My best teaching moment so far!

Our Skeletons Class Word Wall - Always a work in progress!       The girls are getting better - I started a reward system with Treasure Box Thursday - the team that earns the most points gets to pick from the non-food treasure box (we are forbidden to give candy or chips, although the Arabic teachers do it all the time).          We made a human skeleton and started an experiment with bones in vinegar to show calcium is in bones.  They have never done an experiment and were not too good at hypothesizing what would happen to the bones.  It was important to them to be right, so they kept asking if they were right.  They also wanted to copy the answer off the board - no critical thinking skills - just rote memorization here.        I had to guide them with questions like: Will bones turn purple?  (NO! maybe white?) Will bones grow into a new chicken? (No, unless Allah makes it so) When asked what kind of bones they were the girls all guessed pig???? Weird, but then we looked at the bones and they realized they were chicken wings.   I asked how do you know it is not a cow bone? (too small)   What part of the chicken?  They all flapped their arms like wings. This was probably my best teachable moment so far!  Good day overall.  I'm supposed to start centers around the room soon, but not sure they can handle it yet.  I need to get discipline under control and make them want to learn first.  It is hard to justify that they need school - most get married at 17 or 18 and don't go to college and families don't find it too important for girls.   Not surprising that my best moment so far would be in science!

I am an official Resident of The United Arab Emirates!

Don't I look happy?!

What exactly does that mean???  Is it good or bad???   I'm not sure, but I just had to post it!  Now I'm off to get a driver's license and a CAR!  Sweet freedom is mine!  I am scared to death to drive, though.   I know, not the best picture. 

I just have to post this. If you don't have a sense of humor, please ignore. It has nothing to do with my trip!

I found this on Facebook:


On her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, which was posted on the Internet.
----------- Dear Dr. Laura: Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination .... End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them. 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians? 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness - Lev15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination? 7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here? 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die? 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I'm confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.


 James M Kauffman, Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia

I really need some books - and if they have lesson activities all the better!

I'd love to start getting some books I can use with my kids.  I have ALL reading levels from girls who can only scribble to girls who can spell the first 100 sight words!  Picture books are what are needed at reading levels from Pre Primer to about 2nd grade.  Others I can use to read aloud.  There are bookstores here, but the books in English cost about 3 times as much as they would at home.  I bought a soft cover of The Cat In The Hat and it cost about $12.  At home it would be $4.99.  Used books are great!  Please read through it before you send to make sure there are no pigs or kids in bathing suits.  Also, no ghosts.  They may not mention any religion other than Islam nor should they mention holidays other than Muslim holidays.    They should not show boys and girls at a sleepover together.  They should not mention dating.  If in doubt ask.  This is a requirement list I got last week.  The books I get will become highlighted - thanks Mom and Dad for the yellow books!

Books I have a few activities for:
Jan Brett Books
Eric Carle Books
Dr. Seuss Books ( I have The Cat In the Hat, and Mom and Dad got me Green Eggs and Ham, ABC book and On Fish, Two Fish)
Magic Treehouse books (to read aloud) (Mom and Dad got Blizzard of the Blue Moon)
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Pumpkin Soup
Dear Mr. Blueberry
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
Lottie's New Beach Towel
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Miss Spider's Tea Party
Where Do Balloons Go
An Uplifting Mystery
Stringbeans Trip to the Shining sea
Miss Alaineus
Tell A Bunny
Cook a Doodle Doo
Clarice Bean, That's Me
Magic Schoolbus Books ( our science topics are the human body, solar system, scientific method, the moon)


Any other books that you like would be great as well.  I will add to this list and I will highlight books that I've gotten so you will know.  Multiple copies would be good for reading groups!  I've only made this list because I've had several people ask what I need.  I can live without everything else, but books are a need!  Thanks in advance for anything you send.  I hope to get my national id soon and then I can get a post office box!

4th grade Switch! Otherwise titled the 6th Best Day of My Life!

Two days ago I was told there was an opening in 4th grade and an "extra teacher", Sumaya, who is fluent in Arabic and taught 1st grade in the states would take it.  I made the comment that I wish I could have it.  They told me I could, but they did not want to ask me because I had "settled in so nicely".  So, I left behind everything I bought and moved into a bare room with 26 and 31 (total 57) 4th grade girls.  My first day I was quite nervous- If I failed here there was no excuse!  So, I pulled some ideas off the Internet and started my day.  What a difference!  They do not speak well, but they could understand and a few girls are very fluent.  I will say we are very far behind in math, and teaching the science concepts about body systems, scientific methods, and Earth and Space will be hard with the language deficit.  Reading we have no books so I have to buy one at the book store and then type it and copy it.  I was told there is no copyright here, so . . . I'm hoping that's true.


Today was day 2 and the girls would not pay attention so I turned into monster teacher.  But they still loved me.  Here are a few pictures of me after they adjusted my Shaylah.  No, I don't have to wear the head scarf, but I may chose to do so out of respect.

We worked on place value and writing numbers (in words) to the hundreds place.  Some of the girls work very hard and will make a lot of progress.  Some, not so much.  I think when the first report cards go home there will be a bit of a shock.   The discipline here is nonexistent - even at home the girls order around their nannies and in the Muslim world children are without sin until the age of maturity (about 13 for girls and 16 for boys I think)
 In reading we read The Cat In the Hat and they loved it!  I then had the girls draw and write the English words for 10 things they saw in the book.  Mostly I got 3-4 items like cat, cake, hat, or fish.  One girl drew a picture and labeled it almost exactly like it was in the book even though I did not allow them to look back at the story!  We will work on the basic first 100 site words and then start word patterns with Making Words, if I can get my hands on a copy of the book.  Over all, I'm excited and have a much better attitude.
PS - the first 5 best days were getting married, giving birth (counts as 3) and getting my Master's degree.

The Al Ain Choral Society

I decided that I needed to continue singing and I saw a group on line.  On Sunday night I trekked on out to the rehearsal space and sat in the Alto row, sore throat and all.  I was asked to introduce myself, and then placed in the 1st Alto section.  I was handed some music and told to sing along.
The music includes (so far):

• Jesus Christ the apple tree by Elizabeth Poston - tune from Divine Hymns compiled y Joshua Smith.
• Three kings from Persian lands afar by Peter Cornelius
• It Came Upon The Midnight Clear - traditional English tune adapted by Arthur Sullivan
• Wassail song a traditional carol arranged by R. Vaughan Williams

Notice the lack of capital letters in song titles?  I know, as a teacher, that these are incorrect, but it's the way they are in the music, so . . . 

By far the Wassail song will be the most challenging so far.  There were 10 sopranos, 8 altos, 2 tenors and 3 in the bass section.  Our concert will be December 9th, so if anyone wants a ticket, let me know.  The  ticket includes a nice buffet meal at the Intercontinental Hotel.   I also have a bed you can sleep in.

Food in the United Arab Emerites

I’ve been asked by several what kinds of foods we eat here and the answer is pretty much everything that is not from a pig.

There are many American and British foods here, but for the most part people here eat lamb, beef and chicken.  Kafta is a ground meat (beef or lamb) with Arabian spices in it.  It is formed into long patties and put on skewers and cooked over a fire or in the oven.  The Arabian bread is flat bread and it is delicious.   They also eat pita which is usually served with hummus (ground chick peas with tahini mixed in) and olive oil.  Everywhere has baklava for dessert, but another local favorite is Um Ali.  It’s like a bread pudding with raisins, pistachios and vanilla flavoring   Lamb stew is very popular, as are curry dishes with lamb or chicken.  Mezzah is an appetizer, which is almost like a hush puppy with meat or cheese filling.    They also eat a lot of fish – Dory and Hammer as well as prawns.  There are olives and cucumbers everywhere, and the fruit section of the market is amazing.  There are things I’ve never heard of, and each fruit or veggie is marked where it came from.  There could be oranges from 4 different regions or countries and each has a distinct flavor and different color.  One thing that is not prevalent is lettuce.  It is expensive and not served as a salad usually.  If you ask for salad you will sometimes get cole slaw.  Lettuce is usually dipped in hummus.  I have seen camel steak in one market, but it does not appear to be a regular food.  I love yogurt chicken.  Kebab is also very popular – chunks of meat with Arabian spice roasted on skewers.  Falafel – fried ground chick peas are also everywhere.  I have not seen goat anywhere.  Of course the most popular food item here is DATES – you see them everywhere and in everything!

 

I took a picture of the spice market.  Spices are SO cheap – they sell them from the buckets they are in and you buy them by the kilogram – of course you’d never need a whole kg!  I bought cinnamon – enough to fill a container you’d buy at home – and it was only .55 DHs – or 15 cents!  

I Made It Through Week One

Week one is done and I’m still standing!  Of course we had half days, so that helped a bit.   Here are the highlights of week 1:

Day 1 – today I only had my class.  I had no schedule, but I had a ton of stuff planned.  Who knew it would be all in vain!  8:15 we had assembly and I picked up “my” students.  I spent 1 hour trying to pass out names in English.  Reem cried all day – ALL day!  Shamma is so cute and Alreem spoke a little English.  Mouza has Cerebral Palsy but her nanny will stay all day with her.  The nanny is Ethiopian and knows very little English, but she was very helpful.  I think she will be a great asset in my room.  At 9:15, when I think every child had their name card my Arabic counterpart, Miss Sheikha told me to take the kids to the theater.  We had a big Welcome to 1^st Grade party with balloons, treat bags,  a custodian dressed as Barney and Arabic music.  That went all the way to lunch – 10:45 – 11:15.  Then I took my kids back to the room and we practiced writing names.  At noon a bell rang and all the kids got up to leave.  I was never told it was a half day, but they knew!  I found I have a closet in my classroom but it is locked.  The cleaners are trying to find the key.

Day 2 – today the girls were a little more relaxed and I had to use my “teacher” voice.  Apparently it was Noura’s turn to cry all day, but Reem was happy as a clam.  I had my kids in the room and the music teacher came in an it was time for music.  I still have no schedule and they look at me like I’m stupid.  So, 45 minutes to kick back and reflect on my day.  I feel the kids are understanding a little already.  The “routine” as it is in the classroom is flowing, but there are things that need fixing.  They won’t stay in their seats and they all come up and tug at me and say “Miss, miss”.  They call me Miss Mary.  After music we worked again on our names, and the ABC’s.  They know them in order, but not out of order.  Then we did calendar time and worked on numbers.  10:45 – lunch again.  When we came back to the room we sang “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”  and they LOVED that!  We read The Teddy Bear and learned on and off.  Time to go home! 

After the kids left we had a faculty meeting and it was all in Arabic.  I got a feeling for what my kids feel each day in my room.  It was especially hard when we voted for something – I think we voted to have faculty meetings on Wednesday. . . not sure!  The teacher who speaks English told us we must sign up to teach an in-service and that we can learn a lot from our Arabic teachers.  After the meeting my closet was open.  Inside I found a wealth of materials – math manipulative, resource guides, posters, and an easel.  There was an old computer in there as well.  I spent 3 hours going through the stuff and cleaning. 

Kids I KNOW – Noura, Shouq, Shamma, Alreem, Reem, Mouza, Mouza, Meera, and Fatima.  9 down and  15 to go – only 24 have shown up.

Day 3 – I had my class for one period and we started reading Teddy Bear.  Alreem could point to the words!  She figured out what each word was and could follow along.  Nobody cried except Mouza (the girl with CP) and that was only in the morning when her mother slapped her.  My kids had PE and then I had Miss Sheikha’s class and all hell broke loose.  They ran out of the room and would not follow directions.  They could (would) not tell me their names.  We really need some name tags!  One girl, Meera, is deaf, and she screams and whines and seems generally confused.  She did not appear to know the few signs I knew.  After lunch I got my class back.  My kids received 8 textbooks today – not one of them was math or science or English.

Day 4 – today was uneventful but long.  I have learned many names.  I will say that my control is NOT good and I may need to go back to the drawing board on staying in their seats, lining up, etc. 

Day 5 – even though we’ve had ½ days I’m so very tired!  I’ve learned many of the names, but not as many as I’d like.  I should know MY whole class by now, but the names are different to me.  I can tell who is going to need the most help and who needs discipline.  Today they dismissed kids right after lunch and we worked on next week’s lessons until 1:30.  Next week we will cover M and S and the numbers 3-7 for counting and formation.  I have to remind myself that in 1^st grade coloring is not a waste of time – it develops fine motor skills!

While I would LOVE to post pictures of my kids it is forbidden to do so and I must follow the rules where this is concerned! 

Can things get worse? Yes they can!

  O.K, so we all knew that going into this adventure that things would be a little tough.  I guess the 3 weeks in a 5 star hotel really turned me into a princess, but so far this week has brought me crashing back down to reality and then lower (if that is possible).  I moved out here on my own, got my furniture and so far the beds (one for Pat and I, one for Jacob and one for PJ/Shannon), fridge and stove have arrived.  My cell phone works poorly in my apartment, but out front it works fine.  I paid almost $500 to get my apartment professionally cleaned after 5 hours of cleaning myself with no results.  I also had my first bout with the flu or food poisoning.  Are you  feeling sorry for me yet?  Keep reading. . .

   Sunday was supposed to be my first day of school.   I went to the office to pick up my letter and it said cycle 3 girls which is what I “expected” as of last week.  The lady looked at me and said, “Oh, Mary, you are the one who is not licensed to teach high school.  We need to change your placement.  Come back tomorrow at 8 and we will give you a new placement in cycle 1 (grades 1-4). 

  Monday I went back at 8 am and sat for 1 ½ hours to get my new placement.  They sent me to Al Ezra School.    They gave me a phone number and told me to find my way to that school.  I called the number and the secretary who spoke very little English told me the principal’s aunt died.  She handed the phone to someone who spoke English and they offered to come pick me up which I truly appreciated.  Arab hospitality is great when it is offered.

  When I got to school I was given the grand tour and told to spend my work day in a small office with the other English speaking teachers.  We did nothing but chat and go out for Arab Pizza (dough spread with Lebnuch (like cream cheese) and olives and then roasted over an open fire in a brick oven).  I was then told I would teach 1^st grade.  Now, when you stop laughing, I want you to say a quick prayer, not for me, but for my students.  I will have 2 groups of 27 girls.  They may range in ages from 4 to 8, and they may or may not know the alphabet and numbers.  Luckily the standards are VERY basic for English and Math.  Really it will be like a Pre-K class with bigger kids. 

  When we arrived in Abu Dhabi we were told we might have a school with computers and Smartboards in every room.  Then we were told there were schools where we’d teach “with a rock and a stick”.  Guess what I got?  Yup – I got the stick, but I’m still looking for the rock!   I then found out that we have NO books, no school supplies, and very few learning materials.  Everything I brought with me is out the door, except the packs of sentence strips, the sharpies, the expo markers, the Mister Sketch markers, and the book on Literacy Learning Centers.  Oh, and the post-it notes will be quite useful.  I may even need to use them for paper.  We literally get one pencil per student and there were about 12 boxes of colored pencils in the cabinet for all 16 classes to share. 

   I got home at 1 and spent about 30 minutes crying my eyes out.  I want to go home!   I miss my family, I’m lonely, I don’t have furniture . . .  and really?  1^st grade and no internet???  No computers even for the teachers.   Then I decided to dry up and get control of the situation.  I know it sounds funny (or not) but I kept “hearing” “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.  I did not sleep very well.

   Today, Tuesday,  I went to school with a new attitude.  I can do all things . . .   As I walked in the door Kelly, another teacher, told me I should come to church with her Friday.  Then an new teacher walked in and she was assigned to Grade 1 with me.  We will not teach together, but we can plan together.  Dionne is from Atlanta and has 9 years experience in . . . you guessed it . . . 1^st grade.  We sat together in my room and bounced ideas off each other.  We came up with a day 1 plan and I felt so much better!  Then we went to the bookstore and found the number line, the ABCs and a bunch of other school stuff we needed to decorate and stock our rooms.  I bought pencils and stuff to make a calendar.  I found a CD with great songs like the Farmer In the Dell, If you’re Happy and You Know It . . . and more.  I get to sing, dance, play puppets and have fun all day long!  Look here for pictures of my classroom before I decorate.  I’ll show you after when I get there.  So, don’t worry about me, but please pray!  i have pictures of my classroom, but can't post them - left my camera in the apartment and don't want to hike back to get it.  I'm posting from an internet cafe, but hope to have internet soon!  Post again soon!  ME