Ready for Week 2 to begin!

During our first week with our class of older students, my teaching partner, Lesley, and I focused on speaking and conversation, not on writing. For some, it was challenging to answer simple questions; they tended to repeat what we said, rather than answer the question. On the other hand, they can talk about pictures they have drawn. We will continue to work on questions and answers and conversation.

We began by using picture word cards. After ascertaining that they knew the words, we held up a card and asked, "What is this?" The expected answer was "This is ..." We did other work with the picture cards - they alphabetized the cards and they put them in categories such as food.

Lesley read a simple, charming book about a puppy, which they enjoyed. I then asked for them to tell what was happening in the pictures. The next day I read it again, rather quickly, and then I reread it and had them join in by finishing the sentences.

Another day Lesley read a book about a monster. They were attentive listeners as was I as I enjoy her Northern Irish accent. They then drew monsters and told the class about their monster. I discovered they have a need to finish what they start and will miss outdoor recess time to do so. The next day, we did an exercise which required them to follow directions. After their paper was folded in fourths, each drew a monster head, then folded the paper back to hide the head and passed the paper to the next person who drew the shoulders and so on. They did not like that activity. They prefer to do their own artwork.

Another day they folded their paper into four rectangles and drew pictures of themselves, their family, their favorite food, and what they enjoy doing. They then told about their pictures.

We divided into two groups to use the story cubes. I had the two most advanced students. Their sophisticated use of the English language was imaginative and fun to observe. The verb story cubes proved to be a challenge for some. We will continue to encourage them to speak. How they feel at the moment influences their level of participation.

Two of our team members have departed. Lesley took a bus to Aghio Nikolaos and from there took a ferry to the island of Spinalonga on Saturday. She was inspired to take this trip by Victoria Hislop's book, The Island, a story about the lepers sequestered on this island, some years ago. On Sunday, she walked to Heraklion. Round trip, it is close to twenty kilometers. On Saturday. I took the bus to Rethymnon where I stayed in a lovely hotel near the sea, ate great food, and enjoyed walking the narrow alleys, taking photos. We are happy to be back "home" as was the hotel staff. I received greetings and a hug from one of the women. 

We are ready for week two to begin!

Message of the Day: “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

Entry submitted by: Mary Sue