Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham

Storytelling

I have to choose a story to tell in class. A children's story, but my audience will be adults (university). I'm finding it hard, because I'm used to reading stories to my daughters, but they're 3 and 6 years old and are far from being an intimidating audience. I can be silly with them, but will I feel confident telling a story to a group of adults, knowing that it actually is a test??? AAAAHHHH!!! I initially thought of telling the story of the Cow that went oink as an example of the good thing about learning languages, but I'm not sure it will be good enough. Any suggestions? Any stories that you think might work?... HELP!

What a week!

Tough, interesting week.
I've been assigned a second grade class (seven year olds). I'm just to watch and help when I'm told... May I introduce you to my class?
14 children. All of them have brothers or sisters. Lots of them. Many of them come to class with dirty, stained clothes. Sometimes they don't wear a jacket and it's november, and no, this is not a tropical country. It's cold. It's not just the clothes that are dirty: sticky fingers, long dirty fingernails... At first that's what most caught my eye: their unkempt appearance. Their family history is, in too many cases, quite sad. L's stepfather beats him up regularly. Thankfully, social services know now, and they're working on it. M's mother is known for her shoplifting: she usually takes a bag lined with aluminium paper so that she can steal clothes without the metal alarm going off. That's her role model. And now F. She didn't come to class for a few days, and showed up wednesday. Now we know that her father beat her mom, so they left and stayed in a shelter home until mom decided to "forgive" her partner and they are both together again. It's sad because you know the cycle is not going to be broken. J is funny but sad also. He's attending school, but in a few weeks he will probably be gone to some Carnival along with his parents. There's a couple of children who just show up from time to time, because they don't like going to school and their parents don't seem to think it's important either. Not that they're homeschooled! At home they just do whatever they want, or play on the streets. S's father is a drug addict. D is always yawning. If he goes to bed at midnight, it's a huge success. All of them stay up too late, watching programs that were never meant for their age...
They crave attention. If you're just a bit kind to them they'll be hugging you all the time. But some of them have huge behavioral problems, and they are behind in development (no books or computers at home). The problem is, all these gipsies live in the same neighbourhood. They have a school, a civic center, a sports facility and a health facility (primary care). No need to go downtown.... Or is it that the neighbourhood was set especifically distant so that we don't have to see them? I think the school should be closed and the children should attend schools in the downtown district. Otherwise, they don't know another reality other than their own...


I'm sorry I haven't visited blogs and have not posted much, but believe me, I've been too busy. In december I'll quit my job so I can focus on studying and my children. Hopefully, I can return to my workplace in december 2009....

James, in answer to your question, I do enjoy what I'm doing now. Some classes are really interesting and we're debating over education, attending conferences... it's fun, stimulating and stressing if you alredy have a job and a family, but it's worth it!

Practice

Today I started a week of "observation" in a school. Students could choose the school, and I chose the one in the most deprived area of town. Remember when I told you about the nursery school my youngest daughter attended? In a gipsy neighbourhood? Well, I chose that district's elementary school (kids from 6 to 12 years old). All children are gipsies. Some are Spanish gipsies, some come from portuguese gipsy families. All families have low income, they make a living out of Carnivals, fairs and such, and have very little education. I was appointed to a second grade class (7 year olds). There were just 13 children. They are supposed to have more children, but some are away "working" with their parents or just helping them in one Carnival or another. the parents of these children make a living out of selling chestnuts, balloons or running a ferriswheel or another type of amusement thing. But that's the good side. Some of the people in this neighbourhood make a living selling drugs. And their kids see a good portion of grown-ups making lots of money with drugs. so why bother studying and trying to have a good job? It's hard. Some parents decide to move to another part of town when they see their kids might be in danger of falling in that ugly cycle.
Aside from that, the children I saw today were mostly gentle and loving. Some of them would even hug me spontaneously even though it was my first day there! I'd like to think they can continue studying and break the family cycle, but that's not easy. Anyway... should education just prepare for what society expects from you or what children really need?.

Skipping classes...

Just like when I was a teenager... ;-)