Chaos is a way of life...

About three or four weeks ago was very interesting.

Sunday was a normal day at work, until the end of the day. Originally, we were supposed to have a professional development meeting in the library. Yet, halfway through the day, I learn that there is a full staff meeting instead. I guess there was a note posted in Arabic somewhere, but I was lucky to hear through word of mouth. When the time came for the meeting, the other two teachers were not there. I found them waiting for the other meeting, because no one had told them about the change in plans. Typical at our school.

We find out in the meeting that the principal has basically given into parent complaints. See, the cycle 3 (high school) students switch classes during the day. They go to a different class for English, Chemistry, etc... Apparently the parents didn't like this, so the principal decided to change the way the entire school works. Not only are the students going to stay in one room and the teachers are going to move, but she decides all the classrooms in the whole school are going to move. Oh, and it starts tomorrow...

So Monday we arrive and morning ceremony begins as usual. Then, the principal decides to move where all the students stand in assembly, so the chaos begins.

May I add that the night before I had begun not to feel well. My throat was on fire and I had a hard time swallowing, as well as being very tired and well... just blah.

After the students have been moved all around, the principal tells the students they are going to move rooms today and the room is now “theirs”... and then sends them on their way. This is when the true chaos begins.

All the students in the entire school begin to grab furniture and carry it from one room to another. My grade 2 girls are dragging desks in the courtyard as the grade 3 girls move stuff out. All cycle 1 was shifting down one room. The girls are then grabbing tables, desks, and all the stuff off of the shelving. Some are running around playing while others are fighting over what they will carry. Older girls are grabbing mops and cleaning floors. The Arabic grade 3 teacher is telling me there isn't enough room for all my things and is getting rid of desks I need. It was CRAZY. My schedule for the day was supposed to be I teach period 1 and then had 3 free periods... so after awhile I left and went to sit in the teacher's lounge because I didn't feel well. When I arrive, I am told that there is now a room for English teachers and get sent on my way.

I find my way to the room upstairs. The seven English teachers have been given a classroom to use as our work space. We are supposed to all have a desk in there... but no one would give me one. Oh well!

When it comes time for me to teach grade 3, I am in for some shock. First, some of my things like magazines and chart paper have gone missing. The room was also a shock.

The grade 3 room was set up before in a way that made sense. It had been the same for about 5 weeks now. Each student had a typical grade appropriate “plastic” desk. Then, in the back were two tables set up with older wooden desks so that I could do centers, small groups, and other activities. Once, I changed the shape of one table to create more room and my Arabic co-teacher got really mad. She gets mad easily, like when I used a book of hers. She works like 80 minutes a day but thinks she owns the place. That's a different story.

Anyhow, when I walk in the classroom I am shocked. She has created 4 groups of desks for the students to sit at. They are made of the old wooden desks, which are too small for the students. All the extra desks are in the corridor. As the Arabic teacher is walking out, I ask her if I can move the desks around. She says something about how she is too tired, but nods her head. So I spend the next bit of class having the students rearrange so that they all had the same desks and the wooden desks are in the back... just like before.

My grade 3 board... you can see the little wooden desks in the back. 

(Science work and word wall)

Grade 2 work :)

(fact families, shapes, and science)

Finally it was time to go home. I decided to go to the doctor after school because my throat still hurt. The doctor looked in my throat for 2 seconds, and said I had a virus. She told me to drink hot things, rest, and not go to work the next day. I did not argue!

I spent the next day (Tuesday) resting and eating soup. Yet, I still wasn't feeling better. Someone recommended a good American doctor, so I went to visit her Wednesday morning. She took more time to check me over. She listened to me breathe, checked the baby, and tested me for strep. She gave me a safe prescription for cough medicine and told me not to go to work again on Thursday. Again... I didn't argue.

I started to feel better over the weekend and had a follow-up on Sat. Everything looked good... so back to work on Sunday.

So, I arrive Sunday and go to the grade 3 classroom to see that the Arabic teacher changed it all back. Small wooden desks for students, and now all extra desks have been taken away. Oh joy! To make a long story short, I talked to my HoF (Head of Faculty) who helped me talk to the teacher about why I need extra desks for tables. She wasn't happy, but the room is now usable.

The last bit of the craziness of school happened at the next staff meeting that Sunday. So here I am, just getting over being sick and pregnant, sitting in a room where the principal is speaking in Arabic. I am sitting there listening and waiting for my translator to translate, when the principal says my name and starts laughing. Everyone else does as well. Finally, my translator informs me that the principal was teasing me because I am absent minded. Thanks for making fun of me in a different language. She also was mocking the English HoF behind her back when she was explaining why we have to have professional development. I think these people don't understand what rudeness is.

Things have slowly been returning back to normal. The girls are still crazy because of the move. They all think (especially older girls) that they own the room and can do what they want. The older girls even tried to arrange the desks how they want and decorate the walls. They told the English teacher for grade 11 she was “welcome to come to their classroom anytime.” It is crazy... a bad choice on the principals part.

Two weeks later, our principal went to another school to get us “new” furniture. The chaos recycled over again as my class period was turned into a moving day. We got new desks and spent about 40 minutes without chairs. Oh, and my tables I fought for so I could pull small groups... gone once again.

This past week we had a parent day... more chaos!! To make a long story short, parents were allowed to walk in and out of classes all day and watch. The kids were given an hour break in the middle of the day to run wild, while parents came to conference with us. No sign up sheets, no order, just 5 parents all trying to talk to me in a room with 6 other teachers and about 10 other parents. Two didn't speak English, but luckily I tracked down a translator. We were told by the principal that she would later ask the parents how they evaluate or school and what they think we should change. Sounds excellent. I was actually glad to meet some parents, I just wish it could have been more productive and organized.

My final piece of chaos is all about my student who hasn't come to my class for about 6 weeks. She refuses to come to English. So what does the school do? They throw her a party at the mall in an arcade. Of course she still refuses to come to my class the next day... so they throw her another party at school. This past Thursday the principal got to her to come and sat with her in my class, but she was also given a Barbie doll to come and stay. I tell you what... I think I will start refusing to go to work!

Well there are a few of my rants. My next post will be a lot more positive as it will be all about my vacation in Crete, Greece... yay!!! Also, 22 working days until Winter break which goes into maternity leave. We will see what interesting things can happen in the next 22 days!  

A measurement lesson with gummy worms on the "new" desks

(They are in their PE outfits)

Grade two "creating with matter" science lab.