But anyway, this week was the first week of school. After much deliberation, confusion, and awkwardly hanging out in the teachers' room, I finally have my teaching schedule set. I teach P4 and P5. Furthermore, I teach mostly in the mornings, saving the afternoons for clubs, teacher training, working out, cleaning, and naps.
This is my fourth first week of school as a teacher (or student teacher) and it was simultaneously the most disorganized and most relaxed first week I've experienced. Going in Monday, no one really knew when or what they were teaching, and even now on Friday schedules are still being refined and teachers are still figuring out when they are supposed to be where (the teachers move rooms while the students stay put). At first, I was impatient and a little stressed.
But now, it's all cool. When I taught in the US, all of this not knowing would have resulted in disaster, tears, a possible teacher revolt, and probably some getting fired or in very big trouble. But here, it's fine. If the students don't have a teacher because something got mixed up, or a teacher is running late, they're still fine. They don't need the constant supervision my students in the US needed, as they sit when (and where) they're supposed to sit, listen when they're supposed to listen, and work when they're supposed to work. Whether this will hold true all year remains to be seen. And whether this is because they are used to how schools run here or because they are just better behaved is anyone's guess.
Anyway, my lessons so far have gone well, and my co-teachers and I have some good plans going forward. I haven't taken any school pictures yet, too focused on teaching, but here's some flowers, the church, and Tunda (of course):
