More from the Classroom

     The girls are really starting to communicate with me, and not just when it's necessary.  Today "A" sat with me after school for 5 minutes and told me how her horse had a baby and her dad is going to America for a week.  She told me that she loves to learn English because she wants to go to America, too.  She told me maybe I could come to her house on 11/16/ 2011 - not sure why that date - to see her horse and baby.
     "S" is my little morning helper.  She is dropped off at the school at 7 am each morning so her mother can be a bus monitor.  I invited her to come into the room to do small tasks for me, things like cut, write the schedule, and staple worksheets.  She talks and talks, and sometimes I understand her and sometimes not.  But at least she's talking, and each day it gets better and better.
     "H" is my ADHD child.  She is never in her seat, and she cares nothing about her work.  Today was our first day in centers and she worked hard to write down the words the other girls had put in ABC order.  She is so far behind, still writing backwards her name and most words.  While in centers she seemed very focused and when she brought me her paper she was so proud.  I sat with her for some one-on-one time and showed her how to write the words forwards.  Even though she wrote 3 word sentences instead of 5 word sentences I gave her the sticker - she did the best she could for her language development.  Later in math she did not understand what to do.  Instead of the usual "do it and get it over with" attitude, she approached me to help her.  She told me she did not know.  So again, we sat one on one (on the floor, as we have no table) and she got it!
     Overall, if I can just figure out how to adjust the levels in the centers to each group and then have TIME to make all the centers I guess things will be on the right track.

I tell myself each day - my job is not nearly as bad as it could be.  I have stories from other teachers that amaze me.  One teacher had 7 fist fights in one 45 minute class period.  One teacher reported being stalked by a student.  Another teacher had a heart attack from his stress.  My girls chat and steal my stuff and are generally slobs, but they do love me, and I'm starting to love them, too.

First of 3 observations for the year

Today was my first observation so I thought I'd give you a blow by blow account of the event!  If you are not interested, or find yourself nodding off, just skip this post!

*I was told if I'd be observed it would be 1st or 2nd period this week or next.  If I have a weakest area of teaching it's English, so I rearranged my schedule to do math, then science, and then English 3rd period.  I was not sure it was today, but I had a feeling.  Well, second period was over, and I was off the hook.  Or was I???

*Third period - I have the girls all writing in their journals.  Last night I was reading about journaling in a new book my parents sent me in the mail.  It said that if I respond to the entries with a question they will read the question and try to write back to me.  I do respond usually, but only with "great" or "good ideas". So today I had the girls write about what Miss Mary should do in Al Ain this weekend and why.  Most girls only write a sentence, but that why made them write more.  I told the girls to bring me their journals when they were done and I would write back to them.  They were so excited to read the question and write back.  Soon girls were coming back two or three times to see what I'd write.  What little order I usually have in class was destroyed, but I felt like the benefits outweighed the break in conduct.  I'm sure now you see where this is going???  In walks Miss Mousa, the Vice Principal, and Miss Karen my Head of Faculty (HOF).  They come in, sit down and get out those evil clip boards with observations attached.

*So as to not look unprepared, I then continued writing in journals and then told the girls to leave them on my desk.  I would reply later.  Forgot that THEY needed their journals for the next two activities!

* I linked my lesson on sentence building to what we had done yesterday.  I had a sentence cut into words.  I attached each word to the board.  Then I realized that I did not remember what the sentence was myself.  So I told the girls to see what they could do with it in their small groups.  Some of them came pretty close.  This activity is good because they tend to use phrases instead of sentences.  They say things like, "Me go bathroom" instead of "I need to go to the bathroom".  Seeing how words like to and the are used in English is an important skill.  Overall, I'd give the lesson a B or B-.

*Next it was time for Making Words.  The kids get a strip of letters - this week it was
s s o p r t.  They cut out the letters so they can move them around and form words.  We work through little words like or, to, so, then on to pot, rot, and then spot and stop, then sport and finally the "BIG WORD" sports.  The girls have done this each week, so are pretty familiar now, and they were throwing out words left and right, of course the words were not English.  POS - not a word, SOT - not a word.  When you don't grow up in the language you don't know.  Heck, even when you do grow up with the language you don't know sometimes!

*Finally the bell rang and the kids and observers left.  I had no feel for their take on the lessons.

*Near the end of the day Karen went over my review.  They both felt that I had a good rapport with the kids.  They both loved the lessons and felt the kids were on task (REALLY?  Were they in the same room I was in???)  They both loved that I speak in full sentences very slowly - instead of using broken English. I guess that is a problem - and i do find myself doing it now and then - "no go bathroom".  The only thing they nailed me on?  Not having my objective written on the board!  Mr. Ronald Monroe, if you read this, I'm sorry!  I failed you and it won't happen again!  I promise!

All in all, a good experience for someone who has not had a "formal" evaluation for 12 years!

A Time for ME to Learn!

Here is a student intently illustrating a book I made for the class.

     This week I have learned a lot and made great strides within my classroom.  I've learned to write my name (Mary) in Arabic.   A few students gave me a lesson on the money system - I was still having trouble with coins and I'm supposed to teach about that in math!) I learned that "yellah" means go quickly.  I learned that Hand, a girl in my class could be my "right hand (wo)man".  I've elected her president.  She is in charge of making the girls quiet and re-explaining things to my class in Arabic.   She is so smart and loves to talk to me about things that are going on in the classroom.  I've found that peer tutoring is not only a good tool, but one that is necessary with a class that needs to learn math and science but can't understand me very well.  In science we study the body so I have a girl write in Arabic while I write in English to label diagrams and pictures.  The best part of my week was when I went to check on a table and they were speaking to each other in ENGLISH, not Arabic!!!!! 
     This week I introduced the "Post it note" system.  Each girl got a purple sticky note (thanks, Dad, for sharing my love of school supplies and feeding me so many packs before my departure!).  On that note they wrote their name in PEN.  They had to have it out every day on their desk.  If they misbehaved I put an x on the note.  3 x's and they lost "Thrilling Thursday" which is the equivalent of "Fun Friday".  If they could not find the purple paper they were out of the fun as well.  Thursday I had games and sugarless bubble gum for those that earned it.  The others went to Miss Sandy's room for remedial help in math or English.  Next week Sandy gets the good kids and I'll take the remediation.  It worked!  Don't get me wrong - my classroom to the everyday observer seems to be a hellish mess, but to those of us that live there, it is gaining a sense of order and clear expectations.
      I now know almost every girl's name, not only when they are in their seats, but also when they are up or in small group.  It is a goal I never thought possible.  I still mispronounce some names, but the girls always remind me when I'm wrong.  It's especially hard in my homeroom class because I have 4 Fatimas (two of which are Fatima Mohammad) and I have 2 Shouqs and 2 Fakhara Nassers!
     Finally, at this weeks Wednesday faculty meeting (mostly in Arabic) we were put into teacher teams, some English teachers and some Arabic.  We were given a binder and told to discuss our committee.  The binder was in English and Arabic, so I jotted down a few notes.  I guess the meeting leader saw me writing notes so when it came to our groups turn the Arabic teacher across from me got up to speak and then the leader pointed at me and said, "You, in English".  So I got up and made my first faculty presentation, falling all over my words, but not too badly.  My committee is in charge of Academic Achievement in English, Math, Science and Arabic, as well as attendance, behavior and extra curricular activities (of which we have none).  Our goal is to improve assessment methodology.  So, here I am at my new school on the dreaded Academic Success Team!  Inshallah!

An Emirate Wedding

You know someone who knows someone whose relative is getting married, so you are welcome.

You get very dressed up. You put on a long dress, do your hair and makeup and for good measure you throw on some bling.  There are no gifts to bring - it is not the tradition.

You arrive at the wedding hall or hotel at 8:30 o'clock at night, when the ladies-only party typically starts.  Somewhere there is a party for the guys as well, and while you can see them they can't see you.

You are greeted warmly at the door by 10 or so of the bride/groom's close female relatives. They are extremely dressed up, with more makeup than you've ever seen a woman wear in your life. You are surprised at the elaborate dresses they wear, which draw attention to their figures, to say the least: cleavage is really on display, and maybe a midsection on a gown or two will be see-through. Their gowns appear custom made because they fit like gloves.  In the background you will smell the incense that they burn and wonder if you'll make it through the night.

Everyone says "welcome," shakes your hands, maybe kisses your cheeks. You really do feel like an honored guest. You're glad you got dressed up; you'd feel like part of the beige-colored walls in the lobby right now if you hadn't.  Women are walking around with liter sized jugs of perfume and they use wands to put it on you when you are not looking.You walk into a lavishly-decorated ballroom: the bride's chosen colors are on display and everything from the flowers to the table clothes and the chairs has these colors. There is a stage at one end of the large room, with a chair or sofa, where you imagine the bride will sit when she arrives.

You find seats with your friends at a table. Arabic coffee and tea are offered, along with fruit juices, water and sodas.

Hummus, moutabal, fatoush, and some sweets are passed around and around the table. Deliciously-cooked lamb, camel and goat - on rice is served on a huge platter.   You can't ignore the bones, and sometimes you'll get a head as well.  There's also harees, a traditional lamb/wheat dish, and other foods at your table.  There is so much food it can not possibly all be consumed!

At 10 or 11 o'clock, the lights go out and a spotlight shines on the far end of the room.  Some of the women start a high pitched ha la la la la that continues for minutes and then the bride appears. She is dressed in an elaborate, white wedding gown that glitters from all angles. She walks very slowly down the center aisle, pausing to pose for the cameras. She looks nervous, but her appearance is absolutely perfect.  Most likely she is wearing new jewelry given to her as a gift from the groom and his family.   She walks up the steps of the stage and poses for more pictures. Finally she sits down on the chair.

The music is very different from western music. It is all in Arabic, and it has a fantastic rolling drum beat that makes you wish you could dance too.  Sometimes women with belly dancing belts shimmy around in the crowd.

Sometime later, an announcement is made in Arabic. Suddenly there is a wave of black moving over the room. Every lady in the room is covering her head with her shayla, some adding their burqa or niqab over their faces.

The groom and his party go up to the stage and stand by the bride and many more photos are taken, although you are not permitted to take any photos yourself.
 The bride's face is uncovered. She and the groom chat as they greet the ladies who wish them well. Cake and other sweets, as well as coffee, are served.
The newly-weds leave together. The wedding is over.

Many have asked for my PO box and I finally have one.  The address is:

Mary Ellen Arthurs
PO Box 13716
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

I would love books for my classroom - used or new.  I spent way too much buying the first 15 so the girls could read in pairs, but when they saw the books they were so excited it made it all worth it!  I'd love to have enough books so each girl can hold her own and still have some on the shelf to pick from.  Just remember, no pigs, no holidays, no bathing suits and no boys dating girls.  I have a range of girls still learning the alphabet to girls reading on an early second grade level - but they are very concerned that we not do "baby things".

Several have asked if I need anything else.  I have become a minimalist (I know that is hard to believe) and need very little for me, but I could use stickers, dry erase markers, small items for my treasure box ( a behavior tool I'm using - even free pencils or anything from the USA would be fun for them to have) and ideas / pre made centers to use in my classroom.  Thanks in advance for anything you send.  If you include a note and your address I'll have the girls write thank you notes!

Journey Up Jebel Hafeet

Jebel Hafeet from the foot of the mountain!

Friday Rebecca and I journeyed up Jebel Hafeet.  We stopped first at the park at the bottom of the mountain.  This mountain is used as a guide point in Al Ain.  If it is on your right you are heading into town.  If it is on your left you are on your way to Abu Dhabi.  At night the roads are lit and it looks beautiful, but during the day no roads are visible  

You probably notice that the park is so green.  There is also a man-made water feature with fish and a fountain.  The water comes from the underlying springs and they have put in a sprinkler system to make it even greener.  My Macbook Pro does a great job at enhancing pictures, as well!

We moved up the mountain and our views were breathtaking!  Scroll down to see more pictures!

The entrance to the park - very green!

A rock feature on the way up the mountain

My favorite picture!  Do you see a bear's head to the bottom left?

We think this is a hotel under construction

A view of the desert from the mountaintop