So, my fiance has been studying law in Guatemala for almost two years now. He finished with all of the courses, and has been preparing for the tests. Down there they have to take two big tests, before they can do their final thesis, and then comes graduation.
These tests are brutal! They put you in a room with three people in charge of testing you. These three people can ask you questions for three hours; any question they want concerning that area of law. They don't have to follow quidelines or rules, they just have to ask you questions. When the three hours are up, they send you out of the room and you wait for them to make their decision. After ten or fifteen minutes, they tell you whether or not you passed. This is the second time that he has taken the test, and he didn't pass, with a 5.9 out of 6.o.
They make you suffer through this awful process, and you really don't know why they didn't pass you. They may not have liked your clothes or your style of speech. Maybe you didn't smile enough or you smiled too much. They just tell you whether or not you passed. They sometimes treat you like a human being, but more often than not, they treat you terribly. And they expect you to just be okay with it and keep studying so you can take it again; or drop out. They don't want you to succeed, becuase they think that you will take their jobs. It's really unfair...
So, I worry about him. I hope that he is okay and that he will not be too disappointed in himself. I hope that he will have the spirit of the Lord with him so that he can make the right decisions for his life. He is such a good person and has worked so hard to succeed. And all I can do is pray for him.
So, really, Guatemala Sucks!!!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
WHY?
So, yesterday was one of those days that I wish I could be more like my dad. He rarely loses his cool; he never swears, he is always rational and he thinks before he lets anything out. So, I wish that yesterday, I had been given his gifts.
I was in my eighth period class; they're the worst one I have. They aren't nice. Plain and simple! I like individuals in the class, but I really don't like them when they are together. So, yesterday, they were working really quietly for the first time this year. There was no talking and I was sooooo impressed. I felt like we were making progress. Alicia, a really good friend and fellow teacher, stopped by to introduce me to her new baby boy. I was so excited to see her! And her baby is adorable, by the way!
I stepped out of my classroom to talk with her for a minute. I was dumb and should have invited her in, cause it was cold and the baby didn't like it. But, I wanted the class to stay on task and not get disrupted by my talking. We visited for a few minutes and then the baby was really mad, so she figured she should go home. I knocked on the door....and nothing happened! (my door locks automatically) Dumb door!
I knocked again, and they didn't open it. I kicked it this time, and they kicked back. I kicked again, and they kicked back. By this time, baby is crying more and I really just need to be let in. They start being even more annoying, by telling me that I have to repeat after them to be let back in. I was mad! That is about all I can say about that. This went on for a few more minutes, and finally they opened the door. I just looked at them and told them there was a crying baby out there and what kind of people are they, anyway. I said goodbye to Alicia and began to be a teacher again.
Well, I handled things pretty well. I didn't yell or anything. I just told them that there would be a consequence to their actions, and I would let them know what that consequence was going to be before the bell rang. We went about our day and things were a little tense because they knew they had been really big jerks. But, it was okay.
About ten minutes before class ended, I explained to them what the consequence would be. Since I wasn't in the classroom to see who was actually doing it, I was going to dock participation points from all of them. This one kid, who has only been in my class for about a week, gets all smart and says "that is a bunch of crap". Well, I snapped.
I looked at him and said, 'no, I'll tell you what is crap', and I proceeded to explain to them that it was crap to come to this class. That they treated me like ...... insert swear word. I know, I am a bad teacher. I told them that they forgot sometimes that even though I am a teacher, I have feelings and that sometimes, they hurt those feelings. That sometimes I want to quit my job because of their class. That sometimes, I even go home and cry because of they way they treat me. It was very powerful, and I think I hit home with a lot of them. In the end of this speech, I apologized for swearing and told them that I shouldn't have done so, but that I felt really strongly about it.
Let's just say they were very subded for a the last few minutes of class. So, the question is WHY? Why do I teach? What was I thinking? What it all boils down to is that I really do love my job. I just hate the way that some of my students treat me. All in all, it was a very interesting day!
Moral of the story; it just isn't worth it to swear! :)
I was in my eighth period class; they're the worst one I have. They aren't nice. Plain and simple! I like individuals in the class, but I really don't like them when they are together. So, yesterday, they were working really quietly for the first time this year. There was no talking and I was sooooo impressed. I felt like we were making progress. Alicia, a really good friend and fellow teacher, stopped by to introduce me to her new baby boy. I was so excited to see her! And her baby is adorable, by the way!
I stepped out of my classroom to talk with her for a minute. I was dumb and should have invited her in, cause it was cold and the baby didn't like it. But, I wanted the class to stay on task and not get disrupted by my talking. We visited for a few minutes and then the baby was really mad, so she figured she should go home. I knocked on the door....and nothing happened! (my door locks automatically) Dumb door!
I knocked again, and they didn't open it. I kicked it this time, and they kicked back. I kicked again, and they kicked back. By this time, baby is crying more and I really just need to be let in. They start being even more annoying, by telling me that I have to repeat after them to be let back in. I was mad! That is about all I can say about that. This went on for a few more minutes, and finally they opened the door. I just looked at them and told them there was a crying baby out there and what kind of people are they, anyway. I said goodbye to Alicia and began to be a teacher again.
Well, I handled things pretty well. I didn't yell or anything. I just told them that there would be a consequence to their actions, and I would let them know what that consequence was going to be before the bell rang. We went about our day and things were a little tense because they knew they had been really big jerks. But, it was okay.
About ten minutes before class ended, I explained to them what the consequence would be. Since I wasn't in the classroom to see who was actually doing it, I was going to dock participation points from all of them. This one kid, who has only been in my class for about a week, gets all smart and says "that is a bunch of crap". Well, I snapped.
I looked at him and said, 'no, I'll tell you what is crap', and I proceeded to explain to them that it was crap to come to this class. That they treated me like ...... insert swear word. I know, I am a bad teacher. I told them that they forgot sometimes that even though I am a teacher, I have feelings and that sometimes, they hurt those feelings. That sometimes I want to quit my job because of their class. That sometimes, I even go home and cry because of they way they treat me. It was very powerful, and I think I hit home with a lot of them. In the end of this speech, I apologized for swearing and told them that I shouldn't have done so, but that I felt really strongly about it.
Let's just say they were very subded for a the last few minutes of class. So, the question is WHY? Why do I teach? What was I thinking? What it all boils down to is that I really do love my job. I just hate the way that some of my students treat me. All in all, it was a very interesting day!
Moral of the story; it just isn't worth it to swear! :)
Friday, November 7, 2008
Teachers
Well, I have come to the conclusion that teachers are wierd. I am a teacher, so I can say that. Let me do the honors of explaining why we are wierd. Yesterday I attended an all day meeting for language teachers in Ogden. It gives us the chance to listen to what works for other langauge teachers in their classrooms to get their students excited about languages. Plus, they feed us really good food. Plus we don't have to be in class. So there are definate perks to going.
Well, I went to this session where this teacher, who teaches at the university, was talking about the importance of music in the classroom. She talked about traditional latin american songs to teach your students, like la cucaracha. Then she talked about popular songs in the world today, like music from Enrique Iglesias. Then she talked about traditional songs that our students learned in English, that we could translate and use in Spanish or another language. Songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, etc.
So, to get to the point. There are about 40 of us adults in this classroom, all falling asleep becuase it was right after lunch. She, the teacher, decides that we need to wake up. So, we all have to stand up and sing songs in spanish that she has on the projector. One of those was Head shoulders knees and toes. And the part that I think makes us wierd, is that we did it. ALL of us stood up and went through all of the actions of the song and sang along with her.
I find that in a 'professional' meeting for teachers, the fact that we sing head shoulders knees and toes and songs like that, makes us wierd.
Well, I went to this session where this teacher, who teaches at the university, was talking about the importance of music in the classroom. She talked about traditional latin american songs to teach your students, like la cucaracha. Then she talked about popular songs in the world today, like music from Enrique Iglesias. Then she talked about traditional songs that our students learned in English, that we could translate and use in Spanish or another language. Songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, etc.
So, to get to the point. There are about 40 of us adults in this classroom, all falling asleep becuase it was right after lunch. She, the teacher, decides that we need to wake up. So, we all have to stand up and sing songs in spanish that she has on the projector. One of those was Head shoulders knees and toes. And the part that I think makes us wierd, is that we did it. ALL of us stood up and went through all of the actions of the song and sang along with her.
I find that in a 'professional' meeting for teachers, the fact that we sing head shoulders knees and toes and songs like that, makes us wierd.
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