Hello again! I haven't updated since the weekend, but I've just been settling into a routine and nothing has been very new and exciting since the weekend. I wanted to update before this weekend because I leave tomorrow night for Scotland! Very excited about that.
Monday was my first full day at Long Eaton, and I was given a student to attend all classes with him for the next two days! He was a Year 8 student, which is 7th grade in the U.S. I went to Math, English, Spanish, Science, and Registration with him and experienced a day in the life of a seventh grader! Some of the students were "lovely" as they say over here, but I can assure you that thirteen year-olds are thirteen year-olds across the Atlantic. There's no difference at all!
On Tuesday, I spent time with that same student and went to pretty much the same classes, except for Cooking as well! They have a very interesting schedule of classes here (they call them 'timetables') that allow students to take more of a variety of classes. That also means that students do not have the same routine everyday. Teachers may have a student once every two weeks-- which is wild to me! I really enjoyed cooking class because I have become friends with the Cooking teacher! She is the one who Lauren and I went to Nottingham with. She also regularly gives us "lifts" to the train station which is very generous!
Also on Tuesday, first thing in the morning, Mr. Calvert took the time to meet with Patrick and Laura and I to discuss the differences in the British and American education systems. We went on for two hours! It's so interesting to me how the systems work and how the teaching profession differs throughout the world. Some things were the same, but I could go on for days telling you what we discussed. One of the major differences was how dynamic the teaching career is here. It seems to me like teachers at home keep the position of "teacher" for years and years and never really change. Here, teachers have lots of opportunities for leadership positions, which are paid, and teachers can receive promotions and added responsibilities and titles, which is neat. Also, I could go on for days about how different university experience is here. Get this: Colleges all cost the same amount of money, or less, no matter where you go. Oxford and Cambridge cost the same as Derby Uni. Blew my mind! Colleges actually accept you here based on merit. What a dream!
Tuesday night, Lauren and Scott and I watched "Walk the Line," the movie about Johnny Cash. During the whole movie I felt wowed about being in England. Who would've ever thought I would watch a movie mostly set in Tennessee about a country musician-- in England-- with an English person and a Northern Irish person and an American, all in the same room?! So crazy but brilliant at the same time. I also got to catch up a little with Rebecca, my friend who is in Italy for her student teaching and discuss how unbelievable it all is. Great to hear from her. :)
Wednesday, Sarah (our liaison) and Mr. Calvert (Head Teacher at Long Eaton) arranged for Laura and Patrick and I to experience a day in the life of a student at Derby University! Trainee teachers at Long Eaton all attend Derby University, and we got to hang out with them for a day. Some of them are exceptionally nice and friendly and great to be around! We went to a lecture with the trainees and got to see how they are assessed and their standards. Very interesting!
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Laura and Patrick and I ("the American invasion" Ha!) got to spend time with the NQTs (first-year teachers) at a training session put on by another teacher at the school, Mrs. Ford. She is fantastic. The whole session was dynamic and she is hilarious. It focused on grouping practices for students and I got lots of great ideas. (Although I am an elementary teacher and this is a secondary school, I find that almost everything can be adapted and translated and I'm having NO issues with that.)
Wednesday, Sarah (our liaison) and Mr. Calvert (Head Teacher at Long Eaton) arranged for Laura and Patrick and I to experience a day in the life of a student at Derby University! Trainee teachers at Long Eaton all attend Derby University, and we got to hang out with them for a day. Some of them are exceptionally nice and friendly and great to be around! We went to a lecture with the trainees and got to see how they are assessed and their standards. Very interesting!
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Laura and Patrick and I ("the American invasion" Ha!) got to spend time with the NQTs (first-year teachers) at a training session put on by another teacher at the school, Mrs. Ford. She is fantastic. The whole session was dynamic and she is hilarious. It focused on grouping practices for students and I got lots of great ideas. (Although I am an elementary teacher and this is a secondary school, I find that almost everything can be adapted and translated and I'm having NO issues with that.)
Today, Thursday, was a Shardlow day! I was able to spend time in Year 1&2 (Kindergarten- First grade) this morning, working on fluency reads with the kids. I love this class and this age group, they are the sweetest! I got to conference with each one and make sure they're reading at home and challenging themselves in their reading. Some of them were so talented and were reading long novels, even that young!
This afternoon, at lunch, I decided to eat outside with the students in the courtyard. If students had packed lunch, they were allowed to sit outside. It was a sunny day and I've learned here that suns something to be appreciated, cause it rains all the time! I also find it funny that when the teacher takes the lunch count in the morning, students either say "sandwiches, please" which means a packed lunch, or "dinners, please" which means a hot lunch that's been brought in (no kitchen in the school!). I spent time with Reception, which is the four and five year olds! I love this group too. They are so funny, and the teacher is so great. I also did conferencing with them, and we spent the whole afternoon outside with them, which was nice. One student told me his "mummy" was having a baby in his sweet little accent. He wants the baby to be named "Tom," definitely. I asked him what would be her name if it was a girl, and he didn't have an answer for that one! Hadn't thought about it! :)
On a side note: Found out today that I am NOT keen on "Irn Bru." It's a drink they like in Scotland and Ireland. It tastes like bubble gum flavored medicine!
I've tried several things but that's the one thing I haven't liked at all. Other than butter on sandwiches... but that's just odd! ;)
This afternoon, at lunch, I decided to eat outside with the students in the courtyard. If students had packed lunch, they were allowed to sit outside. It was a sunny day and I've learned here that suns something to be appreciated, cause it rains all the time! I also find it funny that when the teacher takes the lunch count in the morning, students either say "sandwiches, please" which means a packed lunch, or "dinners, please" which means a hot lunch that's been brought in (no kitchen in the school!). I spent time with Reception, which is the four and five year olds! I love this group too. They are so funny, and the teacher is so great. I also did conferencing with them, and we spent the whole afternoon outside with them, which was nice. One student told me his "mummy" was having a baby in his sweet little accent. He wants the baby to be named "Tom," definitely. I asked him what would be her name if it was a girl, and he didn't have an answer for that one! Hadn't thought about it! :)
On a side note: Found out today that I am NOT keen on "Irn Bru." It's a drink they like in Scotland and Ireland. It tastes like bubble gum flavored medicine!
I've tried several things but that's the one thing I haven't liked at all. Other than butter on sandwiches... but that's just odd! ;)
Tomorrow is another day at Shardlow. I like not being in one set classroom there, because I've been able to meet almost every student in the school and really have a presence there. I'll also now be able to say I've had experience with every age of student, which will be great for future employers, hopefully! Also, tomorrow, I'm staying the night with Laura and her host, Dawn, because we're leaving for Scotland for the weekend! We're going to Edinburgh, where Laura's cousin lives. I've heard it's really nice there and the castle looks very pretty. :)
Thank you to all who are reading! My Mom says that she doesn't think I realize how many people are waiting to hear about my adventures here-- and I don't! Please leave me a comment to let me know you're reading; I'd love to know! I love that everyone is supporting me here and wants to hear about what goes on. Thank you all so much. :) Let me know who you are!
I think that's about it for this week! Expect an update from me after my weekend in Scotland! Glasgow folks, I'm meeting up with our Scottish founders! Haha!
Hoping everyone has a great weekend! :)
--Haley
Thank you to all who are reading! My Mom says that she doesn't think I realize how many people are waiting to hear about my adventures here-- and I don't! Please leave me a comment to let me know you're reading; I'd love to know! I love that everyone is supporting me here and wants to hear about what goes on. Thank you all so much. :) Let me know who you are!
I think that's about it for this week! Expect an update from me after my weekend in Scotland! Glasgow folks, I'm meeting up with our Scottish founders! Haha!
Hoping everyone has a great weekend! :)
--Haley