Ok, so we all remember I’m here for a student teaching experience, right?  I know I’d almost forgotten with all of the hubbub of traveling and such, but there was no forgetting when I went straight back into the classroom this Monday!

This time around, I taught the Middle class (2nd, 3rd, and 4th class), which is approximately the same as 3rd-5th grades in the States.  I have come to the decision that this is my favorite of the three classes.  The Junior class is fun and they are super cute, but they are WAY too young for me…but more on that in a bit.  Senior class….well….more on them in a minute too.  (See what I’m doing there, creating suspense so you’ll keep reading.  Yes I’m that good.)

Anyway, back to Middle Class.  They are my faves for two main reasons: 1) They are by far the sweetest of the classes.  They always greet me in the mornings like there is no one else they would rather see in the day, and they give me hugs and love on me.  From this class, I have received cards and pictures.  They are precious (well most of them).  2) They are old enough that I can have a real conversation with them, but they are young enough to where they aren’t super cocky.  They know they aren’t kings and queens of the school yet, and so they are by far more humble because of it.  Most of them also still have that desire to be in school, which is always nice for a teacher.  I taught them a similar lesson that I did for Senior class before Easter on the American Revolution (See my blog, “Brilliant Lesson, Ms. Jones!” , but I replaced The Patriot with Schoolhouse Rock’s “The Shot Heard Round the World“–a more appropriate clip for the younger ones.  I also had to “dumb” down the lesson a bit.  Even though I would say that these are my favorite kids, I do miss being able to ask critical thinking questions, like I can with 5th and 6th class.  Most Middle class hasn’t quite gotten to that analytical thinking skill yet, and as my teaching style is largely a question-based discussion, I found that to be difficult with them.  However, it went well and I enjoyed it.  I had them draw political cartoons at the end of the lesson, and I have no intention of giving them back, I want to keep them to remember my students by.

On Wednesday, I did what I had been dreading since I got here: I taught Junior class.  Don’t get me wrong, I love them, I really do, but I am NOT cut out to teach 5 year olds.   Seriously.  I will play with them all day long, but when I am in a classroom, I want to encourage learning, and I just don’t know how to do it with them.  For them, I decided to just talk about America.  I started out the lesson by showing them a 5 Euro note and 1 Euro coin and then had them describe them to me.  Then I pulled out a $5 bill and a $1 bill and told them that they were the same as their Euros and had them tell me how they were different.  Then I read them a book I had brought with me that was called “America: A Patriotic Primer” that used the ABC’s to talk about different aspects, history, and values in America.  I got them to tell me what the next letter was going to be, and some of them really got into it.  Then , in the end, I had them color a picture of the American flag and write “America” at the top (to practice penmanship).  It was kind of a mess, but I survived it.  And again, I have something to remember them by.

Then today, I taught my last lesson for the week: an art lesson.  Yes.  I’m not kidding.  My first three lesson had been great because they were history lessons and right up my alley.  I was back in Middle Class, and being as I am, I’m sure you can imagine that I wasn’t going to let an art lesson get away without putting some history into it.    I decided that I was going to teach about Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel ceiling.  I talked about Michelangelo and who he was as an artist, and showed them pictures of the Sistine Chapel.  Then I told them about his scaffolding and how he had to paint either standing up and looking towards the ceiling or lying on his back.  So I had them tape a sheet of paper underneath their desks and lie on the floor.  Then they painted like they were Michelangelo. It was actually pretty cool.  Art is chaotic (which makes me understand art majors a bit more…haha…just kidding, love you guys) but it is fun.   Of course, when I told them what they were doing, it was kind of like, “Seriously? I think Ms. Jones is crazy,” at least at first.  In the end, though, the kids really seemed to eat it up.

Ok, back to what I was saying about Senior class.  Some of them are really good kids, and I mean that.  But pre-teen is a difficult age as it is.  Now I understand why 6th graders are more often the bottom of the totem pole in the States; it keeps them humble.  These kids are about the same as 6th and 7th grade and being at the top of the school is bad news.  They know they are at the top of the school and they act like it.  It doesn’t help that the school is so small (about 56 students) and the staff is forced to give them responsibilities in helping out the younger kids.  They know they have power.  They are all (minus a handful) arrogant and walk around all day with their chests puffed out.  Some of them are downright rude and disrespectful.  I would love to stick some of them in the middle school I went to (Neal in Durham) for a day.  Some of them who think they are king here wouldn’t last 5 minutes there.  I know that going off to secondary school in the next year or two will humble them up, and they need it.  All of that being said, however, I do like the class.  They are funny and entertaining, and some of them are really sweet kids.  They are smart too, doing math that I certainly didn’t do in 6th or 7th grade–heck, math I don’t even do now.

I can’t believe that tomorrow is Friday and it will be a week before my last day, May 1st (May 4th and 5th are bank holidays and I fly out on the 6th).  This trip has just flown by! I know I am going to miss it so much, but part of me is ready to get home.  Now that I’m in the process of filling out job apps and answering questions like “What are your plans for teaching strategies?” I cannot wait to have my own classroom.

Things to be look for in the next week: I’m going back into Dublin this Saturday and may be taking another day trip on Sunday.  I’m teaching…yikes!!!!….science (of all subjects) to the Juniors next week and the history of piracy two days to the Seniors (now that’s more like it.) Until then,  May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon our fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

**Just a note of clarification for these pictures.  They are all of the Junior Classroom.  In this class, there are three different “grades” if you will.  Junior infants, the youngest, begin school at about 4; they are like our pre-k or kindergarten.  Senior infants, about 5 or 6 years old, are like 1st grade.  Finally, the oldest ones in the classroom, 1st class, are 6 or 7, and are like our 2nd grade.