School in Spain

Finally, I'm writing a blog that I intend to post after writing it! Hopefully. The internet, as I mentioned, is still not great. Actually, it's kind of making me want to tear my hair out. I keep hearing this little voice in my head say 'patience, grasshopper'.

I've had several days of teaching now, so I think I'm just going to give an overall impression. My fellow teachers are all very nice. They speak in English or Spanish to me, and are very accommodating when I don't understand what they're saying. So far I've been in four different classes, and all of my students are from 12-14. They enter high school at age 12 here, have 4 years of compulsory education, and then, if they qualify, take another two years of preparatory classes for university. The classes I teach either have a basic level of Spanish or are bilingual, and required to speak English the entire time.

I've noted some interesting differences between American and Spanish schooling techniques. The kids here seem to be more... distracted. Wiggly is perhaps the right word. They aren't as required to be quiet or sit as still here (though maybe I just don't remember middle school kids). They move from class to class, but so do the teachers. There's no set place for anyone, which means that classrooms are plainer, with only a few of the kid's posters on the walls, and teachers may not be in the room when the students come in. The teachers are organized into groups; natural sciences, English, French, Spanish, etc. They all have a main office where things are planned and items are stored. Some days teachers have prep periods that go through two different classes. Some days teachers are done early and head out before school ends. There is no lunch break, because no one eats lunch until 2:30. They have two periods that are essentially recesses, one in the morning and one at noon. At 2:30, everyone goes home for the 'siesta'. Everything is closed, stores, the school, etc. Because of this, the cafeteria is more of a cafe for teachers  to get a cup of coffee at.

There is also a weird homogeneity among the students. They are all pretty much olive skinned with brown hair, which is weird after being in the US classrooms. There's one kid with pale skin and red hair, and I wonder how he came by it.

The interesting thing about a small town is that you pretty much run into your students everywhere. A group of them called me over the other day (another weird thing, they introduced me by my first name). After saying hello, I decided to forget about going where I meant to go to avoid them. I'm sure that will be happening a lot. (And they travel in packs!)

Anyway, so far so good. I'm liking the school, I'm liking the teachers, I'm liking the classes. Thirteen is a good age to teach, because I think they'll still appreciate the English stickers I brought with me. I'll be working four days every week, which is actually pretty cool, because I'll have Friday off one week, and Monday off the next. Perfect opportunity for travel!

Well, my success on the internet was short lived. It's given out again, so I'm going to try and get it back one more time, then proceed to the gym near my house to figure out what days the pilates classes are.

Update-I may have spoken too soon, again. I think the odds of me getting on this connection are not great. I'll probably have to post this blog in my apartment lobby (it's kind of sad that the internet at the restaurant next door to my apartment is better than this. I cannot wait of the convenience of having it in my apartment, whenever that happens)