First Day of School

Much has happened since I last submitted. I started Serbian classes at the university. Talk about a lot of lecture hours, the class is Monday to Thursday from 9.30am until 12pm. I thought it was a great idea. The first day, I pepped myself up the entire walk to school. I was going to try hard and not get discouraged. Then in walks the teacher. Long story short, after 2.5 hours of a lady speaking 99.9% of the time in Serbian, and not letting us have any chance to talk at all, I was on the verge of tears. Is this how my students grew up learning language? Is this how they grew up learning anything?! I was so upset, I went home and couldn't do anything. I lounged on the couch in a mental shock. I think there is a lot of room for improvement in the US educational system, but let me tell you, we have some pretty darn good teachers out there.

I'm not saying that Serbia has the worst educational system that I've ever seen. Heck no. They all could use a ton of work. I think since I am now in charge of teaching English to people who want to be English teachers or translators, I need to give them an example of what good teaching/active learning/room for creativity and personal growth can be. They are all good kids. I have high expectations for them, even if they don't for themselves.

The classes are going well, even though it is only week one. They were pretty quiet and I was told they are this way for several reasons: 1. They need time to trust me. They are used to being yelled at and belittled, not trusted. 2. Their peers will make fun of their language if they have poor speaking skills. 3. My teaching style (full of energy and fun) seems to shock and confuse them. I will give it some time. I hope they will come around. They are so focused on the grades that they don't see the learning process or the purpose for learning whatever it is they are working on.

Really, if you do anything today, when you see a teacher, tell them 'thank you' and 'keep up the good work'. We really are lucky. One of my friends who is a librarian at the American Corner, just came back from a 10 day tour of some of America's libraries. She said, "Oh my god, Jaime. Your libraries are unbelievable! You have so many books!" She went to several different states, but it was at a library in Illinois were she said that their children's section alone had more books than our entire library. She was also floored that the budget that library has every month for books in the children's section alone, is the same as the budget that the American Corner has for the whole year to spend on everything, even equipment like computers, copiers and projection screens. She was floored. I'm very proud of our libraries. Taxes can have their up side. Keep up the great work Aunt Debbie and Aunt Kitty!

So thank your teachers for their hard work and go to your local library and check out a book! I have to get up early for the 8am class, so take care and I'll write again soon.

Pictures: (a cute and lovely port-A-potty, Serbian Class, a lecture at the American corner)