Lessons of All Sorts

From the amount of blog entries I post about our travels, I'm sure it's hard to believe that I do, in fact, work full-time! So, here's a bit of an update about my job front....

Since we returned from Italy in April, the official "summer term" (basically the third trimester) of the high school year began, running from April through July. My colleagues who are also part of the Transition Team gave me plenty of warning about summer term being the most hectic, but hectic was truly an understatement. As the British like to say, the past few months have been absolutely "mad." No day at my job is ever boring, sedentary, or the same as the day before. My record so far is visiting 4 schools in one day - walking or busing between each, eating my lunch en route.

In honor of my being "back in school," here are some of the lessons I've learned over the course of this term:

*****

Lesson #1) Multi-tasking is an understated art, and requires a genuine commitment to eating on the run

A small sample of my daily responsibilities over the past few months:

• Visiting 5 local primary schools, each at least once a week, to deliver whole classroom and small group workshops for the 6th graders, on issues related to the transition to high school - learning how to be organised, reading a timetable, making new friends, bullying and peer pressure, school rules and expectations, etc, complete with pre and post student evaluations (these workshops are geared to transition in general, regardless of where the students are going to attend high school)
  
• Visiting other primary schools in the borough (similar to a district in the U.S.), to meet and visit with specific 6th graders who have been identified as needing extra support through the transition to our high school (these meetings are specifically geared to students that will be coming to our high school in September)
• Meeting with teachers, special education coordinators, and social workers of 6th grade students, who will be transitioning to our high school
  
• Following-up with 7th graders at my high school, specifically those whose behaviour are being monitored by senior management staff - behaviour that has resulted in poor grades, strained relationships with teachers, and poor relationships with peers
• Co-facilitating a whole range of transition events at the high school (alongside my boss, who is the Manager of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade) - such events include personal interviews with the incoming 7th graders and their parents, induction mornings (when the new 7th graders spend a half day at the school in various lessons), and the parent information evening
  
• Planning ahead for September - outlining and designing groups and workshops for students, centered around self-esteem, social skills, conflict resolution, anger management, and healthy peer relationships. Groups with parents might be in the works as well.
  

*****

Lesson #2: A classroom has 4 walls, and sometimes
you just have to step outside the box

Two weeks ago, the student body and staff were off timetable for the entire week, and embarked on various field trips around and outside of the city (probably about 50+ field trips throughout the entire week in total). Given that all hands were needed, I too ventured off with the 7th graders, on their various trips throughout the week. Of all the trips, two in particular stood out for different reasons...

*****

Lesson #3: Teaching, protecting, and
managing pre-teens in public is not for the faint-hearted

THE LONDON CITY TRIP
On Tuesday of Interactive Learning Week, we took all 180 7th graders (in 3, separately-staffed groups of 60 pupils each) on a trip to London City, complete with a cruise on the River Thames, a tour on the London Eye, and a quick trip to Tate Modern Museum. This was definitely the most stressful trip of the week - imagine herding 60 12-year-olds on and off the tube (changing tube lines, no less), navigating through city streets, and trying to find the balance of allowing them to enjoy their day, while remaining safe in and respectful of the general public (eekk!). By the end of the day, I had my own small following of 7th grade girls completely enamoured by my American accent, and trying to practice their own (which came out sounding quite appalling - some sort of cross between relaxed surfer, deep southern drawl, and something Canadian). I quickly realised that their barrage of questions about America had nothing to do with actually learning the answers, and everything to do with just hearing me speak. Good fun indeed. Personally, having not yet been on a cruise of the Thames, or on the London Eye, this day was a learning, touristy experience for me as well. A few pics:

Views from the cruise on the River Thames:

Aerial Views from the London Eye

*****

Lesson #4: Like it or not, sometimes you have to get dirty to get real

THE RUSHALL FARM TRIP

On Thursday of Interactive Learning Week, we took all 180 7th graders on four big private coaches (combined as one huge group this time), and headed out to Rushall Farm, an organic farm about 90 minutes outside of London. This was, truly, one of the most amazing and eye-opening experiences I have had to date, while working with London's inner city youth. Initially, the entire farm experience was a bit overwhelming for many of the students - the smell of the farm, the animal poop on the ground, the hay flying around in the wind - not so popular at first. However, despite the rocky start, the remainder of the day was filled with meaningful conversations and revelations, ranging from quality of life on an organic farm, to my own American countryside upbringing (and for students whose sole understanding of America is Hollywood, the fact that farm animals even exist in California took some convincing on my part!). Some students saw sheep (in person) for the first time in their lives. Other students realised that products from KFC, and other similar fried chicken chains, actually come from live animals. By the end of the day, after we had hiked through the wooded area that surrounds the farm, made candles, tasted fresh honey, been pond dipping for bugs, and learned how to make charcoal, students were literally playing around inside the lamb pen. Being with the students, experiencing a day on a rural farm, was extremely rewarding, both personally and professionally - it provided me with deeper insight into the lives of the students at our school, and the very limited opportunities many have had to explore and conceptualise life outside of the city. It also made me nostalgic for rural Auburn, California, and grateful for the wide range of educational experiences I had growing up. One thing is for sure - some lessons just can't be learned in the classroom; few things replace first-hand experience and exploration.

*****

Lesson #5: Saying good-bye really is the hardest part

Last week was our End of Year Staff BBQ, and also staff farewell event, where we said goodbye to a handful of wonderful staff that will not be returning in September, one of whom (Kate, see pic below) has become a lovely friend of mine. Our staff lunch room tends to be a bit segregated (think Ross from Friends, and the museum lunch episode), forcing staff to sit in one of three areas - the science corner (dominated by the best couches in the room), the English corner (with a nice round table), or the general corner (where arts, PE, and social sciences have a mingle). As you can imagine, when I began my job in February, and didn't quite belong in any of the corners, lunch in the staff room was slightly anxiety-provoking, which is where Kate came in. A member of the art department for 3 years, she quickly invited me to join the general corner, and we've been fast friends ever since. I will definitely miss her at school in September, and as I have mentioned in previous blogs, such is the course of friendships in this town.

Oh, and for those of you that are a bit rusty on your Friends episodes...

*****

Lesson #6: Forget virtue - patience is an act of sheer heroism
when summer holidays are just around the corner

As of last Thursday, 22 July, 99% of the staff said their farewells, and took off for their summer holidays. But, for myself, my boss, and a select few of the truly dedicated, summer school started today - one last week of work until the holiday. The summer school program exists solely for the incoming 7th graders, who are partaking in various lessons, sports events, dance, and a couple of educational workshops led by yours truly; looks like I'll be able to tack teaching on to my resume :). So, 4 more days...and counting. Then Bryan and I will squeeze in a farewell dinner for our Aussie friends on Saturday (the couple that we met in San Sebastian) - followed by drinks with one of Bryan's high school friends on a stopover for the night, and then we jet off to Croatia on Sunday to recharge our batteries. Until then....

Love you all!

-B

"But Miss, if you lived out in the country when you were young, how did you buy clothes?" - One of my 7th grade students