First Day of Teaching

Today was my first day of classes at l'Ecole Edmond Laguerre. Wow.

I taught two classes today, one of students 10-11 years old, who have had 2 years of English, and one first year class of 8-9 years. The more advanced class was fun, the children respected me as their teacher even though I told them simply to address me as Kate. I was basically thrown in with no real idea of what to do...so I used some of the pictures I have been drawing to have them say basic sentences. Also, my classroom is the school's library, so I have 8 desks for 15 students, and no chalk/white board. I am going to have to remedy this somehow, because all of the students who sat on the floor had a difficult time paying attention.

The younger class was frustrating, to say the least. Afterward, the teacher informed me she had not explained what she wanted me to do well enough and apologized, apparently she could hear me yelling at the students to be quiet and sit down from her classroom! Tomorrow I go back and teach the other half of the classes (I teach half of the normal class each time).

At recess, a small boy came up to me dragging a girl behind him, and informed me in French that she had called him ugly. Not knowing exactly what to say, I told her that that word is not nice and should never be used. I think the boy was disappointed with her "scolding"...but oh well.

It is raining here, every few hours it downpours...no fun. This weekend I am going to Paris for the "nuit blanche" with my other assistant friends, the plan is to go Saturday afternoon, stay out all night, and take the first train back in the morning...we shall see how that goes!