Finally Teaching High School

Ever since I graduated from high school in 2004, I knew I wanted to teach high school.  Here in Quepos, Costa Rica... 10 years later - I got my wish.  On February 4th, I started teaching an intermediate English class to 27 students in a bare little classroom that has a window with a jungle-view.  I definitely never imagined this ten years ago.

I started this post in early February and never published it.  The excitement and novelty of teaching HS quickly wore off as the month progressed and the behavior digressed. The early schedule (getting up at 5:30 everyday), the procedures in planning required by the school, and the classroom management issues I was having were taking a toll on my spirits.  It got so bad at the beginning of this week that a part of me was starting to consider other career options.  Another part of me, though, deep down inside knew that I didn't want to quit and that I could do this.... but how?

Thanks to some great support that I have, I came up with some ideas.  First, I've noticed that they are the worst on Mondays and whenever we work out of the book.  I think they are tired and bored.

Integrating Theatre Into an English Classroom – Community Building

I also realized that I had one advantage... they like the theatre games we play!!! They seemed skeptical at first, but now they ask if we can play "Bibity Bibity Bop." haha.  That was it... the key.

I decided to start the class with a game to warm them up and get them focused.  Then, move into journaling and other activities.  I'm going to try to incorporate more movement into the hour and twenty minute class.  That's a long time for a teenager to sit in a class.

Today I started class with a game of "Zap" and it was the quietest they had ever been.  The ones who came in late - the same ones who always come late and disrupt the class as they make their grand desk dragging entrance - looked sad when they saw they were missing the game.  After that, we did a tongue twister - Peter Piper - and then I moved without a beat into assigning seats from a seating chart.  The grumbling I had feared didn't happen and they moved into their new seats with minimal resistance.  It was amazing.

The rest of the class, they behaved like a different group than I had seen previously.  It was almost like they had wanted that to happen so they could control themselves better.  I don't know why it took me so long to do this... I guess I was afraid of fighting with them and felt like I didn't know them well enough to decide where to put them. I guess it's better late than never - and now I know they are malleable and that there is still hope.  I knew they were capable of it... I saw them in their other classes, working and engaged, and respectful.  I thought it was just bad in my class because I'm an outsider and they thought they didn't need to respect me.  Maybe I'm earning their respect. I am trying to get it across to them that I want to learn from them and that I care about them and their lives.  I am going to continue managing through soft eyes, high expectations, and strong kindness. 

I know there will be days of ups and downs, but hopefully we will continue in a slight upward motion together.

I'm grateful that I made it back from the edge of giving up.

Holding High Expectations