Swiftly Go My Days

A little update for school. I am loving where I am right now. Teaching is good, life is good. I have had to work very hard these first couple of weeks, but it is starting to ease up a little. I have a little more free time than other teachers so I have taken it upon myself to be checking on "MY" classes all the time. I follow my ninth grade to every class that I can to make sure that they get there on time. It is begining to work, only one person was late to class this week as opposed to about ten last week.

It is hard for these students to understand the concept of personal responsibility. Holding that to be true, you can imagine how hard some other aspects of school are for them. If they are late it is not their fault, if they are talking in class it is not their fault. I had a class that was left in my room unattended for an entire period. They kicked a soccer ball around and put marks on my walls and went through my desk. Needless to say when I got in from PE and saw that my room had been torn up I was angry. I had the entire class stay for detention. They had to write an apology letter. They did, however no one claimed responsibility and only one person bothered to tell me the truth. So they stayed with me everyday until they told me the truth and admitted what they did. They just could not understand that even though the administration messed up and left them alone that it was their responsibility not to tear up my room. "But, they left us alone, what were we going to do?" uhmmmm how about not kick a soccer ball around the room? Sheesh!

I have been holding detention in my room everyday during lunch for two reasons. One reason is that there is not room enough for all of the detention students anywhere else. The other is that most of them are mine anyways and I want to show them that when they misbehave I will be following them every step of the way. Not only am I the teacher, but I am the one you answer to when you make a mistake. I have been really hard on "MY" classes, but in the same respect I have explained to them and shown them why I have done this. I need them to understand that they are "MY" class even when they are not in my class room. I work hard to teach them and have them do the right thing. When you work hard at something it has worth to you. Therefore all my students have worth to me and are "MY" classes and when they misbehave in other classes it still affects me. I am here for them all of the time, be it good or bad. Most of the kids are starting to get it.

Ramadan starts in about a week. Every school day will be shortened to get out at 2 instead of 3. That will be kinda nice, but the class periods will be so short then that it will be difficult to get much done. Looks like it will turn out to be more of a project month than anything else. In case anyone one is wondering Ramadan is about a month long and is a time when all Muslims are expected to fast from sun up to sun down, if they are not old enough, not pregnant, not sick,.... you get the idea, then they don't have to or make it up at some other time. Fasting means, no food, no water, no cigarettes, nothing. So most people wake up early and eat a bucket full of food and than fast all day. Around three or four most people are getting home from work or school and take a nap until nine or so. Then they will stay up eating and such until the early morning hours. Then they sleep for a few more hours and then get up to eat and then go to work/school again. It is a crazy month. I think I am going to try and keep with the custom. I almost do it now anyways. I eat a very little bit in the morning and then don't have anything but water until about four at night. If I can stretch that out a little then I will be within the limits.
Arabic classes are going well. I am learning new things everyday and picking up little bits of conversation which is nice, but i am still not at the level to hold a conversation with anyone. We get off for October 6th because of the anniversary of the "victory" over Israel. I think my roomate and I are going up to Alexandria to stay the weekend with a teacher freind. I'll take lots of pictures.