Life in the American Embassy School
Working in an international school is new stuff. Most mindboggling is the sheer amount of resources available. Pretty much anything you need or want is available. No fighting for paper. No asking parents for donations of tissue boxes.
When you need anything, you just walk up to a little window and tell them what you need: Pens - check. Post-it Notes (4 different sizes) - check, two pocket folders - check, pencil sharpener (desk mounted or handheld) - check.
OK, so that was fun. Let's go for the gold: Hand sanitizer - check. Mosquito repellant (plug-ins that you can also use in your home AND spray on) - check, poster paper - check.
But it isn't the material resources that are most impressive, though the library is nothing to sneeze at. From the library blog of our elementary school librarian: "The AES Elementary School Library houses over 35,000 titles available to AES students, families and staff. The library offers an extensive collection of fiction, non-fiction, reference books, audio books, Playaways and periodicals. Students, families and staff can also access databases and on-line resources that are appropriate for elementary age students..."
OK, so like I said. It isn't the material resources. It's the professionalism. The opportunity for teachers to engage in professional development. To have built-in collegial planning time. To be encouraged to form study groups and pursue inquiry into things that interest them. To also have on hand the support of an amazing array of student support services. ESL teachers. Special education teachers. A full time school psychologist. A full time speech pathologist. A fully staffed health center. Areas for play and recreation. Art, music, cultural studies. Extra curricular activities.
I think the thing that took me most by surprise - even with all these things available, the work of education is still grueling - teachers spend so much time beyond the classroom day studying, preparing, reflecting, growing. It's by far the most professional growth I've been exposed to in my teaching career...
Working in an international school is new stuff. Most mindboggling is the sheer amount of resources available. Pretty much anything you need or want is available. No fighting for paper. No asking parents for donations of tissue boxes.
When you need anything, you just walk up to a little window and tell them what you need: Pens - check. Post-it Notes (4 different sizes) - check, two pocket folders - check, pencil sharpener (desk mounted or handheld) - check.
OK, so that was fun. Let's go for the gold: Hand sanitizer - check. Mosquito repellant (plug-ins that you can also use in your home AND spray on) - check, poster paper - check.
But it isn't the material resources that are most impressive, though the library is nothing to sneeze at. From the library blog of our elementary school librarian: "The AES Elementary School Library houses over 35,000 titles available to AES students, families and staff. The library offers an extensive collection of fiction, non-fiction, reference books, audio books, Playaways and periodicals. Students, families and staff can also access databases and on-line resources that are appropriate for elementary age students..."
OK, so like I said. It isn't the material resources. It's the professionalism. The opportunity for teachers to engage in professional development. To have built-in collegial planning time. To be encouraged to form study groups and pursue inquiry into things that interest them. To also have on hand the support of an amazing array of student support services. ESL teachers. Special education teachers. A full time school psychologist. A full time speech pathologist. A fully staffed health center. Areas for play and recreation. Art, music, cultural studies. Extra curricular activities.
I think the thing that took me most by surprise - even with all these things available, the work of education is still grueling - teachers spend so much time beyond the classroom day studying, preparing, reflecting, growing. It's by far the most professional growth I've been exposed to in my teaching career...
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