**Please note that I wrote this post on October 11, but I have been really busy and today is the first day you have the opportunity to read it, now that my blog has gone live. Enjoy!**
I am sitting in another airport. It seems like life gets so busy that the only time I do a lot of writing is when I am waiting to board another plane. And as much as I love traveling, I really hate the traveling part. You know, the part that involves packing, planning, buying tickets, getting to an airport several hours before your flight so you can go through layers of security, all your toiletries in a Ziploc bag and your shoes on a conveyer belt. But I am trying to look on the bright side. This time spent waiting is a great way to catch up on a bit of writing. So here goes. I arrived in Kurdistan a little over a month ago after spending the summer completing numerous interviews for a variety of international teaching positions. I decided on Kurdistan for several different reasons that aren't really important. What matters is that I am here, teaching and learning like I was born to do.
Last year, I taught grade 5 in northern Canada. This year, I am grade one English Language Support. This means I work with students who are struggling to learn English – the language of instruction at the school, but only one of three languages they learn throughout the year. Students also attend Kurdish and Turkish classes every week.
I was rather nervous at the thought of working with grade one students. I generally work with older students and I have no previous experience with primary grades. Further, my school follows the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, specifically the PYP (Primary Years Programme). This is a fancy way of saying our teachers facilitate lessons in a way that allows students to inquire and discover for themselves, rather than teachers telling students what they are supposed to be learning. Students at my school are extremely engaged in their own education and genuinely love to learn. This is a welcome change from previous environments I have been in.
Another positive difference is the priority in the school of creating a learning environment that really focuses on developing children who respect themselves and others. In other words, rather than anti-bullying posters and assemblies, teachers and administration focus on fostering and acknowledging positive attitudes, such as respect, cooperation, curiosity, etc. Every week during our grade one assembly, each homeroom teacher (there are three grade one classes) gives awards to the top two students who exhibited the character traits we are focusing on that week. Of course, this does not remove all problems. There are still disagreements on the playground. They are still children after all. But the overwhelming feeling is one of positivity, kindness, and respect. Even with the potential danger and instability throughout the region, students are still expected to conduct themselves with respect, integrity and discipline. It is clear positive expectations go a long way.
I am sitting in another airport. It seems like life gets so busy that the only time I do a lot of writing is when I am waiting to board another plane. And as much as I love traveling, I really hate the traveling part. You know, the part that involves packing, planning, buying tickets, getting to an airport several hours before your flight so you can go through layers of security, all your toiletries in a Ziploc bag and your shoes on a conveyer belt. But I am trying to look on the bright side. This time spent waiting is a great way to catch up on a bit of writing. So here goes. I arrived in Kurdistan a little over a month ago after spending the summer completing numerous interviews for a variety of international teaching positions. I decided on Kurdistan for several different reasons that aren't really important. What matters is that I am here, teaching and learning like I was born to do.
Last year, I taught grade 5 in northern Canada. This year, I am grade one English Language Support. This means I work with students who are struggling to learn English – the language of instruction at the school, but only one of three languages they learn throughout the year. Students also attend Kurdish and Turkish classes every week.
I was rather nervous at the thought of working with grade one students. I generally work with older students and I have no previous experience with primary grades. Further, my school follows the IB (International Baccalaureate) curriculum, specifically the PYP (Primary Years Programme). This is a fancy way of saying our teachers facilitate lessons in a way that allows students to inquire and discover for themselves, rather than teachers telling students what they are supposed to be learning. Students at my school are extremely engaged in their own education and genuinely love to learn. This is a welcome change from previous environments I have been in.
Another positive difference is the priority in the school of creating a learning environment that really focuses on developing children who respect themselves and others. In other words, rather than anti-bullying posters and assemblies, teachers and administration focus on fostering and acknowledging positive attitudes, such as respect, cooperation, curiosity, etc. Every week during our grade one assembly, each homeroom teacher (there are three grade one classes) gives awards to the top two students who exhibited the character traits we are focusing on that week. Of course, this does not remove all problems. There are still disagreements on the playground. They are still children after all. But the overwhelming feeling is one of positivity, kindness, and respect. Even with the potential danger and instability throughout the region, students are still expected to conduct themselves with respect, integrity and discipline. It is clear positive expectations go a long way.