I teaches the Children

The short version: I learned everything I needed to know to be a teacher in the week at Saalbach, and I proved this during my first month of teaching that I am in fact a super teacher.

Ok so maybe that isn't completely the truth....

The long version: I realized that I have now been in Europe over a month, and that it is due time for email number 2. I made it to Saalbach. We had to arrive between 2 and 4, and conveniently there was a bus that got there at 3. I figured going with the mean is always a good idea. It was very easy to spot the other assistants on the train, because a) they usually had large bags with them, b) they spoke English, and c) the American ones had the glazed jetlag stare. I was very glad that I had a week to dejetlag, and had stopped off in Bad Ischl and didn't have to lug all of my luggage around with me. There was a hoard of us that over took the bus to Saalbach. The program was not only for Americans, but also students from the UK. Now I had pretty low expectations for this extravaganza. How can one learn to teach in a week? There were 4 teachers that were in charge of us. They were great, and they gave us is a bunch of resources where we could look up lesson ideas. They explained exactly what our job is, and most importantly I learned about how to get paid, and that I am not insured if a helicopter picks me off the side of a mountain. I have to become part of the Alpinverein, or something. It's still on my list of things I need to take care of. That list is as usual rather long.

We did not only spend all day learning, but we had to create a social network among the TAs. I learned that the British enjoy going out to what they would call a pub. I would call it a bar. They also had the advantage that they weren't suffering from jet lag, but I think even under normal conditions I would not able to keep up some of them. By the time Friday came around, I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. My head was full of information, and expectations, and my body craved sleep. The other excitement that I learned at Saalbach is there are two other teaching assistant in Bad Ischl. One is from England and her name is Heather, and the other is a French teaching assistant and his name is Florent. They are both nice, and it's good to have someone that I can hang out with on the weekends. We also bounce ideas off each other. I taught Heather all about the USA political system. Even though she is not American, she had to teach US politics. I felt sorry for her, and since I have also spent the last two weeks teaching politics. More on that later.

So somehow a month has gone by since Saalbach. I have lessons that go great, and I have lessons that could be better. My job is to make the kids speak English with me for 50 minutes. I am not supposed to be in the class alone, and it is not my job to correct papers, grade test, or do grammar (which is good cause I don't know no grammar). I am supposed to work 13 hrs a week, but last week was the first week where I didn't have a class canceled. I work 7 hours in one school the HAK, and 6 hours at a the HBLA. I'm still figuring out their school system, so here is a very simplified description of my schools: the HAK is a high school that specializes in business and soccer, and the HBLA specializes in social work, and tourism. The HBLA is mostly girls, so in a class of 26 there will be 1-2 boys, on the other hand at the HAK, because of the soccer I have classes that are only boys. An other big difference between the schools is at the HAK they often split language classes, so I only have 8-10 students in class, at the HBLA it's usually 20-26. I just figured out that I actually work with 22 different classes, because many classes I only go to every other week. (there is still a class I haven't yet met). Yup I have no chance ever learning their names.

The first two week I mostly just introduced myself to the classes, and then did 50 minutes of small talk. I am super good at small talk in English now. What are your hobbies? What do you do on the week end? What is your least favorite food? Apparently Maggie you are not alone, a lot of people don't like carrots. Then I had to start preparing lessons of my own. The first couple were a little rough. It was hard because I had only met the classes once, and I had no idea what level English they had. Apparently the excerpts I used from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream" speech was a bit to hard. Yup that lesson bombed. But on the other hand my lesson on American Politics is going quite well. So far I have done lessons on Civil Rights, Politics, Death Penalty, Politics, US government, Politics, Affirmative Action, Politics, and Halloween. All things that you don't really learn about as a Math/German major. I've actually spent quite a lot of time researching. I am even trying to read the news paper, and tried to watch the news every day when I had a TV. I'm becoming a real live adult. Another sign that I've entered the adult world, my bed time is now between 9 and 10 PM. Some days I don't even make it that late. This whole having to be at school before 8 am is lame, but I am usually done by noon, and I do get every other Friday off. I like that. I'm also working on the whole preparing for lessons a head of time. Still haven't managed to not to have to get up early on Monday morning to finish my lessons. Not good. I should be a real teacher now, and not procrastinate. I'm trying I really am.

There are also advantages to going to so many different classes such as I can reuse lessons. As you might have noticed I have been teaching politics a lot. First I make the students teach me about the Austrian elections. They just had elections in Austria where for the first time you only had to be 16 to vote, so they should know something about politics. Some classes do, and one class of 17-18 year olds couldn't tell me what it meant to be liberal or conservative. 16 is way too early to vote. In a class there was usually 2 or 3 kids who knew something about the Austrian system, but overall they have no clue. I must also admit that politics were very low on the list of things I cared at 16. Ok until about 2 weeks ago when I started teaching politics. Yup politics is a scary world. I hope that you all have/are going to vote. Until I came over here I did not realize how much the rest of the world is paying attention to this election. I have yet to meet a fan of McCain. They watch Obama with hope that he will indeed be a change from Bush's aggressive politics. Another thing that I have found very interesting over here is the Austrians are very cautious when talking politics. Most unless you know them well would never tell you which party/candidate they support. One student told me that they didn't even know how their parents normally voted. There are 5 major parties in Austria, but I don't really understand it well enough to explain it here. Oh the other super sad news is after spending the last 2 weeks of my life talking about politics, my absentee ballot never arrived. I applied for it almost a month ago. So yup the first time in my life that I actually really care to vote I can't. LAME.

So that is the skooling. Besides skooling the youths I've been gallivanting around some. Here are some pictures of the area of Austria I live in: http://picasaweb.google.com/smonaco1 Yup it's amazing. You should all come and visit me. This past weekend I moved out of the Ferienwohnung into my new apartment. It was the apartment of the mother in law of the teachers at one of the other schools in Bad Ischl. She want to be able to use it in the summer, so they rented it to me relatively cheaply and it is huge. I have 3, yup that would be THREE, balconies. I have a east, south, and north baconey. So I can follow the sun all day. No one has lived in it for the last three years, but they have been using it on an off. I did have to redecorate though. Every surface was covered with schnick schnacks. Unfortunately I did not take a before and after picture. My German friend Linda visited me last weekend to help me move. So instead of moving being a chore, it was fun. We work on one room, and then either take a break, play cards, eat, go for a walk, or just enjoy one sitting on one of my many balconies. I don't know if I can say it enough, but Bad Ischl is absolutely beautiful, and I have lots of extra room in my huge apartment for visitors. You are all invited.

Ok Congratulations to all of you that made it through my novel. I hope that it was at least a bit entertaining. I think next time I may have to write it in chapters like Claire writes her updates. I hope to revitalize my blog http://suzmonaco.blogspot.com/ Right now it is just the emails I have sent out so far, plus my Bike and Build updates. I will also try to keep my pictures up to date. I give you all permission to send me annoying emails if I slack.