Second Week on the Job

July 28, 2009 , Tuesday

LET ME START WITH A POSITIVE THOUGHT: ALL MY CLASSES ARE GOING AMAZINGLY AND INSPIRINGLY WELL. IT WAS FUN, WE HAD MUSIC, MOVING AROUND, PRACTICAL EXPERIMENTS IN A GAME AND TALKED ABOUT LIFE, LOVE AND UNITY - AND OF COURSE OUR FEELINGS AND OURSELVES AS WE BREATHED IN DEEPLY AND VISUALIZED ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE AND BE GRATEFUL FOR IT.


IT'S SO INSPIRING AND ENERGIZING TO BE WITH MY KIDS IN CLASS, AND THEY KEEP ME GOING...

Workshop: (1 hour) Horizontal Planning, Interdisciplinary Units and Monitoring of Reports. ( Too much in a short time)

Participants: All teachers from Grades 6 to 10.

Just came out of my second workshop.. my body is in a shock from experiencing the bombarding energies of those who used the felt words "irritating", "waste of time" in front of my face. I was just wondering if those who at the same time thanked me and said " what a relaxed session, thank you" ever saved me from them. I was quickly given this workshop assignment 2 days ago and accepted the task without question in the midst of a very busy and tiring week.

Lesson learned: Reflect on the decisions of others before accepting to implement it. Consult ideas from others before conducting the workshop.

When the other MYP Coordinator ( Graham) asked me how it went and I explained everything to him, he replied : "Change is never easy for everyone" As most of the complaints was on why they were required the semester plan ( which the Vice-Principal required of them )in the beginning only to have the possibility to adjust one or two along the way for interdisciplinary learning.

Background: Since I arrived here roughly 10 days ago, I went home not earlier 7:30pm-8:30pm and 10:00pm max including Saturdays and Sundays.

19 July (Sat) - Set up the house after a long travel the same day. Picture the house: all plastic wares, bed, linens and clothes chewed on by rodents. Glasses broken on the floor etc..

20-21 July ( Sun-Mon) - Meetings/ setting up of office and taking care of our guest from Mumbai (a friend and former colleague)
- Church and meeting new parents

21 July - (Tues) First Day of Classes + Guest

22-23 July - Preparation for Friday's Workshop for new MYP Teachers + Guest

24 July ( Friday)- MYP Workshop for New Teachers from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm ( whole day)
- Extended Essay Meeting with Students ( 4:40pm-5:00pm )missed
- Administrator On Duty - 6:00pm- 7:30pm/10:00pm
- Got good feedback on the fact that I spared them PP presentations and they
enjoyed the video I prepared for them
+ Assigned a new workshop for Tuesday's Professional development

25 July ( Saturday )- 6:00pm - 10:00pm ( Administrator On Duty ) + Students Canteen
Night

26 July ( Sunday) - 6:00pm- 8:30pm - Administrator On Duty

27 July ( Monday ) - 3 classes straight
- Prepared for Tuesdays workshop ( includes communications,
venue, Materials etc..)
- Given Personal Project Tasks by Graham ( 6-8 Coordinator)

28 July ( Tuesday ) - Conducted Professional Development Workshop
- (1 hour) Horizontal Planning, Interdisciplinary Units and
Monitoring of Reports.
- 3 more classes today

ELT ( Executive Leaders' Team) Meeting tomorrow ( Second Language Issues )

Note: Yesterday, I had a student asking if I was the HS Coordinator, I said no, I am the MYP Coordinator in charge of implementing curriculum and not managing student's disciplinary issues and classes etc..

He replied : oh so good! Because all these consequences and punishment stuffs is just not so you!

For some reason, hearing that felt good. What amazed me is that that boy was never my student but he seemed to know me...

Then comes another day......