First day of School! First day of School!

Colwill Elementary school now has 4 new additions: Kirsten, Emily, Kirsten and I! Today was our first day as practicum students and in my classroom. I thought last semester was crazy because we didn’t know what grade we were going to be teaching until a few days before. That’s nothing compared to this semester. We walked in the school this morning and still didn’t know! We got directed to classrooms and then were told what grade we were in. It was a very different experience than teaching in the states for many reasons.

•  I am a teacher in years 1 and 2. Yes, I meant 2 different grades. The schools combine the grades together. This is how its broken down, 1 & 2, 3 & 4 & 5, and then 6 & 7. Anyways, so years 1 and 2 are ages 5-7 so basically kindergarten and a typical 1^st grade class. I’ve decided I’m not a huge fan of this because you have students at both extremes. For example, in my class I have a boy who is 5 years old and cannot speak English, another boy who doesn’t know the alphabet, and then another boy who is 7 years old and is reading at a 3^rd grade level. I don’t know how you can teach the same material to the students when they are all at such drastic stages. Any idea?
• I have two different teachers in the classroom with me. For the first part of the day is Ms. Kahn and for the second half of the day I work with is Ms. Whitehouse. These teachers are so different from each other its crazy. I don’t know how the students can handle such a change because it was even tricky for me. The first teacher likes to yell and the second is the complete opposite. Let’s just say I really miss Mrs. Davis back at Old Mill Elementary in Heber.
• About half of the little boys have rat tails for hairstyles. Not attractive.
• Shoes are considered more of an option, even with the teachers.
• The schools have morning tea and afternoon tea (lunch). Morning tea is at 10:30-11:10. The students all eat a snack from their lunches and then they go out to play. While the students are playing the teachers all go to the staff lounge and they have tea/coffee or for us Milo (basically a hot chocolate but slightly different). Then afternoon tea is from 12:45-1:30. The same thing happens except we eat lunch instead of make tea/coffee/milo unless you really want another energy booster. 
• Everybody has morning tea, recess and lunch at the same time.
• All the students eat lunch in their classrooms and then they have to sort their garbage from their lunch in the appropriate recycling bins. One is for the worms (the garden), plastic, and paper. 
• They incorporate Maori into it every chance they get. 

Now, our principle is quite the character. His name is Mr. Taylor AKA Rob. He has a very interesting appearance. Not somebody that you would picture as a principle. He has hair that is slicked back with bangs that I'm pretty sure he curls and then he adds a little bit of icing on it, otherwise known as bleach. Then he has an earring in his left hear that is pretty sparkly. That's not all you see, he also has some serious bling on his fingers. On both ring fingers he has huge rings with perfectly filed fingernails. Then comes his attire. He wears black skinny jeans with black squared off patent leather shoes with buckles, and a checkered button up shirt. Basically he looks a little something like this with the extra things I've added in.

Yes, this is Gru from Despicable Me. There is so much resemblance its crazy! 

Room 14, my class is absolutely darling! Like I said I'm in a year 1&2 class which has ages 5-7 in it. Its so strange that they have this wide of a range in one class. My students come from all over the world, not just New Zealand. I have one student who is from Iraq, two that are from Tuvalu (this country is actually sinking!), one student from the Cook Islands, a few from Samoa and Tonga, a handful from New Zealand, and believe it or not...one from Kansas! It's pretty funny she is the only student that has a generic name; Sarah. 

I throughly enjoy being called Miss. Even while walking around on duty during lunch (afternoon tea) the children walk passed me and without fail say, "Hello Miss!" in their cute little accents. It was even better when I was being introduced to my class and they all said, "Kia ora Miss Taylor!" with huge grins on their face anxious to meet me. 

Also, while on duty during lunch, I had a little girl come up to me and ask my name and if I was from America. I told her my name and said that I was from America. She looked at me quizzically for a moment and then asked me without hesitation, "Miss Taylor, do you know Justin Bieber"? She was quite bummed when I said know but she went on to tell me how she owns all of his CD's, two t-shirts and a poster of him. She might be slightly obsessed. 

I'm so glad to be back in a classroom and see the children's happy faces. You can't help but beam when you have those little eyes smiling back at you. Needless to say, elementary education was meant for me.