Just had to have a couple of cold bevvies last night to celebrate the end of the first week back at school! Even managed some potato chips to go with them. Minus the kiwi dip of course although I have some onion soup mix and a couple of tins of real reduced cream from the recent kiwi visitors.
The week started well with students arriving early on Sunday morning. I was at work by 7.30am much to the horror of the teenager who got dropped off at his school just after 7am. A 5.30am wake up didn't really go down well with either of us after weeks of holiday. As the week progressed we seem to have to leave earlier each day so I can arrive on time. Car parking is at a premium and having my car outside in the heat all day leaves a lot to be desired as it takes around 30 minutes to cool down and the leather seats and steering wheel burn when you get into it. Only in Abu Dhabi!
I think I got some brownie points with my new Principal for arriving so early as no-one else from administration was there so I dutifully stood in the foyer, looking like a spare part, while all the parents asked questions in Arabic. One stark difference here is the involvement of fathers in the education of their children and most girls were dropped off and escorted into the building by fathers or older brothers. Any untoward behaviour from females is a reflection/disgrace on the father or brothers so they are carefully shepparded and watched closely.
As you could imagine it was organised chaos. Class lists had been posted on boards so the students come in and find their class. Of course no-one knew where the classrooms actually were and I am still (yes, after a week of students attending) still short two teachers. Most importantly my Grade 1 (new entrant) teacher so the new girls had no-one to look after them.
Coverage has been arranged throughout the week for these classes and the Grade 5 classes. Each teacher has two sections so that is four classes without a teacher. Substitute teachers were assigned but the G5 girls have yet to see anyone so you can imagine the nightmare it has been in my hallway, especially in the afternoons. Three 45 minute periods of sitting without any supervision! One major difference for me is that I am not expected to go in and cover these classess although it has been difficult at times to walk on by. But if I went in I would still be in there. I am constantly amazed by how someone can sign to do cover and then just not turn up or refuse to do period 6 & 7 as it's the end of the day/week and they are leaving early - with no consequences!
Yesterday saw the start of the rest of the year with teachers up to their normal antics. Thursday sees many teachers leaving early. They know every trick in the book and try it on repeatedly with the new English teachers, telling them they have to cover classes, changing schedules, telling them they are in their room and to get out, parking outside so they can skive off early... And the list goes on. So now we have sign out passes and to even leave the grounds before the bell we must have permission on the computer approved, a sign out pass with our name on it for security, sign out with fingerprint, collect our pass, give to security, get out if we are lucky. No $200 as we pass go either.
Duty is a similar experience and I was the administrator in charge yesterday. Once again, Thursday is disliked by all and the new kid on the block gets the worst day. So I took my wee list (all in another language) and found teachers. One was missing and I found her asleep in the staff room. Tired! Aren't we all?
I baked some smiley face cupcakes for my teachers to start the week off as they had worked hard. One had had three changes of classroom during the week, even though she had all her displays up. This can be a challenge and class room assignments were all changed as late as 10am on Thursday, the day before students were due. So you can imagine the frustration of my staff. Still they are luckier than my friend who is on her third school in two weeks! Only in Abu Dhabi!
I put the cupcakes into a takeaway coffee cup along with a sachet of coffee and a foil wrapped tea bag then wrote a wee message on the cup. They tasted pretty good as I used saffron to flavour plain cupcakes then iced with a custard icing and decorated with chocolate icing tinted with black colouring. They left black stains on my hands when I ate one but the mess was worth the end result.
My school day is very different from my previous one even though my job description is identical. The biggest fact is that the AVP does all the administration tasks that I undertook previously which frees me up to work with teachers and the curriculum delivery. As we have just received an updated curriculum I may have my work cut out!
I am heading out to dinner for a kiwi friend's 50th later today. It is a surprise party for her so I am looking forward to catching up after the holidays. Her son, 18, is doing exceptionally well for himself playing rugby and league. Over the summer he has spent several weeks in the UK training with local clubs then getting himself selected for a tournament. He is also completing his last year of school here then who knows what will be offered to him as a sportsman.
Well I'm off to skype my parents back home in New Zealand. It is wonderful to catch up most weeks and 'see' them. I feel almost as if I am in the kitchen with them and ususally make myself a pot of tea to feel right at home!
Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there, especially my wonderful Dad!
The week started well with students arriving early on Sunday morning. I was at work by 7.30am much to the horror of the teenager who got dropped off at his school just after 7am. A 5.30am wake up didn't really go down well with either of us after weeks of holiday. As the week progressed we seem to have to leave earlier each day so I can arrive on time. Car parking is at a premium and having my car outside in the heat all day leaves a lot to be desired as it takes around 30 minutes to cool down and the leather seats and steering wheel burn when you get into it. Only in Abu Dhabi!
I think I got some brownie points with my new Principal for arriving so early as no-one else from administration was there so I dutifully stood in the foyer, looking like a spare part, while all the parents asked questions in Arabic. One stark difference here is the involvement of fathers in the education of their children and most girls were dropped off and escorted into the building by fathers or older brothers. Any untoward behaviour from females is a reflection/disgrace on the father or brothers so they are carefully shepparded and watched closely.
As you could imagine it was organised chaos. Class lists had been posted on boards so the students come in and find their class. Of course no-one knew where the classrooms actually were and I am still (yes, after a week of students attending) still short two teachers. Most importantly my Grade 1 (new entrant) teacher so the new girls had no-one to look after them.
Coverage has been arranged throughout the week for these classes and the Grade 5 classes. Each teacher has two sections so that is four classes without a teacher. Substitute teachers were assigned but the G5 girls have yet to see anyone so you can imagine the nightmare it has been in my hallway, especially in the afternoons. Three 45 minute periods of sitting without any supervision! One major difference for me is that I am not expected to go in and cover these classess although it has been difficult at times to walk on by. But if I went in I would still be in there. I am constantly amazed by how someone can sign to do cover and then just not turn up or refuse to do period 6 & 7 as it's the end of the day/week and they are leaving early - with no consequences!
Yesterday saw the start of the rest of the year with teachers up to their normal antics. Thursday sees many teachers leaving early. They know every trick in the book and try it on repeatedly with the new English teachers, telling them they have to cover classes, changing schedules, telling them they are in their room and to get out, parking outside so they can skive off early... And the list goes on. So now we have sign out passes and to even leave the grounds before the bell we must have permission on the computer approved, a sign out pass with our name on it for security, sign out with fingerprint, collect our pass, give to security, get out if we are lucky. No $200 as we pass go either.
Duty is a similar experience and I was the administrator in charge yesterday. Once again, Thursday is disliked by all and the new kid on the block gets the worst day. So I took my wee list (all in another language) and found teachers. One was missing and I found her asleep in the staff room. Tired! Aren't we all?
I baked some smiley face cupcakes for my teachers to start the week off as they had worked hard. One had had three changes of classroom during the week, even though she had all her displays up. This can be a challenge and class room assignments were all changed as late as 10am on Thursday, the day before students were due. So you can imagine the frustration of my staff. Still they are luckier than my friend who is on her third school in two weeks! Only in Abu Dhabi!
I put the cupcakes into a takeaway coffee cup along with a sachet of coffee and a foil wrapped tea bag then wrote a wee message on the cup. They tasted pretty good as I used saffron to flavour plain cupcakes then iced with a custard icing and decorated with chocolate icing tinted with black colouring. They left black stains on my hands when I ate one but the mess was worth the end result.
Transporting them to school was a challenge, solved by sitting them in cups and packing in a shoe box with coffee sachets filling the spaces in between. They all arrived in one piece.
My school day is very different from my previous one even though my job description is identical. The biggest fact is that the AVP does all the administration tasks that I undertook previously which frees me up to work with teachers and the curriculum delivery. As we have just received an updated curriculum I may have my work cut out!
I am heading out to dinner for a kiwi friend's 50th later today. It is a surprise party for her so I am looking forward to catching up after the holidays. Her son, 18, is doing exceptionally well for himself playing rugby and league. Over the summer he has spent several weeks in the UK training with local clubs then getting himself selected for a tournament. He is also completing his last year of school here then who knows what will be offered to him as a sportsman.
Well I'm off to skype my parents back home in New Zealand. It is wonderful to catch up most weeks and 'see' them. I feel almost as if I am in the kitchen with them and ususally make myself a pot of tea to feel right at home!
Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there, especially my wonderful Dad!
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