Still working on wifi...

Our wifi situation isn't completely figured out yet, but we're hoping to get it working smoothly this week with the help of our landlord!  We cannot wait.

As you may have guessed, the strike is pretty much over.  Don't ask me what that means because I'm not exactly sure.  But from what I understand, almost all of the schools are back to work and have started their school year {nearly a month after they were supposed to}.  There wasn't a complete settlement- but the government is going to provide English classes for all teachers for the next two years.   After two years, they will be expected to teach 33% of their school day in English.  Major props to these teachers.

Our first week of work went smoothly!  We're each working in two different schools.  Will works in two schools with 3rd and 5th graders, in both. I'm working in one elementary school and one high school with all different ages.  Not speaking Spanish presents a few challenges, but I'm excited to give it all a try this week.  We'll see how it goes :)

More pictures and details to come once we have internet.  Other than that, a trip to Ibiza for Halloween may be on our horizon...!

Back to real life

We’re all moved in!  We love our apartment and our new roommates.  We’re living with two other girls.  They’re both super sweet and easy going.  And fluent in Spanish- which is a BIG help when your landlords only speak Spanish.  Videos and pictures of our new home coming soon.

Wednesday was our first day back to work!  Holy long Summer.  It was orientation, where we got to learn more about the program, meet the teachers we will be working with, and meet other people who are from the US, France, Ireland, the UK, and Australia who are doing the same thing we are doing.  It just shocks me how I am reminded every single day how HUGE our world is.  There are so many people out there who are doing amazing things that I am completely unaware of.  And most of them speak multiple languages…

I think of one the coolest parts of our orientation was that we got to see more of the teacher strike up close and personal.  The director who is trying to implement this new language law spoke to us.  As soon as she was introduced, all of the teachers who are striking stood up and faced the back of the room.  Talk about awkward!  The director continued to share her speech with us in Spanish, English, and Catalan, obviously trying to make a point that she was able to speak multiple languages.  The teachers faced the back of the room the entire time she was speaking and when the director finally stopped {about 20 minutes later}, they all faced forward and sat back down. 

Before we went to break, the director’s assistant asked that we all went up to take a picture with the director.  It was obviously an attempt to make it appear like everything is kosher, but it was very awkward and uncomfortable.   So, it was cool that we got to see everything in action… not so cool that it was super weird. 

We start in the classroom on Monday!  Our official job is to teach English to Spanish speaking students.  The most exciting part of this is that we will be working with ALL age groups {kinder to high school} and bouncing from classroom to classroom.  I am really excited to be back in the classroom and hear all about Will’s experiences too J 

Until Monday we plan on filling up the apartment with the basics, getting settled in, maybe doing a little hiking, and hitting up the beach some more.  Will is anxiously waiting for his bike to arrive, now that we have an official address. 

And we’ll leave you with some pictures of what we’ve been doing… We'll add more when wifi allows!

 

 

 

Checking out the town of Sineu, where one of the schools I'm working in is located.  It's about a 45 minute train ride away.

 

Cheers!  Kelly & Will

Teachers on Strike

So earlier this week, I {Kelly} received an e-mail from one of the schools I will be working in.  The language department has been in communication with me and informed me that even though I am supposed to start work on Tuesday, the teachers are striking and so I should not plan on coming into school until I hear back from them.  

We had heard bits and pieces through facebook and on the streets {lots of green t-shirts!} about the teachers striking but assumed it wasn’t a big deal.  Well we were very, very wrong.  Apparently the government enforced a rule just last month that states, instead of teachers teaching in Castilian (the Spanish we know) and Catalan (the island’s native language), evenly throughout the day, they are being forced to teach in Castilian, Catalan, AND English equally.  So 33% of the day they will have to teach in English- a language that many of them do not know or only know the basics of. 

Ummmm, what?  For me, I guess I'm wondering, how can we blame them for striking?  Do you know Castilian?  Do you know Catalan?  What if our government suddenly told you that you would have to spend 33% of the day teaching in Castilian?  Could you effectively teach math when you are only able to teach it in Catalan?  I know I would not, could not, be an effective math teacher like that.  The amazing thing is however, the teachers are totally fine with having to do this.  It’s just that it was enforced last month.  Where’s the training?  Where’s the support?  Apparently there is none.  Give them time and they can adapt.  However, time is not being provided and thus teachers are striking. 

The other side here is the students.  Not all students have been raised in homes that speak English.  So even if you were trained in Castilian and walked into your classroom and gave a rockin’ math lesson, in perfect Castilian, would all of your students understand the lesson?  In order to implement something like this, teachers and students need time.  They need to slowly be immersed into this.  They need to learn together, not separately or all in one month.  There needs to be proper implementation, which it seems there is not. 

As of now, not all the schools are on strike and Will is still good to go to his school- we believe!  It will be very interesting to see how this all unfolds and plays out... What are your thoughts on this?  Anyone?

As of now, I'm not too upset about not having to go back to work quite yet :)

XO!  Kelly & Will