Getting Into the Swing of Things

So maybe this is adapting to the new country...

Things at home are still absolutely amazing. Rachel's been more than welcoming and helpful as my hostess, and I couldn't be more grateful. After already have taken both me and Alissa to Bethels Beach on Saturday, she's also taken us to the mall to see what sort of "youthful" shopping is available, Craftworld - a place where all sorts of Kiwi artisans can sell all their artistic endeavors, and, on top of being a tour guide of sorts, she's also been more than helpful in adjusting to the cultural change. With her, I've found a great deal of guidance not only in that regard, but also greatly in a professional regard. She's a wealth of information regarding teaching in general (theories, practices, you name it) as well as so many things with the educational system that Alissa and I find ourselves working with). She provides great insight into the workings of Swanson School so that we have a better understanding of just what's going on and why everything works the way it does.

With a combination of Amanda and Rachel's guidance, everything's starting to really click into place in regards to my understanding of the school, the curriculum, the classroom, and all other aspects. What originally struck me as a little overwhelming with the various ability groups in the classroom is becoming more simplified and clarified with the more time I'm in the classroom. Talking with Amanda various times has really opened my eyes to her exact methods for her class. Beginning yesterday and working into the next couple of days, we've begun working out just how to work me gradually into the class. With a field trip to the Museum of Technology tomorrow and Labor Day on Monday, I almost wish that I had a real full week to get a chance to see how everything progresses. I guess, however, that I'll have to make do with what's available to me.

I've already started working with the lower level group for maths over the past day or two. I absolutely love it, because I get the chance to work with Leah, a student with spinal bifida, who is an absolute sweetheart. Though she may not be at the highest level in maths, it's really obvious that she's doing her best to learn as much as she can. Even though she may not get every single detail very clearly, she doesn't let anything really deter her. Though she's among many in the classroom, she always seems to have a smile rearing and ready to go. This definitely makes it easier to keep on trucking along, even when a lesson on time tables and hourly intervals doesn't go as smoothly as it ought to.

All the students in the classroom have their own individual personalities, and although some might raise a bit of a ruckus at times, they're all very endearing. So while I may only be working with a handful of the students for math right now, I'm really looking forward to next week when I get to take over working with more of them during reading. As they're all divided into their various groups for the subjects, they're all working on different texts/assignments during class time. While this originally seemed a little bit daunting and potentially overwhelming, it's starting to seem more appealing as it adds a bit of variety to the material to be taught.

As the week's moving along towards its end already, it's time to start looking towards next week and the planning at hand. Until later...