Counting down

Not counting this week, since it's technically already begun because I've already planned what to do in the classes, I have 4 more weeks with the high school kiddies. I'm happy. These past 2 weeks have been a lot better with them. I think they're finally getting used to me and me to them. That makes for an easier time. I still have a class that I'm a little irritated with but it's getting better. The only thing is..they're done with their workbooks and the test is coming up for the last chapter and then there's nothing else to do. I'm working on getting materials to start with fairytales just for fun. I think the teacher has the Schneewitzchen und die sieben Zwergen...guess what that title is? Snow White and the 7 dwarves. They could watch that as something for a little fun. There's a teacher at another high school that supposedly has materials for doing a fairytale unit and hopefully he gets back in touch with me before it's too late. I found a website with a bunch of fairytale stories on it in both German and English so they could start reading those but as for supplementary activities, I'm sorta at a loss...Oh well. The other classes are a little easier because they have their work pretty much cut out for them because of doing these little Michael and Sabine stories that they have to recite to me each week. We gotta get through those. I'm not too worried about that.


The English class that I teach with ELL (English Language Learners) kids is working on a literary anthology and I have a grand plan for that. Next year Boise High is expecting a sudden huge influx of ELL students from the language academy and so this anthology will be meant to be displayed in the library for everyone to read. The new students coming in will hopefully have a chance to read them and realize that they're not alone in this new, huge school--that they have students already here that have come from the same places as them and faced the same troubles and have the same hopes and dreams. Also, kids from the mainstream culture (aka white kids) will be able to read these and hopefully gain a better understanding of these new students and the ones who are already here. Anyway, this is my proposal and I've written it up for one of the teachers to take to the ELL inclusion meeting this next week and she can talk about it to the other teachers within the committee. Hopefully I'll gain some positive attention out of this. I'm thinking with the sudden influx of new students, they might have to hire another ELL teacher (maybe) and I'm gonna put my name out there to the principal just in case. I did hear though that they'll probably just make some more sheltered core classes (pretty much remedial classes that are at a lower level so that the students can succeed a little easier) but we'll see what happens. :)