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