Day Two

18 March 2009
I got my placement today. I wasn’t in my classroom all day, though. The principal of the school hadn’t yet figured out where we would be when we got there, so I missed the first few minutes because we were waiting to find out where I would be placed. I told him that I would go anywhere he needed me. He asked, “Even the younger grades?” and I explained that I had taught preschool before, so I was comfortable with younger students. At that point he asked if I would be comfortable working with actual preschoolers, and I told him I would be glad to.
I’m teaching Grade R, which is their preschool. My students are mostly five and six years old, with one four year old. There are 38 students in my class, with one teacher and two aides who come on alternating days. There are three Grade R classes in the school, but only my class is the English track.
I taught preschool in the States when I was in high school, but it was a very different experience. I taught fours and fives, and in our class of 22 preschoolers, we had a 2 to 1 ratio. That sort of classroom runs very differently from a 19 to 1 ratio. I can’t say for certain, but I think that’s actually an illegal number in the States.
I’m obviously working very hard to learn names, but between the sheer number and the fact that there are so many names that are entirely unfamiliar, I’m having a hard time. And it doesn’t help that we have TWO sets of identical twins! Luckily I’ve already figured out how to tell them apart (in one set Venito has a freckle on his forehead, in another one of them has a scar on his cheek), but now I need to figure out who is who out of Conner and Cohen.
It looks like my teacher will be out soon to have surgery, and she’s already asked me to prepare some lessons! Next week’s theme is Easter (no separation of church and state here) so I think I’m going to talk to a few of my fellow GV students. Heather loves Easter, and Kristina has worked in a preschool for a few years, so I think I should be able to work something out.
After school we had a debriefing with Sandy, our professor, at a gelato shop in downtown Stellenbosch. I have to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed by what I had today (black cherry yogurt and peach), but I’ll have to try the chocolate flavors next.
After that, Heather and I walked home. I felt filthy after watching my students play in the dust for about an hour at recess, so I took a quick bath and then Heather and I napped on our family’s glorious patio. Unfortunately it was a bit cool again today, so we woke up pretty cold and moved inside to lay in the family room. At that point, the dog joined us. He is so dopey sometimes. He loves to chase his tail; he chased and chased until he wore himself out, then rested and chased some more. It was too funny.
For dinner, all of the host families and students gathered at the Taylor’s house for a potluck. There are five families, three with young children. It was fun to introduce my friends to my family. Raiatea and Genove were a riot, and I loved meeting everyone else’s families as well.