Working at a private school with students who have many advantages in life is a very different experience for me. I am continually surprised at how things work here, mostly because it's so different than what I am used to. There are some things that are quite frustrating, but for now at least, the surprises are turning out to be mostly positive! Here are some things to appreciate:
1. I get 80 minutes of planning a day. My fellow teachers will appreciate this as a luxury.
2. Every Wednesday for 45 minutes we have a "fun" period. This is where students are organized into teams and play sports. No academics. I watched them yesterday play soccer, basketball, volleyball, and dodge ball for a full 45 minutes. None of the kids opted out, there was no fighting or arguing, and they were having a blast. Not having to spend every second on "instructional time" is refreshing to say the least.
3. On top of Wednesday fun, I teach a 45 minute cooking class every Friday. We're making chocolate chip cookies tomorrow!
4. Back to school night last night was standing room only.
5. Parents email me back when I write them.
6. I can give homework and kids turn it in. So far, I'm at 100% turn in rate.
7. My colleagues, both American and Paraguayan, are hard-working people who truly care about kids.
8. I get to walk to school and home every day instead of sitting in traffic.
9. My students are sweet and polite to each other and to me. I've gotten at least one hug per day since school started.
10. 85% of my students are at grade level in reading.
Teaching is a marathon, not a sprint, which I often have to remind myself. I have to come back to this list when I'm struggling to get through the days...probably around November :) I'm exhausted from all the changes in our lives right now and from the start of a new school year, but I'm content to be right where I am.
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