When I arrived back to school on Monday after the week-long training in Ohird, Irena was ready to go. She had already placed boxes in some of the classrooms to start collecting bottle caps. One of the PCVolunteers came up with the idea of using bottle caps as an interactive way to help the students practice their alphabet, their verbs, opposites, etc. Here are some of the pictures that he took to give you an idea of what I am talking about:
He used one color for the consonants and another for the vowels. And he used egg cartons to hold them all and put a cute label on them. After one week, and 4 classes collecting, I have around 200 bottle caps in a box in my kitchen. The next step is to wash them, in my washing machine , and then Irena and I will start putting together kits based off of what each grade needs. The kids have been asking us what we will be doing with the bottle caps, but we are leaving it as a surprise.
Another exciting change is that Irena and I have FINALLY gotten the kids to quietly raise their hand, stop yelling out the answer, and stop saying "JAC" every time they want to answer something. "Jac" literally translated means "I", but when taken non-literally the kids are actually saying "Me! Pick me!" and that gets very annoying very quickly. At the beginning of each class, Irena told them, in Macedonian, that this was going to be a new rule and that if anyone yelled out an answer or yelled out "Jac" that they would not be able to talk for the rest of class. I know that might seem a bit extreme right now, since we do want the kids to ask questions and to talk in order to practice their English, but right now its just to get the point across, and so far it is working. The day we introduced the new rule in one of the 3rd grade classes it was going well, then Irena asked a question and both Martin and Phillip raised their hand and yelled out "Jac". Right after they had said it they both realized what they did and dropped their hands to their foreheads. Irena looked at them and smiled and I tisked and waved my finger, in a playful matter, and we just kept on teaching. The next day, in the same class I was picking students to read a paragraph in their books and I was calling on students with nice quiet hands. After I had called on a few Martin looked at me and said, in Macedonian, "Teacher, can I please read next? I did not get to talk last class." I chuckled and told him to wait and that his turn would come. There will always be the student that forgets, since they have been doing this since they started school, and English class is the only one where they can't yell out, but some are starting to remember and classes are running alot quieter and smoother.
The other English teacher, Maria, has actually made a pack with her 2nd grade students that there will be no Macedonian during English class. Those students do understand alot and they liked the idea; but since they don't know everything, Maria does have to explain a few things in Macedonian. It's a step and for 2nd graders that is a big step.
I was interviewed by the 5th grades as well. One of their lessons for History/Government was to talk to a international visitor, and who did they think of.....me. They asked the questions in Macedonian and Irena was my translator. Some of the questions were ones that they asked when I first arrived "where are you from", "what is in your town", "what do you think of Macedonia", etc. But there were other questions that were very good: they asked about what we do for the 4th of July and Halloween (2 holidays that they don't have), and my favorite question "what are some school rules in America?" I was surprised by this question and so was Irena, but she was interested to hear as well. I told them that kids in America raise their hand and do not yell out; they do not talk when the teacher or another student is talking; and when they are in the halls they do not run or yell. They walk quietly. I was more or less emphasizing the things that I have seen at the school. It was fun to be interviewed and the kids came up with good questions. Afterwards, one of the 5th grade teachers came back in to see if we were finished and she also had a question for me. It is the typical question that every PCVolunteer is asked..."Are you interested in finding a Macedonian spouse?" Some volunteers have made up imaginary relationships with people in the states to avoid being set up, but most of the time even that does not work. When I was in Lozovo, they tried to marry me off 3 times: the dentist who was 40, a nephew who had a girlfriend, and a neighbor who spent all his time at the betting place......no thank you. Luckily here in Resen I have only been asked a few times if I want to marry a Macedonian, and they normally leave it at that. So as you can see everything on the school front is going well. Soon Irena and I will start writing up a grant for the English Resource Center/Library that she would like in the school. So after a slow start this winter, Spring has come in and it means business.
Speaking of Spring, now it is time for the story of the 3 Babas. Irena was reminded of this story last week by some of the other teachers when the weather automatically went from nice back to cold and raw. Supposedly during the first few weeks of Spring, there are 3 days where the weather changes back to cold, and those 3 days are known as the "3 Babas". This year it was April 12-14th. On the first day, the weather was good, little windy, but nothing too bad. This means that Baba #1 could make up her mind, she knew that she wanted Spring to continue. Day #2, still pretty good, maybe a little colder, but all in all a nice day. Baba #2 also knew that she wanted Spring to continue. Day #3, cold and raw. The type of day where you want to come home and eat soup and curl up in a blanket, not a nice Spring day. Baba # 3 had no idea what was going on, she did not know that it was Springtime and thought that it was still winter so that was why it was so cold. Well Baba #3 still has not fully made up her mind because the weather has been cold for a few days now, but it seems that she is starting to get on the same page as the other babas because today it was not as cold has it has been. Just another interesting folktale, just like Promaja.
This weekend I was in Skopje for Camp GLOW training. All of the PCVolunteers and the girls that will be counselors and CITs (counselor in training) came to meet each other and start working on their lessons for camp. It went from 11-4 on Saturday and by the end I think that everyone felt good knowing what they will be teaching and having a plan in mind. The rest of the weekend was spent exploring more of Skopje and eating "American" food. I definitely needed to go to aerobics yesterday to work all this off. I ate: falafel sandwich, Chinese food, had a coffee to go!!! (my favorite), Mexican food and margaritas, and McDonalds. All the comforts of home in one weekend. I don't get up to Skopje often and normally when I do its only for a day and I have lots of meetings and things planned. So it was nice to take my time and not rush to the bus station. Next time, I plan on taking my time as well and exploring more of the sights, and of course hitting a few of those restaurants again as well.
Another exciting change is that Irena and I have FINALLY gotten the kids to quietly raise their hand, stop yelling out the answer, and stop saying "JAC" every time they want to answer something. "Jac" literally translated means "I", but when taken non-literally the kids are actually saying "Me! Pick me!" and that gets very annoying very quickly. At the beginning of each class, Irena told them, in Macedonian, that this was going to be a new rule and that if anyone yelled out an answer or yelled out "Jac" that they would not be able to talk for the rest of class. I know that might seem a bit extreme right now, since we do want the kids to ask questions and to talk in order to practice their English, but right now its just to get the point across, and so far it is working. The day we introduced the new rule in one of the 3rd grade classes it was going well, then Irena asked a question and both Martin and Phillip raised their hand and yelled out "Jac". Right after they had said it they both realized what they did and dropped their hands to their foreheads. Irena looked at them and smiled and I tisked and waved my finger, in a playful matter, and we just kept on teaching. The next day, in the same class I was picking students to read a paragraph in their books and I was calling on students with nice quiet hands. After I had called on a few Martin looked at me and said, in Macedonian, "Teacher, can I please read next? I did not get to talk last class." I chuckled and told him to wait and that his turn would come. There will always be the student that forgets, since they have been doing this since they started school, and English class is the only one where they can't yell out, but some are starting to remember and classes are running alot quieter and smoother.
The other English teacher, Maria, has actually made a pack with her 2nd grade students that there will be no Macedonian during English class. Those students do understand alot and they liked the idea; but since they don't know everything, Maria does have to explain a few things in Macedonian. It's a step and for 2nd graders that is a big step.
I was interviewed by the 5th grades as well. One of their lessons for History/Government was to talk to a international visitor, and who did they think of.....me. They asked the questions in Macedonian and Irena was my translator. Some of the questions were ones that they asked when I first arrived "where are you from", "what is in your town", "what do you think of Macedonia", etc. But there were other questions that were very good: they asked about what we do for the 4th of July and Halloween (2 holidays that they don't have), and my favorite question "what are some school rules in America?" I was surprised by this question and so was Irena, but she was interested to hear as well. I told them that kids in America raise their hand and do not yell out; they do not talk when the teacher or another student is talking; and when they are in the halls they do not run or yell. They walk quietly. I was more or less emphasizing the things that I have seen at the school. It was fun to be interviewed and the kids came up with good questions. Afterwards, one of the 5th grade teachers came back in to see if we were finished and she also had a question for me. It is the typical question that every PCVolunteer is asked..."Are you interested in finding a Macedonian spouse?" Some volunteers have made up imaginary relationships with people in the states to avoid being set up, but most of the time even that does not work. When I was in Lozovo, they tried to marry me off 3 times: the dentist who was 40, a nephew who had a girlfriend, and a neighbor who spent all his time at the betting place......no thank you. Luckily here in Resen I have only been asked a few times if I want to marry a Macedonian, and they normally leave it at that. So as you can see everything on the school front is going well. Soon Irena and I will start writing up a grant for the English Resource Center/Library that she would like in the school. So after a slow start this winter, Spring has come in and it means business.
Speaking of Spring, now it is time for the story of the 3 Babas. Irena was reminded of this story last week by some of the other teachers when the weather automatically went from nice back to cold and raw. Supposedly during the first few weeks of Spring, there are 3 days where the weather changes back to cold, and those 3 days are known as the "3 Babas". This year it was April 12-14th. On the first day, the weather was good, little windy, but nothing too bad. This means that Baba #1 could make up her mind, she knew that she wanted Spring to continue. Day #2, still pretty good, maybe a little colder, but all in all a nice day. Baba #2 also knew that she wanted Spring to continue. Day #3, cold and raw. The type of day where you want to come home and eat soup and curl up in a blanket, not a nice Spring day. Baba # 3 had no idea what was going on, she did not know that it was Springtime and thought that it was still winter so that was why it was so cold. Well Baba #3 still has not fully made up her mind because the weather has been cold for a few days now, but it seems that she is starting to get on the same page as the other babas because today it was not as cold has it has been. Just another interesting folktale, just like Promaja.
This weekend I was in Skopje for Camp GLOW training. All of the PCVolunteers and the girls that will be counselors and CITs (counselor in training) came to meet each other and start working on their lessons for camp. It went from 11-4 on Saturday and by the end I think that everyone felt good knowing what they will be teaching and having a plan in mind. The rest of the weekend was spent exploring more of Skopje and eating "American" food. I definitely needed to go to aerobics yesterday to work all this off. I ate: falafel sandwich, Chinese food, had a coffee to go!!! (my favorite), Mexican food and margaritas, and McDonalds. All the comforts of home in one weekend. I don't get up to Skopje often and normally when I do its only for a day and I have lots of meetings and things planned. So it was nice to take my time and not rush to the bus station. Next time, I plan on taking my time as well and exploring more of the sights, and of course hitting a few of those restaurants again as well.
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