November and December

My life after L'viv was back to normal. I had class at 8am on Monday, and the classes continued on with their lessons. I created a lot of vocabulary and grammar PowerPoints for my classes. I use the examples in their books, and make them put the verb in the correct tense. The verb is given, as otherwise it would be almost impossible. 

The students learned about different verb tenses, the difference between formal and informal invitations, passive voice, and different famous works of literature. I got to teach my first lesson by myself. That week, most of the English teachers were out sick, and Ukraine doesn't do substitutes like WS/FCS does. The only non-sick, full-time English teacher needed to be somewhere else, and needed her classes covered. The first class was pretty easy, as all I needed to do was give them a test. The second class was a bit out of control, but as they were playing a game, it made a lot of sense. I created a game like Catchphrase, where they were broken into teams, and had to get their teammates to guess the word or phrase. They could say anything (except for a word on the card) and they could charade it, as well. I created a board for the game, and they rolled a die to proceed. Each square had a symbol, and that symbol corresponded to a Catchphrase card. The first team to finish wins. 

One of the groups learned all about advertising, so I got to show some of my favorite TV adds. It was hard to remember what adds I'd liked, as some of them I hadn't seen in years. Plus, I haven't watched regular old TV with commercials in years, thanks to Netflix and being able to watch the shows a day or so later on the network webpage. One of the groups learned all about rules - dos and don'ts - so I went to Jackson Library's webpage and found their rules. The rules for academic libraries are different than the rules here. For instance, Jackson Library allows patrons to eat and drink in the library, as long as it's not in the archives, special collections, or SuperLab. And as long as you are respectful and clean up after yourself. 

My RM was here, and she talked with me and A about what was going on, checking my schedule and stuff like that. We had lunch together, and we talked about my Winter Holiday plans. As we are now allowed more freedom in our travels around the country, I would be able to visit Kyiv. 

The new Safety and Security Manager came to the Oblast to check out the Safety and Security situation of the Volunteers. A PC doctor came with him, so we could get out flu shots. Otherwise we would be required to go to Kyiv, just for that. 

I was "Matched" twice via World Wise Schools Correspondence Match, and I am still in the process of communicating with my Matches and figuring out how to get the pen-pal exchange working. 

The last few weeks in November were dedicated to Demo lessons. I was asked to teach several classes solo so my colleague could watch these lessons. I learned the value of my tablet, as I was able to look up words to find their translation into Ukrainian, when we found a new word. Which was pretty often. I sort of wanted to go to the Demo lessons, but they were held in Ukrainian, so I wouldn't have gotten much out of them. My colleague held a Demo lesson, as well. 

N teaches two subjects - English and Handicrafts. Her Demo was for Handicrafts. She had us create a piece of jewelry out of a leaf and modeling clay. It was a lot of fun, if a bit messy, as we had to mix paint into the modeling clay with our fingers. Once you we had the paint worked into the modeling clay, we pressed the leaf into the clay, taking an imprint. Then we had to work a small hole into the modeling-clay leaf, so we could attach the imprint to a cord and wear it. It looked really cool. While our leaves were drying, N talked to the Demo class about the history and use of jewelry made from modeling clay. It can be really expensive, and has been worn by royals. Impressive stuff. N wears a lot of jewelry that she's made. Or she displays what she's made in her classroom. It always looks awesome. I keep thinking “Etsy” but I'm not sure Ukraine does that.

N's Demo lesson.
From left to right: Yevgenia Victorvich (dance and choreography), me, Anya Sergeiïvna (computers, math, and typing). 

My English Club is working, a bit. I have only one form, the ninth formers. The students are required to attend the Club, but most of them don't want to be there. They spend most of the Club arguing with themselves or with me about the rules or the scores. There are a lot of sore losers in my English Club. They barely behave, and are only at my club because it keeps them from doing something else. I guess I'm the lesser of two evils. Some do behave. Some are clearly happy to be there. But the combination of those who don't want to be there and those who misbehave, keeps the students who want to be there from learning as much as they could. I noticed the other week that, as long as my colleague was in the room, they sort of behaved. As so as she left, they pretended they didn't know anything and stopped listening to me at all. Wonderful English Club, no? 

Over the week before St. Nicholas Day, my school got a New Year Tree in. After hammering it into the tree stand, the 11th formers trimmed it. Now, my school is a uniform school, and the male students wear suits. Now, imagine an 11th former up on a ladder, hanging lights on a tree, in a suit! On Friday, 18 December, my school had a St. Nicholas Day celebration. I have no idea what happened, but it was beautiful. The students and N put a lot of effort into the costumes for the celebration. They all sang and danced, with the various forms doing remarkable dances. They only had a few weeks to prepare, which made it even more impressive. 

The 11th Formers decorate the school's New Year Tree.

It's been strangely warm here, the last few days. There has been no snow to speak of. And while there was a period where the temperature never broke freezing, it had been warming up the last few days. I am wearing my warm winter coat, but it has been too warm occasionally. It is nice to have, though, especially during the two to three weeks when the temperature didn't break freezing. My boots have also been helpful. I learned that after I didn't wear them and fell. Don't worry, I'm fine! Just a little fall. 

Now, I mentioned my holiday trip. Well, my parents are coming to Ukraine, so I needed to get permission to go to Kyiv. I also needed to buy a lot of train tickets, as that is how you travel across Ukraine. I can order them online, but I had trouble buying the last few tickets. I had to go to the Vokzal to buy them. T went with me, to translate. It took longer to make sure he knew which trains I needed than it took to order the tickets. I left with the tickets bought and paid for, plus printed. Convenient. 

A wants me to create a powerpoint about Christmas, to tell the students how Christmas is different in the U.S. than here. Including the date. Works for me.