First Week of Teaching

So I have survived my first week of teaching grade 2 in Singapore!  It was a L-O-N-G week!  Especially since I was in working on Saturday and Sunday and since it rained ALL DAY on Monday - indoor for 2 recesses!

21 of my 23 students were present on the first day of school.  All the students have shown up this week but there was never a day which all of them were present at school.  Of those 23 students, they come from at least 12 different nations and of those 23 students at least 15 of them are fluent in at least 2 languages!

I think the kids have adjusted to a new teacher, a new routine and being in second grade.  Me?  Well I am still adjusting working, and working in a new school and a new grade!

Every day I write a message on the board for the kids to read, sign in , answer a question and then go do something I have told them to do….

So on Friday I wrote this:

Finally it is Friday!  Fabulous week my Friends!
Please sign in and write one word which begins with  F.

(Can you see where this story is going?  But come on they are SECOND graders – 6-8 year olds!!!)

So everyone writes their name and a word which begins with F.  We had fun, funny, Friday, fish, fat, etc.  And then someone (yes a boy) writes F..K that is what he wrote – with the dots!  Some little girl comes and tells me  “Johnny” wrote the F word on the board!  So I ask Johnny to join me in the hall and I ask him what he wrote on the board.  He blatantly said F—K (I am not going write it but he said it!)  I sternly tell him that word is inappropriate to use as an adult and especially as a child.  And then he continues to say “But Dad let me watch Fast and Furious – and they say it all the time.”  My response… Fast and Furious – THOSE are F words!!!!  

Good grief!  Happy Friday!!!!