What is this? A post?
Yes. Yes it is. I am playing the 'how long can Heather go between posting' game again.
Um, so, what's new... Taiwan was awesome. We walked so much (despite using the metro wherever we could) that my feet hurt every day but it was totally worth it. Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine is delicious. I took notes on what I did every day and will probably write up a point-form summary of the trip within the next week or so. I also took a ton of pictures which I will also upload soon.
Since then I've been plunged back into school. The first half-week back was pretty lax (homeroom and test classes) so I worked on my phonics program. This week was GOGOGO week. I have attended every class on my schedule. Well, except for Thursday when I found a class had been moved and rewrote the whole thing, and this afternoon when the teachers all went away to the regional meeting. Luckily as long as I'm willing to redo it from the base up each time making the schedule has been a breeze, despite having 19 classes at Ono JHS instead of last year's 18. I have also managed to preserve at least one free class on the end or beginning of each JHS day. This is much better than last year's 6-class-Friday. The elementary schools are being worked out as well, despite a brand new curriculum for grades 1-4 and new textbooks for grades 5 and 6. The poor homeroom teachers for 5 and 6 who have to teach without me half the time now (before this year I chose the lesson themes, planned, and ran all my elem classes) when they don't even know basic English are kind of panicking but trooping through with me. Not like we have a choice. But it seems to be working out in the best way :)
Tomorrow I'm going to a pantomime show with Yumiko and Keith and one of their fun gamer-girl friends. I'm not sure what to expect at all so it should be interesting! I am looking forward to it! And... I think I ran out of stuff to say. Um, I have hanami (sakura blossom) and some assorted spring stuff pictures that I will post soon as well.
Um, so, what's new... Taiwan was awesome. We walked so much (despite using the metro wherever we could) that my feet hurt every day but it was totally worth it. Taiwanese vegetarian cuisine is delicious. I took notes on what I did every day and will probably write up a point-form summary of the trip within the next week or so. I also took a ton of pictures which I will also upload soon.
Since then I've been plunged back into school. The first half-week back was pretty lax (homeroom and test classes) so I worked on my phonics program. This week was GOGOGO week. I have attended every class on my schedule. Well, except for Thursday when I found a class had been moved and rewrote the whole thing, and this afternoon when the teachers all went away to the regional meeting. Luckily as long as I'm willing to redo it from the base up each time making the schedule has been a breeze, despite having 19 classes at Ono JHS instead of last year's 18. I have also managed to preserve at least one free class on the end or beginning of each JHS day. This is much better than last year's 6-class-Friday. The elementary schools are being worked out as well, despite a brand new curriculum for grades 1-4 and new textbooks for grades 5 and 6. The poor homeroom teachers for 5 and 6 who have to teach without me half the time now (before this year I chose the lesson themes, planned, and ran all my elem classes) when they don't even know basic English are kind of panicking but trooping through with me. Not like we have a choice. But it seems to be working out in the best way :)
Tomorrow I'm going to a pantomime show with Yumiko and Keith and one of their fun gamer-girl friends. I'm not sure what to expect at all so it should be interesting! I am looking forward to it! And... I think I ran out of stuff to say. Um, I have hanami (sakura blossom) and some assorted spring stuff pictures that I will post soon as well.