First Week as a Teacher

My life has been a blur of jetlag, lesson plans, names to learn, and new places. But at least it has been a pretty blur (from what I remember haha).

In all seriousness, though, life at SPH has been such a good experience so far.

As a teacher, I can say I never expected to get this kind of support system. The other teachers who are teaching the same grades I am (7, 8, & 9) are gifting me with lesson plans and unit arrangements and tips to the point where I have so much to work with I get to choose what I want to teach and not just what I have to.

And in addition to the grade level teachers, I have the whole English department constantly asking if I need something (and actually mean it) and going above and beyond to help me understand both the computer programs we are working with, the logistics of the classroom, and insights into students they have taught before that I have now. The English department head and our senior school principal have come by several times already asking if I need help with anything (and promising me even more books for my classroom: YAY!).

My day starts early. I am normally up by 4:30 or 5 just because I like to have a little me time where I read my bible and take my time to get ready or make food. I usually walk over to my classroom around 6. Once there I set up my laptop and get to work finishing any slides or preparing copies to make that I may not have finished the day before. I check my schedule: each day of the week is different because students only have English (as well as other subjects) 4 times a week but those days are different for each class. So student still come to school 5 days a week but only 4 of those days will they have English. Once I remind myself what classes I have and when I set up the room for any activities we might have and get the projector working for any slides I want to show. The other teachers on my floor always poke their heads in to say good morning.

I wear teacher dress code (a white button shirt and dark pants or a skirt) every day but Friday when we get to wear some crazy traditional clothes like you see me wearing in the picture above.

We get a 25-minute break around 9:30 each day between classes where student are encouraged to kick a ball around in the open yard or play on one of the several playgrounds. Lunchtime is an hour long, which I seriously cannot express how beautiful that is. During my non-teaching periods, I may have a department or grade level meeting (once a week) or I may just stay in my room and lesson plan or make copies.

Just in case you were wondering, the air conditioning works crazy well in my classroom to the point where I walk outside at times to warm up in the afternoon sun. Yes, it is always about 85 degrees but the warmest it has been so far being 95 and that is normally around 1 when I am in my classroom with a sweater on.

The school day ends at 3 when I dismiss my students as the Big Ben chime plays over the intercom. Teachers are required to stay until 3:30 which is easy time to fill between straitening the chairs and desks and setting up what I need for the next day. Sometimes I stay later if I need to get something done for the next day.

Indonesian Words:

Batik: A wide variety of traditional patterns worn on clothing (like my shirt in the picture)

Guru: Teacher

Cicak (pronounced CheeCha): small lizards (they are everywhere!)

-Rachael

First Impressions

This photo doesn't even begin to describe just how excited I was to find something in my classroom with my name on it. As you can see, it says "Ms. Rachael" not "Ms. Elliott" because students call their teachers by their first names here. It isn't supposed to be more friendly or less formal it is just common and considered just as respectful to address someone by their last name. Even the Principle goes by "Mr. Philip" and not "Mr. Nash".

One of the first things we were told during orientation is that we are in a new culture now and this culture does things differently. Different doesn't mean bad, it just is different. Everyone has a tendency to believe that their own way of doing things are "better" or the "right" way when in reality there are many ways to do something and different doesn't equal bad.

To enter and live in another culture one must have an open mind. So here are some different things about living in Indonesia.

There is dust everywhere. The air isn't the cleanest living in the city, and even in my apartment, there is a layer of dust that accumulates after just a few days.

The above is one of the many reasons that people have a "helper" or maid come in and clean at least twice a week. I will be getting a helper here pretty soon so after a long day of teaching (6:45-3:30) I do not have to come back and wipe clean every surface in my apartment.

Age is respected here. While in America we are obsessed with youth, age is what matters here in Indonesia. I went shopping with the school Principal's wife and she has grey hair. Every store we went into the employees who saw here would place a hand over their heart as a sign of respect and say something kind to her.

The standard of living is lower here so things cost less. After learning how to do a rough conversion in my head of US dollars to Indonesian money, it quickly became clear that things cost a lot less. Which will make buying some stuff for my apartment that much easier.

Head scarfs and head coverings are common for women to wear as there is a large Muslim population, but not as common as I thought it would be. At the airport, I would say only about 1 in 5 women wore one and even at the mall it was only about 1 in 3. I don't "stick out" as much as I thought I would. In fact, there are so many different cultures that I am just another person in the melting pot that is Jakarta.

I am enjoying my stay here very much and am learning to live with and embrace these differences.

Here are some Indonesian words:

Sekolah means "School"

Pelita means "Light"

Harapan means "Hope"

So my school is Sekolah Pelita Harapan which literally translates into "School of light and hope."

My dearest wish is to be a light and a hope to these students.

-Rachael