Surprise, Surprise

Friday I thought would be like any other day. I was right, in the fact that it was a day, but it wasn't like the others. In general, I think it is impossible to say that everyday is like another. I mean you can physically say "this day is like all the rest" but then you'd be wrong. So let me rephrase my first statement, I thought today would go by smoothly and similar to other Fridays I have experienced here in Moldova. Having said that, I can now proceed.
I got to school with time to spare before my first class started, so I made my way to teacher's room to "hang out" with my colleagues. As I was sitting there, the director of the school approached me and said "I am going to observe your class today. Ok pumpkin?" Now, I know she didn't actually say the word pumpkin because I didn't hear "bostan" in the sentence but I assume it was something similar, but the way she petted my head afterwards. So we headed up to my class, and I was beginning to panic a little. I must admit that I dislike my 11th grade class, who think they already know enough and that I am not someone they need to respect. Oh the teenage years. I am glad I didn't exhibit any of that immature attitude. To make matters more stressful, I had not prepared a lesson plan for this particular class, only a very general outline of what I wanted to accomplish. I wasn't expecting my class to have purchased the textbook from the library and to have their homework completed, despite my screaming every lecture for the past two months. So when the director walked in behind me before class began all the students ran to the library to purchase the book. So that is what it takes? A few of the students ran to my desk and said in a low voice "can we just do the same thing we did on Tuesday, and act like it is the first time?" I mean really, the length these kids go to to seem like perfect students on the surface for one 45 minute class. They begged me to tell them what we would be doing in class so they could get a head start and fool the director into thinking they actually know English. I think their other teachers fall into this trap and either repeat a previous lesson or alter plans to make the students look like they know entirely more than they actually do. Not only does it make the students look smart and like good students, it also makes the teacher look like the teacher of the year. I however do not care about winning the teacher of the year award and would rather my students suffer and shrivel under the bright investigation lights of the director.
My class went along very strange. The students did not utter a single word to each other the whole time, like they usually do...nonstop. Instead, when I would explain something or tell them to turn to a particular page, they would answer with “yes,” every time. Half the class would raise their hands to volunteer to answer every exercise. They were the most well mannered students I have yet to have in Moldova. This was a complete 180 from their normal behavior. So class flew by, and my makeshift lesson, improvising as I went along and following a loose plan, ended with a pop quiz. I thought, “hey, while they are cooperating, I am going to take this opportunity to give them a quiz where they won’t be as likely to copy from each other and talk during the whole process.” Plus, I wanted to get back a little at them for being little shits the rest of the time. Is that wrong of me? I think not.
After class I made a point of visiting the director’s office to see what she had to say about my lesson. She had many good things to say to me, about how the students pay attention, they understand me, I explain things well, and I give them a variety of activities. She had a few suggestions, such as different things to do while working in groups or pairs, and how to better use my time with the text. So, it was a good learning experience and I am glad the director came to observe one of my classes, although I was a little stressed before class began. Hopefully all will go well when my program manager from Peace Corps comes to my classes on Monday to observe me. I prepared my students by telling them my boss from Peace Corps was coming and that they all had to be in class, and had to be good, and do their work, and that I had to be great. If I did not do a great job and they were not good I would be shipped back to America. They were a little upset by this, but I think it drove the point home.

Apropo, in a previous weblog I said that December 8th would be the 6 month marker of me being here. Emily sent me a comment telling me it was not December 8th. I am aware of this fact, as my host mom and I are constantly looking at the calendar in the kitchen, counting down the days till our loved one(s) arrive! I was merely providing a specific date. :)