And Another One Gone

Sooooooooo.....

There are still a few groups that leave me feeling like a complete and utter failure as a teacher, but now that most of my students have books to work out of there is something for them to focus on and some semblance of order in the classroom.

One of my groups of pre-teens were giving me a tonne of trouble until I explained to them exactly what it takes to get the maximum number of talents from me at each lesson.  The boys began actually trying to get their points, but the girls quickly became distracted by the one student who has not yet been given her book.

My 6 year olds, however are still a handful and weren't very engaged in the lesson.  That goes double for the other class of 6 year olds that I teach on Wednesdays.  They weren't even interested in the reward system that Sarah and  I created together to try to inspire (and by inspire I really mean bribe) them to pay more attention in class.  I think a lot of it is just that they don't understand what I'm trying to tell them, they are confused by the fact that I don't understand them at all, and that the classes are too long for their attention spans.  I wonder sometimes if it wouldn't be more beneficial for them to have the English teacher and the Polish teacher together at all times to eliminate the communication gap and still surround them with English.  I've observed some of my problem groups in their lessons with my Polish co-teacher and they seem to behave for her, and generally like the lessons...but I wonder if the fact that she speaks Polish when it comes to concepts they don't understand in English  -- and setting boundaries when necessary -- is part of the key.

I honestly don't feel like they're learning anything from me.

I seem to be meeting with a little bit of success in the other areas of my career though!  I would look forward to my other classes a lot more if this bloody chest cold would go away...and there's the need to update the on-line register for the last three weeks on top of everything else the teachers have to do.  With any luck, things will get easier as time progresses and things steadily fall into place.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the classroom observations from our boss in Kozienice this week.  Really looking forward to that.  At least I know she will likely come on a day where she can observe Sarah and I in one visit -- which eliminates some of my worst classes.

I am trying really hard to hold on to my optimism, and to keep a cheerful poker face when my students make me want to hide my disappointment in them and myself under the desk.  I've tried throwing as many new tactics at them as I have learned in this last week -- but all of that knowledge doesn't stop me from wondering if I haven't made a mistake in trying to do all of this when my experiences are minimal at best.

I don't have any choice by to keep going though, and the little buggers are going to have to try harder if they want to get rid of me.  I got myself into this, and I am bloody well going to finish it.  Two problem classes out of 24 is an accomplishment, right?