And Cole was good at creating answers that he knows students will pick and he would explain to the class why. Ms Sara was very impressed! He'll do great at standardized testing!

If you are "friends" with me on facebook - you might have seen this. The kids' school is having student council elections this week. And there are posters everywhere. I saw this photo (the kid pictured is not the one running I don't think). It's very small but I noticed fingers - and zoomed in and sure enough!

Pajama Day at school!

They cooked pancakes too!

Cole's name in Arabic.

A cow at the gas station. Guess he's being sold? Bought?

He let out all kinds of moo's too!

I think they ordered enough happy meals!

The kids used gliders (adults can use them too!) to help them get around the ice.

It's gotta be hard to ice skate in a kandora. If you fall I guess the kandora just rides up your legs a you go down?

We couldn't stop laughing when we first got on the ice.

Not an "on purpose" pose...it was more of 'do anything you can to help yourself not fall' move!

I was getting good! I could turn around and skate backwards and then go forward again without ever stopping. I did see one student - so tomorrow I'll hear, "teacher - you ice skater?"