Mmm. Chipotle.

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June 14, 2012

Thursday morning started off just like any other day, except there was warm water and no electricity problems! :D FANTASTIC. I started off in a first grade classroom, Gedeon. This classroom was so much better than the other first grade classroom. There was more classroom management from one of the other teachers in the classroom. These students were able to get through more material and learn more vocabulary words than the other classroom I was in for this grade. However, this group was still very mobile while I was trying to teach. Though, I was very pleased with how they reacted to the material and applied what they knew. I also got to work with the fourth and fifth grade students. The fifth graders are such a joy to work with because the majority of them are SO engaged in what they are learning. They participate like crazy, and they are always asking questions. :D Awesome!

[One thing that is so different here than in the US is the lack of emphasis on diversity within the classroom. (This is in terms of special education needs and differentiating instruction for them and students who are above average.) Sr. Daniel was telling us one night about how if students have a learning disability they are sent to a different school that will focus on that disability. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this because of the fact that diversity is stressed so much in the US. However, since the teachers here move from classroom to classroom and don't really know the students that well, an integrated school setting might not be the best for students requiring special assistance. This type of system allows more focus in smaller settings for these students. However, I think it's also considered segregation. Although, I don't know if it's required that students needing special assistance go to a separate school. Maybe it's just encouraged? Anyway, for those of you education friends of mine reading, I thought you might find that interesting.]

We had the best lunch today, so I have to talk about it. It seriously tasted like I was eating Chipotle. Mmmm. (I LOVE Chipotle, so this was the highlight of the day for me. :D ) In Peru, they eat rice with everything-- arroz con leche, rice in soup, rice with meat, flavored rice, the list could go on. I actually look forward to this because it's something in my day that is constant. :) After this, we went back to the school to start language classes. I taught the entire class period (an hour and a half) for both the advanced students and the basic students. I covered singular and plural words with the advanced students, and I covered "jobs" with the basic students. After the basic class was finished, I got my first "Facebook" question. The other ladies have gotten this question several times, but I hadn't yet. (The students here really want to know a. how old we are, and b. if we have Facebook. It's so funny.) We ended the night with a green pesto-y weird soup. It looked disgusting, but it was delish! :D

Anway, that's really it. Not too much of an exciting day, but stay tuned for the adventures of Friday (6/15/12). They are fun!

Monique

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