Today we made our first visit to Gymnasium #13, Anzhelika the Amazing's school. We had the incredible opportunity to observe 4 other teachers' classes and then to observe Anzhelika herself. We were greeted at the door by some of her students with a bouquet of happy face balloons wearing red bow-ties.
| Amazing Anzhelika had arranged for us to observe 4 English classes, a 2nd grade, a 4th grade, a 6th grade, an 8th grade and then her grade 10. It was fascinating to see these incredible teachers in action. As the classes are English as a Foreign Language classes, they are incredibly structured. Each lesson started out a similar way. There was a review of topics OR a moment to write down the night's homework, and then the topic was either introduced or reviewed, oral work was done, group work or partner work was done, there was listening, reading and a little writing. At the end of the lesson there was content review and then homework was assigned. My TGC partner, Cindy Spoon, and I spent some time discussing just how structured the lessons were compared to how we would teach the same topics. We both remembered taking foreign language classes and those classes were just about as structured as well. |
Some of the things that really struck me about today:
1. The 2nd graders were doing multiplication (easily!) in their practice of English numbers from 1 - 20.
2. Class periods were 40 minutes long and students had 20 minute breaks between classes to chat, speak with teachers for review or go to the "Canteen" to get a snack.
3. Most of the time, when questions were answered incorrectly, the student was given 1 chance to fix their error and then the teacher moved on. In America, we tend to stick with a student until they get to the right question, or we validate their attempt with a "nice try!" or "Almost!"
4. Each class started with a formal greeting. Students were standing and some variation of the following conversation was had:
1. The 2nd graders were doing multiplication (easily!) in their practice of English numbers from 1 - 20.
2. Class periods were 40 minutes long and students had 20 minute breaks between classes to chat, speak with teachers for review or go to the "Canteen" to get a snack.
3. Most of the time, when questions were answered incorrectly, the student was given 1 chance to fix their error and then the teacher moved on. In America, we tend to stick with a student until they get to the right question, or we validate their attempt with a "nice try!" or "Almost!"
4. Each class started with a formal greeting. Students were standing and some variation of the following conversation was had:
Teacher: Good morning, class!
Class: Good morning, teacher!
Teacher: How are you today?
Class: We are fine, how are you?
Teacher: I am fine, thank you. You may all sit down.
5. At the end of the class period, many students said "Thank you for the lesson today, teacher." Several even lingered to speak with the teacher. We received many nice comments and "thank you for visiting our class" from the students - completely unprompted by the teacher.
6. Even when the teacher was having computer problems and was occupied with trying to fix it, the students sat quietly, without getting out of their chairs, without playing, without messing with their neighbors. There was some whispering, but it wasn't obnoxious or loud.
7. All the teachers were dressed formally, in suits or dresses and wearing high heels. The students were all dressed nicely, nothing tattered or slovenly. Their clothes were either school uniforms, or they looked like they stepped out of a magazine.
We will be back at the school tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday next week and I will have more pictures and get to speak with the students more about the guiding question. I will also be teaching some lessons soon. I can't wait.
6. Even when the teacher was having computer problems and was occupied with trying to fix it, the students sat quietly, without getting out of their chairs, without playing, without messing with their neighbors. There was some whispering, but it wasn't obnoxious or loud.
7. All the teachers were dressed formally, in suits or dresses and wearing high heels. The students were all dressed nicely, nothing tattered or slovenly. Their clothes were either school uniforms, or they looked like they stepped out of a magazine.
We will be back at the school tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday next week and I will have more pictures and get to speak with the students more about the guiding question. I will also be teaching some lessons soon. I can't wait.
Some other things
Lunch at Gymnasium #13 was delicious. We had compote as a beverage. Compote is a drink made from dried apricots, pears, raisins and other dried fruits. It looks odd but was absolutely delicious! We had a soup that was made with vegetables, potatoes, a meat and salted cucumbers. The main lunch was a chicken topped with some cheese, rice, noodles and buckwheat, and for dessert a baked apple. All of it was delicious, and all of it made in the school's cafeteria by dedicated lunch ladies! Again, it was all served in real dishes, real glasses and with real silverware.
After lunch, Cindy and I shared some presentations and led some professional development with all of the teachers in the English Department. Cindy first shared a newspaper from her school and a brief documentary about the school newspaper. She then spoke on pronunciation and shared a wonderful activity about identifying syllables. I shared a presentation made by my 8th grade class with the teachers as an introduction to GWMS (which everyone loved and was very impressed by!) and then shared a presentation on differentiation techniques.
The chair of the English Department presented both of us with a small gift from their Principal (who did not speak English and who also had to leave the meeting to take care of something). We were given a lovely bag with the school logo on it, a flag with the school logo, and a folder of information about the school. Most preciously, we were each given a scarf that the school gives to their students for graduation or other ceremonies. I was truly honored to receive it. At the same time, I presented the gift from GWMS to Gymnasium #13 - but unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of that part.
Dinner tonight was at an Uzbekistani / Korean Restaurant named Tashkent. We ignored the Korean part of it because we went specifically for a rice dish called Plov, which was absolutely delicious! It was essentially a lamb and rice pilaf. We also had a shredded carrot vinaigrette salad and an other kind of salad with a vegetable that Anzhelika called asparagus, but I'm still not entirely sure. Maybe one of you could identify it?
Finally, Anzhelika the Amazing took us to the Ballet! It was absolutely breathtaking. I teared up a little when the opening strains of music started and the first dancers came out on stage. I was actually seeing the ballet in Russia! Thank you Anzhelika for this amazing gift of seeing the ballet! I pulled pictures from the web because my pictures didn't turn out. The pictures are of the Yekaterinburg Ballet and Opera house, and pictures from the actual ballet that we saw.