Hello again. I sure hope you aren't getting tired of school stories because today was another eventful day with my 4th grade boys. Looking back, I can't really remember my morning or other parts of the day. It all seems like one big blur. My day started with the bell ringing, which meant I quickly got up from computer desk and opened my door in order to greet my students. My most challenging one came running down the hall, wearing his baseball hat. I commented on what a beautiful hat it was but that in school we are not allowed to wear them. He immediately raised his voice and said, "No, it's mine. You can't have it. I bought it with my own money. It's mine. I'll wear it if I want to." And that was how we started our day..
First period we begin with math, which is always an adventure. At Fawzia Sultan we follow the Saxon Math Program, a scripted curriculum with a math meeting and lesson to do daily. Turns out, it takes us about a day and a half or two days to complete one. Today we learned about how to act, draw and solve some, some more (addition) and some, some went away (subtraction) problems. I "changed" our Reading Corner into a library/movie theater/restaurant and asked different numbers of boys (only those who were sitting quietly and showing me appropriate behavior) to travel to one of the locations to help illustrate our problems. We then drew pictures to represent the word problem and solved it together on the board. Math, I'd say was the smoothest part of the day.
I believe I had second and third period to plan while my students were in Arabic and Islamic. I defused an argument between two of my students, one of whom does not attend Islamic class and instead receives lessons at home. My other students tease him and say that he is not Muslim and he is not Kuwaiti. I did some lesson planning and preparing for the afternoon during that hour break, however, I have to admit that my Reading Corner looked quite tempting and seemed like a nice place to lay down and shut my eyes.
During Science we continued learning about the Food Pyramid and focused on following directions. While Rana was off on her break, I attempted to get all eight boys to listen, stay in their seats and learn. We talked about the food groups and how much food we should eat from each. I also tried "making" a fruit salad on the board. I drew a big bowl and did my best with my limited artistic abilities to add the fruits that were named. Some of my students were confused and wanted to add broccoli and carrots to the salad. I'm not sure if they have ever eaten fruit salad. Next week, after our field trip to the fruit and vegetable market we will be spending a class period in the school kitchen and inshAllah if all goes well, we will get a chance to try our school-made fruit salad and other healthy snacks.
I can't remember exactly how or what happened but two of the three students who require most of my time and discipline, lost the privilege of eating with their friends during break. Wow, what an effective consequence! I had them sit by themselves to eat their snack as they watched the rest of the classes sitting around, eating and talking together. Seeing their response to losing time with their friends and seeing what they were missing out on, I have developed a behavior chart that inshAllah I will begin next week, where based on their behavior during school periods they can earn certain privileges or rewards throughout the day: 1-3 they can earn break with their friends, periods 4-6 lunch/recess and periods 7-8 a note home or time with the school psychologist. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Jumping ahead.. my mind is a little hazy right now (it is not even 9 PM and I'm already in pajamas and ready to sleep). At some point during the day, one of my students got curious and decided to jump up to look over the ledge from our second floor hallway. Although there is a railing that blocks students from being able to fall over, this curiosity lead to other students wanting to hang from the railing which in turn, lead to a conversation in the classroom about our behavior in the hallway and the importance of being safe.
Lunch break. This week I am not on duty and get 25 quiet minutes to myself. I spend my break in the school prayer room, where 5-7 high school students, one 5th grade student and I pray in congregation behind the Islamic Studies teacher. It is a great part of my day. Let's me gather my thoughts and prepare for the last hour and a half of the school day. As I returned from my re-boosting zuhr session in the prayer room, I was greeted by one of the on-duty teachers. She asked if I had seen one of my students, meaning he was not to be found outside on the playground or in our elementary hallway. While I went to gather my class from the playground, Rana walked downstairs to find him in the school psychologist's office. He had gotten upset that someone wasn't sharing and decided to leave. He and I spoke in the hallway about his safety. While most of my class went to the computer lab (I had three remain behind for their behavior during recess) I spoke with this student and had him write a letter of apology to the teacher who was on duty. In the letter he stated that he was angry and was about to leave the building but he didn't because he would have been lost and he was sorry for making her sad.
Transitions, as most teachers will tell you, are tough. Although I taught (modeled, practiced, and also reviewed)a specific lesson on behavior in the hallway, my boys always find a way to make it interesting. As I stopped in the hallway, waiting for my line to become straight, one of my boys decided to write in pencil on his white uniform shirt I HATE SCHOOL. He then proceeded to show it to the student behind him and shouted, "I hate school. Who is with me?". This student, only nine years old, is by far the biggest boy in my class, probably in the whole elementary school. He just had his annual check up by the school nurse who told me he weights 74 kilos (equivalent to around 163 pounds). I could picture him, inciting a small riot of 9 year old boys who had had it with me and my classroom/hallway expectations. To say the least, I wasn't amused.
We ended our day doing some creative writing. We just finished the first chapter in the book The Adventures of Spider, which is titled How Spider Got a Thin Waist. I asked my students to write their own explanation of how Spider got a thin waist. Several came up with very clever ideas. In one story, Spider was in the ocean and a shark bit his sides. Another included a magic star that shrunk his waist. As the end of the day grew nearer, one of my student's medication wore away. We finished our day talking about why it is not appropriate to draw on our bodies with marker.
Busy day. Tomorrow is Thursday which means one work day before the weekend. All I can say to sum up today is wow, what a Wednesday.
Disclaimer: I love my students. I told a friend today that I couldn't imagine not spending my days with them. Although at times my patience wears thin, they are great. Imagine how boring my blog would be if I had students who sat quietly in their chairs, answered my questions and followed the rules. I added new pictures of my students' work. Most of the pictures are from their daily journals. I like to sit and read through them during my free periods or at night when I am feeling stressed. No matter how much they may test me throughout the school day, they always write something in their journals that makes me smile and love them a little bit more.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
15 minutes of fame or should I say tame…
If you have been following my blog then you know I have my hands full this year with my fourth grade class. So far the past month and a half has been full of all sorts of attempts at classroom management, some phone calls home, visits from the principal and school psychologist as well as constant teaching and re-teaching classroom expectations. This past week I had my first 15 minutes of feeling like I was in control and a good teacher, the first time since September 1st. It just so happened that my most challenging student was absent (or so I thought) and my other student who is also a handful, finally started back on medicine to control his ADHD. Normally I juggle having to manage these two students, going back and forth, gently tapping the visual prompt I have placed on their desks and saying “oh I really like how so-and-so is showing me he is ready and listening with his bottom in his chair and his hand in the air”.
It is truly incredible just how much one student can change the atmosphere of the classroom. I had about 15 minutes of peace and quiet and really productive teaching time. My seven students were all engaged and participating and seemed to really be enjoying the math lesson. I even made my way over to my assistant and said, “Rana, look! I did it! They’re learning. I AM a good teacher!” Shortly after making the comment, as my seven students were quietly working, raising their hands and waiting for me to come to their desks to answer their questions, my eighth student slammed into the glass door, announcing his arrival.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this kid. I think that if the circumstances were different, if it was just the two of us working in a small and distraction-free space (aka no other students), inshAllah I could do incredible things with him. Although my quiet classroom quickly changed back into the more hectic, less productive one that I have grown used to I held on to those 15 minutes of fame. I sure hope those won’t be the last ones I’ll experience, having a classroom of students quiet and tame.
It is truly incredible just how much one student can change the atmosphere of the classroom. I had about 15 minutes of peace and quiet and really productive teaching time. My seven students were all engaged and participating and seemed to really be enjoying the math lesson. I even made my way over to my assistant and said, “Rana, look! I did it! They’re learning. I AM a good teacher!” Shortly after making the comment, as my seven students were quietly working, raising their hands and waiting for me to come to their desks to answer their questions, my eighth student slammed into the glass door, announcing his arrival.
Don’t get me wrong, I love this kid. I think that if the circumstances were different, if it was just the two of us working in a small and distraction-free space (aka no other students), inshAllah I could do incredible things with him. Although my quiet classroom quickly changed back into the more hectic, less productive one that I have grown used to I held on to those 15 minutes of fame. I sure hope those won’t be the last ones I’ll experience, having a classroom of students quiet and tame.
Friday Market
Today I spent the day with two married couples, teachers from Fawzia Sultan. They have a car that they are renting and have been all over Kuwait exploring. When they heard that I had never been to the Friday Market they decided it was a must, “something that everyone needs to see while they are in Kuwait”. I’ve posted pictures online so please take a look. I’m not really sure that my description will do it justice.
We parked in a sandy lot and followed the crowds of people in through the front gate entrance. Once inside all I could see was racks upon racks of brightly colored womens clothes. Dresses, abayas, hijabs, shoes.. you name it, it was there. As we walked on down the aisles we were bombarded by people trying to grab our attention and purchase from their selection. At the end of the first row I realized that the Friday Market was more than just clothes. I believe the next section we came to was cushions. Long cushions, skinny cushions, round cushions, couch-like cushions, fat and square cushions.. each one available in what had to be at least 50 different colors or patterns.
After the cushions came the curtains in every color imaginable and then couches while followed suit. Never before had I seen so many brightly colored couches. Bright purple and lime green. There were couches with fancy swirly patterns and tassels and artistic wooden backs. Just like with the mountains of cushions, I was tempted to sit down and try a few out but decided to move along and not give the sellers false hope.
The most interesting section of the market was the rugs. Just as with the couches and cushions, the rugs came in every color and pattern imaginable. What I found most intriguing was the size of some of them. These were rugs that were bigger than any room I could imagine. While I realize that many of the Kuwaiti homes are humungous, I was just baffled by the rugs which appeared to be larger than my entire apartment (which I think is pretty good sized, especially when it is just one person occupying it). While walking up and down the aisles, I tried imagining having a room big enough to fit on of the massive rugs. There was one very great picture opportunity that I decided to not take advantage of, one of the men selling rugs looked as if the mid-day heat had gotten to him and was taking a nap on top of one of the piles of rugs he was looking to sell.
Another interesting part of the market was the people. Many were Kuwaiti families, women in abayas and men in dishdashas with their maids and children following along behind them. There were also tourists, like myself with cameras in hand. You may be wondering what people do after buying all of these goods. There were no carriages or storage places to keep your belongings as you continued shopping. Instead there are men (I must have seen about a hundred), mostly Indian or Bangladeshi, who follow you around with wheel barrows to carry your goods and work for tips.
I ended up only buying one thing at the market. While the electric blenders, plastic watches, kitchen cabinets, mattresses, fake plants, old coins and washing machine soap (I told you, this place had everything) were tempting, I settled on a small, metal bowl for my mother. She loves small containers and I thought that for the bargain price of a half KD (which I talked the man down to 350 fils) was doable.
After the Friday Market I tagged along with one of the couples to the Fish Market on the Gulf. When we walked in I was immediately in awe by the amount of seafood. There were crabs, lobsters (different than the Maine lobsters I am used to seeing, these were smaller and had much skinnier and shorter legs), squid, and fish of all types and sizes. There was one area in which at least 150 men were gathered around. We ventured closer to see what was going on and realized that the men were waiting to bid on the seafood that was just brought in on one of the boats. The middle of the bidding area was full of hundreds of plastic laundry baskets filled with shrimp. As the bidding began the men were shouting and baskets were being allocated to different vendors around the marketplace. Cheryl, one of the women I spent the day with, finally found the crabs she was looking for but not before I spotted a plate full of squid and some ink stains on the floor below it (see my pictures).
Although I didn’t buy any seafood, I did take advantage of the fruit and vegetable stands next door. I bought some fresh green grapes, lettuce, yellow raisins and the most delicious dates that I have ever eaten. I only bought a small amount, thinking that they would last me a while but quickly realized my mistake after getting home and trying one and then proceeding to eat six more and several more throughout the night. As I’m writing this I am fighting the urge to get up for another one.
As you can see, I had a little extra time and decided to play around and make my blog a little more fun. On the right hand side you can now click on the labeled album links to be taken to my online pictures. I have added to the October picture album and encourage you all to take a look. I couldn’t help but include some of my students’ work and answers to their tests. Their answers made me smile while correcting their papers and I thought I may be able to pass that along to you as well. I have also posted some of the pictures from my adventure today. Enjoy!
We parked in a sandy lot and followed the crowds of people in through the front gate entrance. Once inside all I could see was racks upon racks of brightly colored womens clothes. Dresses, abayas, hijabs, shoes.. you name it, it was there. As we walked on down the aisles we were bombarded by people trying to grab our attention and purchase from their selection. At the end of the first row I realized that the Friday Market was more than just clothes. I believe the next section we came to was cushions. Long cushions, skinny cushions, round cushions, couch-like cushions, fat and square cushions.. each one available in what had to be at least 50 different colors or patterns.
After the cushions came the curtains in every color imaginable and then couches while followed suit. Never before had I seen so many brightly colored couches. Bright purple and lime green. There were couches with fancy swirly patterns and tassels and artistic wooden backs. Just like with the mountains of cushions, I was tempted to sit down and try a few out but decided to move along and not give the sellers false hope.
The most interesting section of the market was the rugs. Just as with the couches and cushions, the rugs came in every color and pattern imaginable. What I found most intriguing was the size of some of them. These were rugs that were bigger than any room I could imagine. While I realize that many of the Kuwaiti homes are humungous, I was just baffled by the rugs which appeared to be larger than my entire apartment (which I think is pretty good sized, especially when it is just one person occupying it). While walking up and down the aisles, I tried imagining having a room big enough to fit on of the massive rugs. There was one very great picture opportunity that I decided to not take advantage of, one of the men selling rugs looked as if the mid-day heat had gotten to him and was taking a nap on top of one of the piles of rugs he was looking to sell.
Another interesting part of the market was the people. Many were Kuwaiti families, women in abayas and men in dishdashas with their maids and children following along behind them. There were also tourists, like myself with cameras in hand. You may be wondering what people do after buying all of these goods. There were no carriages or storage places to keep your belongings as you continued shopping. Instead there are men (I must have seen about a hundred), mostly Indian or Bangladeshi, who follow you around with wheel barrows to carry your goods and work for tips.
I ended up only buying one thing at the market. While the electric blenders, plastic watches, kitchen cabinets, mattresses, fake plants, old coins and washing machine soap (I told you, this place had everything) were tempting, I settled on a small, metal bowl for my mother. She loves small containers and I thought that for the bargain price of a half KD (which I talked the man down to 350 fils) was doable.
After the Friday Market I tagged along with one of the couples to the Fish Market on the Gulf. When we walked in I was immediately in awe by the amount of seafood. There were crabs, lobsters (different than the Maine lobsters I am used to seeing, these were smaller and had much skinnier and shorter legs), squid, and fish of all types and sizes. There was one area in which at least 150 men were gathered around. We ventured closer to see what was going on and realized that the men were waiting to bid on the seafood that was just brought in on one of the boats. The middle of the bidding area was full of hundreds of plastic laundry baskets filled with shrimp. As the bidding began the men were shouting and baskets were being allocated to different vendors around the marketplace. Cheryl, one of the women I spent the day with, finally found the crabs she was looking for but not before I spotted a plate full of squid and some ink stains on the floor below it (see my pictures).
Although I didn’t buy any seafood, I did take advantage of the fruit and vegetable stands next door. I bought some fresh green grapes, lettuce, yellow raisins and the most delicious dates that I have ever eaten. I only bought a small amount, thinking that they would last me a while but quickly realized my mistake after getting home and trying one and then proceeding to eat six more and several more throughout the night. As I’m writing this I am fighting the urge to get up for another one.
As you can see, I had a little extra time and decided to play around and make my blog a little more fun. On the right hand side you can now click on the labeled album links to be taken to my online pictures. I have added to the October picture album and encourage you all to take a look. I couldn’t help but include some of my students’ work and answers to their tests. Their answers made me smile while correcting their papers and I thought I may be able to pass that along to you as well. I have also posted some of the pictures from my adventure today. Enjoy!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Birthday in Kuwait
On Friday, October 10th, I turned 24! Due to my work week, I had the day off which was a nice present. On Thursday Rola, the school secretary, put into our Daily Bulletin a birthday message so throughout the day I was receiving emails and birthday wishes from staff members. My assistant Rana surprised me in the middle of a lesson asking, “Ms. Rebecca would you mind if we took a 10 minute break?” After saying “no” and wondering why she had been pulling students out into the hall, she presented me with a homemade birthday card. The notes from the students were precious, spelling mistakes and all – “happy bithday tomorrow it will good in your life” along with their beautiful drawings of cakes and hearts. Rana had run out during her break to a bakery nearby and bought mini pizzas and donuts for the class. It was a very nice surprise celebration.
My second birthday gift came from my parents as I returned home from work. I have experienced a bit of difficulty setting up my bank account over here and am waiting for an e-pin number so that I may transfer money to my bank account back in Connecticut. That being said, my parents gave me permission to use their credit card to book a ticket home in December! I was able to find a relatively good price for a flight back home on December 6th and wanted to book it before the fair increased. Not knowing how long before I am all set to use internet banking with NBK (National Bank of Kuwait) will I was anxious to get my ticket. InshAllah I am hoping to get my banking in order by the end of the week so that I can pay my parents back. Less than two months and I’ll be home, inshAllah, from December 6th until the 31st :)
Friday morning I woke up to a Skype phone call from my sister Heather, niece Brenna and nephew Anthony. Of course I cried, almost not recognizing Brenna.. not really, but she has gotten so big since the last seeing her in July. Anthony was able to say Becca (sort of) and seemed excited to see me. After seeing and realizing just how much I miss their family, I have extra motivation to work as hard as I can and get in my tutoring hours so that I can afford a ticket to Okinawa, Japan hopefully during my spring break in March. I got another Skype phone call a few hours later from my parents - “Happy bir…” and then silence, our internet connection had cut out. A few seconds later we were back on and I was able to see and hear my parents singing and wishing me a happy birthday.
A friend that I met back in Iowa at the International Teaching Fair, Marisol who is from Washington D.C., is here in Kuwait and teaching only 15 minutes away. She and I share the same birthday and made plans to meet up and celebrate together. She had invited her co-workers to a café on the Gulf Road for dinner and drinks (no, not alcoholic drinks – delicious freshly squeezed mango and kiwi and lemon mint juices). Twenty three of her co-workers showed up and were really friendly and wonderful to talk to and get to know. We spent a few hours on the outdoor sitting area, looking out at the Arabian Gulf and watching the children and families walking by on the boardwalk and sitting together on the beach. After dinner a few of us had some sheesha, a water pipe with flavored tobacco and dessert. Alhamdullilah, it was a really nice birthday.
Today I slept in and then walked down the street to do my tutoring. I started with the 5th grade student on spelling and reading practice. We then ate lunch together as a family- Magda and her husband, her three children and me. She made a delicious meal of rice, salad, shrimp, and fish (still on the bone, heads and all.. she cleaned them off and gave me the meat. I felt like one of her children but she could tell that I didn’t know what to do with the whole fish on my plate). After lunch she gave me a birthday card that her family had signed along with a really beautiful wool scarf to wrap around me during the winter. I finished up helping her 9th graders prepare for their biology quiz on the properties of water and then walked back home.
I really have met such wonderful and genuinely kind people here in Kuwait. I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity and inshAllah hope to make the most of it. I started taking a one-hour a week Arabic class at school, taught by the high school Arabic teacher, and am looking forward to building up my vocabulary and working on my pronunciation. I am excited to be here in Kuwait but am also really looking forward to coming home in just a couple months. Please let me know if you have any special requests or items that you collect that you would like me to bring back for you.
My second birthday gift came from my parents as I returned home from work. I have experienced a bit of difficulty setting up my bank account over here and am waiting for an e-pin number so that I may transfer money to my bank account back in Connecticut. That being said, my parents gave me permission to use their credit card to book a ticket home in December! I was able to find a relatively good price for a flight back home on December 6th and wanted to book it before the fair increased. Not knowing how long before I am all set to use internet banking with NBK (National Bank of Kuwait) will I was anxious to get my ticket. InshAllah I am hoping to get my banking in order by the end of the week so that I can pay my parents back. Less than two months and I’ll be home, inshAllah, from December 6th until the 31st :)
Friday morning I woke up to a Skype phone call from my sister Heather, niece Brenna and nephew Anthony. Of course I cried, almost not recognizing Brenna.. not really, but she has gotten so big since the last seeing her in July. Anthony was able to say Becca (sort of) and seemed excited to see me. After seeing and realizing just how much I miss their family, I have extra motivation to work as hard as I can and get in my tutoring hours so that I can afford a ticket to Okinawa, Japan hopefully during my spring break in March. I got another Skype phone call a few hours later from my parents - “Happy bir…” and then silence, our internet connection had cut out. A few seconds later we were back on and I was able to see and hear my parents singing and wishing me a happy birthday.
A friend that I met back in Iowa at the International Teaching Fair, Marisol who is from Washington D.C., is here in Kuwait and teaching only 15 minutes away. She and I share the same birthday and made plans to meet up and celebrate together. She had invited her co-workers to a café on the Gulf Road for dinner and drinks (no, not alcoholic drinks – delicious freshly squeezed mango and kiwi and lemon mint juices). Twenty three of her co-workers showed up and were really friendly and wonderful to talk to and get to know. We spent a few hours on the outdoor sitting area, looking out at the Arabian Gulf and watching the children and families walking by on the boardwalk and sitting together on the beach. After dinner a few of us had some sheesha, a water pipe with flavored tobacco and dessert. Alhamdullilah, it was a really nice birthday.
Today I slept in and then walked down the street to do my tutoring. I started with the 5th grade student on spelling and reading practice. We then ate lunch together as a family- Magda and her husband, her three children and me. She made a delicious meal of rice, salad, shrimp, and fish (still on the bone, heads and all.. she cleaned them off and gave me the meat. I felt like one of her children but she could tell that I didn’t know what to do with the whole fish on my plate). After lunch she gave me a birthday card that her family had signed along with a really beautiful wool scarf to wrap around me during the winter. I finished up helping her 9th graders prepare for their biology quiz on the properties of water and then walked back home.
I really have met such wonderful and genuinely kind people here in Kuwait. I feel so fortunate to have this opportunity and inshAllah hope to make the most of it. I started taking a one-hour a week Arabic class at school, taught by the high school Arabic teacher, and am looking forward to building up my vocabulary and working on my pronunciation. I am excited to be here in Kuwait but am also really looking forward to coming home in just a couple months. Please let me know if you have any special requests or items that you collect that you would like me to bring back for you.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Two weeks in two minutes
September 30th was Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which marks the end of the month of Ramadan. On the first day of Shawwal (the 10th month of the lunar Islamic calendar), Muslims gather either in mosques or a large open area for a congregational prayer at daybreak. The rest of that day (and following two days) are typically spent visiting family and friends. I spent my first Eid with my assistant Rana and her family. They picked me up and took me to lunch at Chili’s. It was very fun; there were 15 of us at four tables that were pushed together. Everyone was dressed up in new clothes and so excited and happy to celebrating. The restaurant was packed and I even ran into someone I knew (another family who had invited me over for iftar during Ramadan)!
Living in Kuwait after Ramadan is very different. Businesses and restaurants are now open during the day and we are now in the regular schedule. Gone are the days of my 9-1 school day. I now have them from 7:30 until 2. My students are incredibly busy throughout our eight-period school day. In addition to having five or six academic class periods with me, my boys go to Arabic class and then one or two specials classes. They get a 15 minute break outside on the rooftop playground where they all eat their snacks and a 25 minute lunch break which is usually spent running around or playing soccer.
I am doing my best to adjust to the early day. The bus which takes teachers to school leaves at 6:30. I have been trying to get up by 6, however, the snooze button has become my best friend. I’ve learned to shower, pack my bag and pick out my outfit the night before in order to squeeze in those extra 5-10 minutes of sleep in the morning. I am usually back to my apartment around 3:15. I’ve gotten into the routine of praying Asr (the mid afternoon prayer), taking a little nap, eating a small dinner and then using the exercise equipment in the apartment building next door.
It is so hard to be active here. Gym memberships at the “nice” gyms in the hotels cost around $1,000 USD a year. Seeing that I am trying my best to save while here in Kuwait and do not have my own transportation, I am perfectly happy with the two treadmill, one stationary bike and small free weight set in the apartment building next door. I’ve gone all week long and have not run into another person – it’s like having my own little personal workout room. There is a bakery next door that sells delicious baklava, konafa (a shredded pastry with sweet cheese in the middle which is covered in a sugar syrup) and fatire (similar to a calzone with a variety of cheese, vegetable or meat fillings). Their prices are really reasonable and the food is delicious. Dangerous combination…
Tutoring in Kuwait is a great way to make additional money. The average rate for tutoring ranges from 10-20 KD which in US dollars comes out to about 40-80 dollars an hour. Most Kuwaiti families hire tutors to assist in explaining academic material and helping children with their homework. This week I started working with three children, two students in 9th grade and one in 5th. Their mother is the school nurse at Fawzia Sultan and they live only a 4 minute walk away from my apartment. All of the children can speak English, however, they are much more confident in Arabic. When working with the two 9th graders on Biology (I cannot believe I was helping them in this subject - I realized that it has been 9 years since I have really worked with or read about monomers, macromolecules and the elements which make up carbohydrates) I realized just how confusing the terminology can be without a solid background in English. I tried high-lighting and teaching common prefixes like mono, di , macro, mini and so on. I borrowed one of their books to take home with me so that I can read up and familiarize myself with the information, before trying to explain it to them. InshAllah, I will be working with these three children four hours every week. I will also be starting to work with a 4th grade student who lives in Kuwait City next week. His mother sounds very nice and is very excited for me to being. After hearing that I don’t have a car she told me not to worry and that she will just send her driver to pick me up and drop me off on the three days a week that I will be working with her son.
I am doing my best to stay busy. One of the Arabic teachers is offering a beginners Arabic class on Thursdays from 2-3, free of charge for any interested staff members. I am looking forward to this class and the opportunity to learn. There are many parents and staff members who I would love to communicate with. For now we communicate through smiles and with the assistance of Rana. InshAllah, with time I will pick up and be able to use and speak some Arabic.
I apologize for taking so long to update this blog. If anyone gets impatient feel free to email me at Rebecca.Minor@gmail.com and give me a nudge to write another post. As always, I hope you are doing well and I look forward to hearing from you.
Living in Kuwait after Ramadan is very different. Businesses and restaurants are now open during the day and we are now in the regular schedule. Gone are the days of my 9-1 school day. I now have them from 7:30 until 2. My students are incredibly busy throughout our eight-period school day. In addition to having five or six academic class periods with me, my boys go to Arabic class and then one or two specials classes. They get a 15 minute break outside on the rooftop playground where they all eat their snacks and a 25 minute lunch break which is usually spent running around or playing soccer.
I am doing my best to adjust to the early day. The bus which takes teachers to school leaves at 6:30. I have been trying to get up by 6, however, the snooze button has become my best friend. I’ve learned to shower, pack my bag and pick out my outfit the night before in order to squeeze in those extra 5-10 minutes of sleep in the morning. I am usually back to my apartment around 3:15. I’ve gotten into the routine of praying Asr (the mid afternoon prayer), taking a little nap, eating a small dinner and then using the exercise equipment in the apartment building next door.
It is so hard to be active here. Gym memberships at the “nice” gyms in the hotels cost around $1,000 USD a year. Seeing that I am trying my best to save while here in Kuwait and do not have my own transportation, I am perfectly happy with the two treadmill, one stationary bike and small free weight set in the apartment building next door. I’ve gone all week long and have not run into another person – it’s like having my own little personal workout room. There is a bakery next door that sells delicious baklava, konafa (a shredded pastry with sweet cheese in the middle which is covered in a sugar syrup) and fatire (similar to a calzone with a variety of cheese, vegetable or meat fillings). Their prices are really reasonable and the food is delicious. Dangerous combination…
Tutoring in Kuwait is a great way to make additional money. The average rate for tutoring ranges from 10-20 KD which in US dollars comes out to about 40-80 dollars an hour. Most Kuwaiti families hire tutors to assist in explaining academic material and helping children with their homework. This week I started working with three children, two students in 9th grade and one in 5th. Their mother is the school nurse at Fawzia Sultan and they live only a 4 minute walk away from my apartment. All of the children can speak English, however, they are much more confident in Arabic. When working with the two 9th graders on Biology (I cannot believe I was helping them in this subject - I realized that it has been 9 years since I have really worked with or read about monomers, macromolecules and the elements which make up carbohydrates) I realized just how confusing the terminology can be without a solid background in English. I tried high-lighting and teaching common prefixes like mono, di , macro, mini and so on. I borrowed one of their books to take home with me so that I can read up and familiarize myself with the information, before trying to explain it to them. InshAllah, I will be working with these three children four hours every week. I will also be starting to work with a 4th grade student who lives in Kuwait City next week. His mother sounds very nice and is very excited for me to being. After hearing that I don’t have a car she told me not to worry and that she will just send her driver to pick me up and drop me off on the three days a week that I will be working with her son.
I am doing my best to stay busy. One of the Arabic teachers is offering a beginners Arabic class on Thursdays from 2-3, free of charge for any interested staff members. I am looking forward to this class and the opportunity to learn. There are many parents and staff members who I would love to communicate with. For now we communicate through smiles and with the assistance of Rana. InshAllah, with time I will pick up and be able to use and speak some Arabic.
I apologize for taking so long to update this blog. If anyone gets impatient feel free to email me at Rebecca.Minor@gmail.com and give me a nudge to write another post. As always, I hope you are doing well and I look forward to hearing from you.
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