The next step

By Jean

This is how it appears the day before school starts with the new schedule.

The Thai teachers did work out a schedule where one of them is scheduled to be in the computer lab to monitor the students for three classes a week for my classes. A couple of those teachers don’t speak much English. I don’t know how much they read of it.

The 5th grade needs three classes so I can fit in all their reading groups. This means they will have more computer time overall, though. The 6th graders will be doing a couple of extra computer projects, so they will use the third class that way. The 4th graders didn’t need three classes so much, but maybe that will give me more time to work with the three low students.

Today, I am trying to finish a booklet with activities that the teacher can check off when students get a certain score at different web sites. I am hoping this will give the students something worthwhile to do, and be something understandable for the Thai teachers. It took me a day to get all the web sites into the favorites on the accounts of all the students.

The other part of the 10 classes deal is that we are going to try to coordinate some teaching of English vocabulary for what the students are learning in math and science. This also will require regular communication between the Thai teachers and me.

This schedule provides plenty of time for extra projects, such as practicing for an English Christmas play or answering pen pal letters. The difficulty is class management for the students who finish projects quickly or who don’t have a part to practice.

Tomorrow it begins.