Hello,

So I’ve started work. I am officially Teacher Jessica or just Teacher. My community is now full so we started our weekly schedule. Sunday nights we have spirituality night, Thursday nights we have community night, Wednesday nights I cook for everyone and over the weekends we rotate cleaning…because our apartment is NOT clean! So this week is the first week of the full schedule and I’m ready for a break…and it’s only Wednesday. I have gotten through the first three days of teaching though. The first two days went well. I was able to do the same thing each day with all the classes because we have block schedule. The first two days with each class I gave them information on the class and myself and then had them write about what respect means to them. Then I broke them into groups to talk about respect and come up with three words to put on the board. We did that and I tried to get each of the groups to tell us why they picked the words but getting them to talk was like pulling teeth. Chukese students are very shy and don’t like to talk much. At least not the first day of class. It went decent though. I was able to get the point across that I expect respect in the classroom and will also do my best to be respectful to them. If we finished with that discussion I had them write about themselves, but I don’t know all the 105 names so I don’t know what face told me what…oops. I also had them make name signs for their desks but they didn’t have them today when I was in the room…arg. We’re going to have to work on that or I’ll never learn the names. I did the same thing yesterday with the sophomores and then crashed and slept longer than I was supposed to, so planning my lesson for today happened late at night and early this morning. We reviewed past present and future verbs, which i think was a super boring review for some. I have soooo much to teach myself about English before I continue to teach it, so tonight, before or after cooking dinner, I’m going to work my butt off to plan for tomorrow and learn what it is that I am planning. I also have papers to finish grading before planning my two lessons….Being a teacher is soooooooooo much work, and 1.5 hour lessons are a long time to speak and teach. Public speaking here I come!!! Woosh! I get so thirsty. Yesterday and today though I made my classes scream after I made a fool of myself screaming. I want them to openly talk in class. I want to have fun in class. As long as they are being respectful and paying attention when we are leaning, I want the application to be fun…and that takes some energy!!! I think I got my workout already for the day! My students all seem great too. They all have minor English mistakes, but in general their English is pretty good. I really think if they all work they can go to college. I hope if they want to, they know they can. I would love to help them get into college too. I feel so old though that I could be writing letters of recommendation for some of the students I have now. Crazy!!! I have a full time job teaching and I can write letters of rec.??? WHOA! Welp, that’s all for now. I hope everyone is doing well. I love receiving e-mails so feel free to send some. Also, if you remember anything great a teacher did to teach you English grammar, please let me know. I have to learn grammar and be able to explain it, yet make it fun…so feel free to help!
Peace and Love,
Jessica