starting from scratch

Les petits, or the 6ème, are pretty adorable. They're still at the age where school is cool and having an American teacher is something special. Like my 6th graders at home, they like to sing and play games while they learn. We've done a pretty silly alphabet rap that I can't get out of my head (remember that in British English, z is zed), and played Bingo with English names today - with Oklahoma pin's compliments of Bill & Susan for prizes. (if this keeps up, I'll run out soon... care packages with U.S./Oklahoma-themed prizes, anyone? Stickers would be great, postcards of Oklahoma, freebies from businesses...)

Despite success with the younger students, I'm encountering more of a challenge with les grands. While they want to ask me lots of questions about Oklahoma and the U.S., they are also very interested in talking to their friends....just like my students at home. However, I've discovered that some American classroom management techniques, like standing next to a chatty student while teaching, are ineffective on students who come from a culture where there is a different definition of personal space.

I was warned by Fulbright alums that I would encounter difficulties in the classroom. Ann Marie from Colorado said, "everything will be fine in two or three months." What? I was expecting two or three weeks at most. And besides, I'm hip and with it and a lot of fun to be around. My students at home seem to enjoy my class and - for the most part - do as I ask them to. Rarely do I get upset, and if I do, they know I mean business. But these kids don't know me. They don't know my teaching style, they don't know my personality...and they don't know how to deal with multiple choice questions. I found out the hard way that is just not a format used here.

And there are a lot of little secrets about how a school works that, although the teachers are all very nice, they haven't considered revealing to me. To their credit, I'm sure that there are a ton of things I forgot to tell Nathalie, and that she's discovering as she goes along. I am gradually asking questions and each day - sometimes each class period - I try something new, and I'll keep trying until I find what works best.

I told Emmanuelle today that I feel as if I've never taught before, comme je repars à zéro. Like the past 12 years of teaching don't count for anything. But I remind myself that I survived my first teaching experience in Oklahoma, and I can definitely survive - and more than that, be successful at teaching in France.