First day back to school~
My first day back at school! I was so happy I was able to go back to school again, and today was a junior high school day. I don’t think I’ve written about this, because I think this happened last year (my memory is kind of a mess) but from last year April, several of my schools merged. We went from 9 elementary schools to three, and our two junior high Schools also merged. Which meant my favourite school, my smaller junior high school closed. I was very sad, and despite covid just starting at the point we had a farewell party with all the teachers. Most of them were sent to other schools, but the English teacher, who had been there since I started and who I really love, she and I work really well together, was sent to my other junior high school. I was so happy! And the atmosphere of my bigger junior high school (which was already slowly getting better) has changed a lot over the course of this school year. Chatting in the teachers’ office is now common rather than rare, and it’s just overall a lot more fun.
First thing I noticed is that they installed a drive recorder in my work car. It makes me strangely nervous, but it’s only recording the road (I sure hope they don’t record sounds, as I tend to sing while driving places xD) and I am confident in my driving. Besides, I doubt anyone is going to review every single recording of the recorders, and they’re probably only used if something happens. Apparently I don’t like the idea of being monitored. I take after my mum that way, I guess xD.
When I arrived at school today, several of the (female) teachers exclaimed they were so happy to see me, and that I was okay, and told me not to overdo it and to take care of myself. They told me they’d been worried and were just overall super sweet to me. Some of them I barely talk with so it was a nice surprise.
And one of the teachers of the old, closed junior high school who had been on maternity leave is now also working at this junior high school. It was so nice to see her again and honestly it felt like she’d just always been there.
Because there was a study meeting for the teachers in the afternoon, the students had only three periods. And because they wanted me to be careful, I only taught one class, a first year class. It was so much fun to walk around and help the students. We worked on pronouncing the TH sound, which is really difficult (It used to be really difficult for me in junior high school as well, but I was closer to a T while here most people pronounce it like an S)
And the next period I corrected short essays, which was fun as well. My students are really bad at giving reasons for things. I like baseball, because I like baseball. was quite a common pattern, though not quite like that. More like:
I like baseball.
I have two reasons.
First, I like baseball.
Second, I play baseball.
It’s not really saying much, but we’re going to work on that xD
And then I stayed for the school lunch. Since April we have had school lunches at all my schools (except my kindergarten). They’re decent, though nowhere near as delicious as the school lunches I got at the one elementary school that had school lunches (which unfortunately also closed). The only problem I have with school lunch is the “bread” day, because they rarely give anything to put on the bread. “You can dip it in your soup.” Not my favourite lunch xD.
During lunch break I chatted a bit with a teacher, who had recently learned about using video calls and had been enjoying chatting with his relatives who lived all over the world. It’s an older teacher who’s really into learning about the world (I think he teaches social studies with a focus on geography) and loves to hear about the Netherlands, as well as other countries, so we often chat. He also really likes sea kayaking and last year he invited me and another teacher, and we went sea kayaking together, which was a lot of fun.
In the afternoon I went back to the board of education for more office work. I have to admit I’m a lot more tired than I would have thought. Tomorrow I’m going to an elementary school, for four hours of third and fourth years (who are adorable and super sweet, though admittedly the third years can get a bit rowdy at times xD) I hope I’ll be able to teach them as usual, since I love teaching them, and would hate to have cancel on them.
First thing I noticed is that they installed a drive recorder in my work car. It makes me strangely nervous, but it’s only recording the road (I sure hope they don’t record sounds, as I tend to sing while driving places xD) and I am confident in my driving. Besides, I doubt anyone is going to review every single recording of the recorders, and they’re probably only used if something happens. Apparently I don’t like the idea of being monitored. I take after my mum that way, I guess xD.
When I arrived at school today, several of the (female) teachers exclaimed they were so happy to see me, and that I was okay, and told me not to overdo it and to take care of myself. They told me they’d been worried and were just overall super sweet to me. Some of them I barely talk with so it was a nice surprise.
And one of the teachers of the old, closed junior high school who had been on maternity leave is now also working at this junior high school. It was so nice to see her again and honestly it felt like she’d just always been there.
Because there was a study meeting for the teachers in the afternoon, the students had only three periods. And because they wanted me to be careful, I only taught one class, a first year class. It was so much fun to walk around and help the students. We worked on pronouncing the TH sound, which is really difficult (It used to be really difficult for me in junior high school as well, but I was closer to a T while here most people pronounce it like an S)
And the next period I corrected short essays, which was fun as well. My students are really bad at giving reasons for things. I like baseball, because I like baseball. was quite a common pattern, though not quite like that. More like:
I like baseball.
I have two reasons.
First, I like baseball.
Second, I play baseball.
It’s not really saying much, but we’re going to work on that xD
And then I stayed for the school lunch. Since April we have had school lunches at all my schools (except my kindergarten). They’re decent, though nowhere near as delicious as the school lunches I got at the one elementary school that had school lunches (which unfortunately also closed). The only problem I have with school lunch is the “bread” day, because they rarely give anything to put on the bread. “You can dip it in your soup.” Not my favourite lunch xD.
During lunch break I chatted a bit with a teacher, who had recently learned about using video calls and had been enjoying chatting with his relatives who lived all over the world. It’s an older teacher who’s really into learning about the world (I think he teaches social studies with a focus on geography) and loves to hear about the Netherlands, as well as other countries, so we often chat. He also really likes sea kayaking and last year he invited me and another teacher, and we went sea kayaking together, which was a lot of fun.
In the afternoon I went back to the board of education for more office work. I have to admit I’m a lot more tired than I would have thought. Tomorrow I’m going to an elementary school, for four hours of third and fourth years (who are adorable and super sweet, though admittedly the third years can get a bit rowdy at times xD) I hope I’ll be able to teach them as usual, since I love teaching them, and would hate to have cancel on them.