For all my Teacher Friends at Home

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Things to NOT take advantage of as a Teacher Back Home

- Having a photocopier with a password that allows you to do your own photocopying, instead of dropping it off to someone, hoping that it will be done properly and on time (usually needs to be dropped off a day in advance)
- Having a curriculum to follow - MUCH better than teaching out of ONE given book per subject
- Children’s Books - these are hard to find here, especially in English
- A Gymnasium - when all you have is a basketball court outside in the heat, it can be tricky for large games or activities you are hoping to accomplish
- A school where noise doesn’t carry - teaching in a school that is set up like a mall (where sounds are meant to travel) is not conducive to teaching.
- 9am start time - starting at 7am can be very tiring.
- A 6.5 hour school day - somehow an extra hour feels really long
- Weekly/Monthly meetings - actually knowing what’s going on more than 15 minutes before it happens is never a bad thing
- Daily announcements - So that the students and staff are both on the same page about what’s going on in the school
- A library - ours exists but is about 5 shelves behind a closed off counter where the “librarian” is. It’s kind of a mess and is hard to find anything in.
- Air-conditioning - I have one oscillating fan for my classroom
- Electricity - we lose ours once every week or two
- Parents who speak the same language as you do - I think I have 2
- A printer on the computer - having to save all work to a USB key and then go to the administrator’s office to borrow their computer is kind of a pain in the bum
- Assemblies where your class sits down - having to stand for 40 minutes is not a good time for anyone
- Assemblies in English - 40 minutes of standing and listening to Spanish… REALLY not fun
- Basic teaching resources and supplies - we have to sign out things like tape, glue, etc. from the “library”
- Office staff that is in the office before school starts
- Homeroom time - there is no time between the start of school and the start of period 1. There is also no time between the last period and going home. I usually sacrifice time out of other classes to do things like class meetings, class jobs, and other fun activities
- Having a Playground - at recess and lunch our students all sit around in the hallways eating (as there are 2 teachers on duty so they all need to be in sight) then run around the school, and the basketball court. The small area of grass is blocked off as they are growing the grass.
- A choice in clothing - Uniforms means you don’t have to think about what to put on that morning, but it also means wearing the same 2 outfits that aren’t all that flattering
- Mailboxes - what a great way to improve communication! Perhaps this would help with unexpected surprises such as trips to a country club.

I don't even wanna think about how things will work come report card time... EEEK! So ya, there are probably many more but this was what came to mind.

I've added Comayagua to this site as a location, which excites me. Now my entries are from there... small things excite me I know.

As for requests for books, ANYTHING is awesome. They can be torn and taped together... as long as they can be read. My kids do love I SPY books or any of those searching "Where's Waldo" kind of books, but those are pricey. I spent almost $20US on one book in Teguc. Mailing packages to Honduras are also kind of pricey I believe so keep that in mind I guess.

I love you all for leaving comments. They came right when I needed them 😊 Thank you for all your continuous support. It means a lot.

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Comments

[Marika]

I really enjoy reading all your Blogs. The one you just wrote reminded me so much of what it was like teaching in Japan. Teaching where you are now and experiening all that you are will make you such a stronger person and it will all come into hand when you get into a school in North America, or if you teach where the system is more of what you are used to. Sounds like you are having an incredible journey!!

[MOM]

Books for kids
I have asked everyone at work to check for books and a few have said they'll bring some in. Not sure what you mean that you are sending your blog now from Comayagua? Love Mom

[anonymous]

GRANT IT, THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE . . .
More than taking advantage, I think what you're saying here is not to take your list of wonderful gifts for GRANTED. Granted is the word you seek in this instance. We're (Mom and I) working at satisfying your need for some of the items on your wish list for class and students. Godspeed, Sarah. Love now and always, DAD XXX OOO

[anonymous]

Carol Coyle
Thanks for the reality check!! I couldn't imagine having to stand for the assemblies (let alone having to listen to them in Spanish). You're a trooper! Oh, and I saw our friend Davis today - Anne Young and I went to visit him at his new school. He remembered us and kept giving us hugs and kisses - and he asked "where Mis Lillet?", so of course he remembers you and misses you too! He's doing so well in his new class - he's in a class of 10 kids and has a full-time TA one-on-one for the whole day. It was really great to see him happy and doing well - I really wish you could have seen him. And he gave us his traditional pinkie kiss good bye. It was priceless and heartwarming. I'll have to go back to visit him again before I go on leave! I just thought you might like to hear how he's doing...oh, and Ewan, still the same. :o) And all the girls (Milica, Ayan, Syndney, etc) keep asking how you are doing - so I've been giving them the updates too (well, the censored versions. LOL!) they said to say hi and they are planning on making cards for you - I'll send them when they're finished! Talk to you again soon!!

[DAD XXX OOO]

S'NO WAY, IT'S OCT 12
You missed the first snow storm of the season Thursday, Sarah, with uncanny sideways snow in which you could hardly see across the road. Wow, way too early in the year for that stuff. It was really thick in Kitchener for a couple of hours, but , thankfully, not much stayed on the ground for Friday. And Buffalo got it worse. Their snow hung around. The following is a bit of an Associated Press story I scanned from the news wires: HL:’Historic snowfall’ wallops parts of Ontario and Buffalo, N.Y. FORT ERIE, Ont. (CP) — A rare October snowstorm left a section of southwestern Ontario buried in snow Friday, but conditions were much worse across the Canada-U.S. border in the Buffalo, N.Y. region, which received as much as 60 centimetres of snow. About 30 centimetres fell in the Fort Erie, Ont. area, forcing the closure of the Peace Bridge crossing to the United States for a few hours early Friday. A section of a highway leading to the crossing and all schools in the Fort Erie area were also closed. In western New York, the snow downed scores of tree limbs and toppled power lines, leaving more than 220,000 customers without electricity. Buffalo had received 56.6 centimetres of snow Thursday and Friday for the “snowiest’’ October day in Buffalo in the 137-year history of the U.S. National Weather Service, said meteorologist Tom Niziol. “This is an extremely rare event for this early in the season,’’ Niziol said. A 170-kilometre stretch of the New York State Thruway from Rochester to Dunkirk, southwest of Buffalo, was closed because of the snow. Several drivers were believed to be stranded in their vehicles. The storm caused numerous flight delays and cancellations at Buffalo’s airport, which was shut down for almost two hours late Thursday. There you are Sarah, enjoy the climate you're in while the rest of us deal with the nasty stuff. Godspeed, Boo. Love now and always, DAD XXX OOO

[Pallesh]

Sounds rough...
Your lack of supplies puts things into perspective for me and makes me appreciate the things we do have in our school. Thanks for the reality check Sarah even though you get the short end of the stick on this one...Hang in there hunny bunny! Miss you and love reading about all of your adventures. :)