I am finally figuring out how I can be of use here...I think. I spent several days immersed in the new Qatar curriculum standards. As I was reading the math standards, it occurred to me that I had not seen "daily calendar math" in any of the primary classes. I sketched a picture of it and explained it to the assistant headmisstress who asked me to prepare a workshop to present to the teachers. Sooo....next Monday I will be presenting it. Wish me luck. I recently found out that most of the teachers are novices and have had little or no training in reading instruction so that will be my next challenge. I also found out that they teach reading in English in the library once every other week. The in between weeks they teach reading in Arabic. There is no daily reading instruction. The teachers are asked to do a lot. They must teach the children math and science at the same time they are teaching them to speak English. There is a lot of oral work as there needs to be for the children to learn the language. They are also supposed to prepare most of their own materials,which is a challenge to them as they all speak English as a 2nd language. I can't imagine being asked to make up all of my own materials in my own language and I have had 27 years of experience and a lot of university and inservice training.
Each day I have a driver, Mahmoud, who picks me up at 6:30 a.m. to take me to the school as I am not nearly as anxious to brave driving these crazy streets as Gary is. Everyone who knows me knows that I am a directional dyslexic and not even close to being an aggressive driver. So I think I will do myself and everyone else a favor and stay off the streets. Mahmoud takes me home around 1:30 and believe me the school clears out then...even the administrators. Every Monday there is professional develpoment until 3:15, but no one stays late on the other days.
The girls are all beautiful with dark shiny hair and dark eyes with eyelashes a mile long. None of the younger girls cover, but some of the girls who look like they might be 5th or 6th graders do. Some of the teachers cover at school, but many do not cover unless there is a man in the building or when they are getting ready to go home.
Each morning the girls line up with their classes for morning assembly at 7:00 in the middle of the school. During this 15 minute period a lesson on values is presented and they sing the Qatar national anthem before they head to class. The girls are very friendly and like to stop me to practice their English. Sometimes the older girls will shake my hand and kiss me on both cheeks. The little girls will say hi or hello and giggle. I think the teachers are getting used to seeing me. I hope after the workshop they will feel free to come to me for whatever help they might need. And I hope that I can give it.