Today, I was scheduled to teach 1A for two periods today and 1B once, my two first grade classes. On accident, I stayed in the 1A room and taught during a period for which I was not assigned. I didn't realize my mistake until after class. I wondered why none of the other teachers showed up to teach them. Weird. I wouldn't be surprised if someone saw me in there and just left without saying anything. Oh, did I mention that I was supposed to have a Cambodian aide during all my classes? Yeah, that hasn't happened either.
I was having trouble getting my students to answer questions without just repeating everything I say, so I decided it was time to incorporate my sock puppet. When I pulled him out of my basket, the students got really excited. "What is she going to do now?" they wondered. I demonstrated a conversation with Stinky that went like this:
K - "Hello!"
S - "Hello!"
S - "How are you?"
K - "I am wonderful." "How are you?"
S - 'I am wonderful."
K - "What's your name?"
S - "My name is Stinky." "What's your name?"
K - "My name is Kerri."
Stinky was a life-saver. After our conversation, Stinky asked individual students questions, and they answered appropriately. Even the little boy who refused to speak for the entire first day, responded to Stinky. I think Stinky is more popular than me.
The students think I speak Khmer because when I explain directions or introduce new vocabulary, I say the Khmer word and then the English word. Sometimes, they will start speaking to me in Khmer, and I can tell it's a question. I answer with, "I have no idea what you are saying." They stand there and blink a few times, wondering what's wrong with their teacher. Yesterday, I asked one of my 3rd grade boys his name about five times, and I still couldn't get it. He pointed to his name written in Khmer, and I said, "Yeah, I can't read that." A few minutes later, he ran over and showed me his arm. He had written his name in English on it with a pen.
My Khmer is improving. I know all kinds of words like alphabet, pencil, chair, listen, and quiet. Unfortunately, these words don't come up in normal conversation.
I was having trouble getting my students to answer questions without just repeating everything I say, so I decided it was time to incorporate my sock puppet. When I pulled him out of my basket, the students got really excited. "What is she going to do now?" they wondered. I demonstrated a conversation with Stinky that went like this:
K - "Hello!"
S - "Hello!"
S - "How are you?"
K - "I am wonderful." "How are you?"
S - 'I am wonderful."
K - "What's your name?"
S - "My name is Stinky." "What's your name?"
K - "My name is Kerri."
Stinky was a life-saver. After our conversation, Stinky asked individual students questions, and they answered appropriately. Even the little boy who refused to speak for the entire first day, responded to Stinky. I think Stinky is more popular than me.
The students think I speak Khmer because when I explain directions or introduce new vocabulary, I say the Khmer word and then the English word. Sometimes, they will start speaking to me in Khmer, and I can tell it's a question. I answer with, "I have no idea what you are saying." They stand there and blink a few times, wondering what's wrong with their teacher. Yesterday, I asked one of my 3rd grade boys his name about five times, and I still couldn't get it. He pointed to his name written in Khmer, and I said, "Yeah, I can't read that." A few minutes later, he ran over and showed me his arm. He had written his name in English on it with a pen.
My Khmer is improving. I know all kinds of words like alphabet, pencil, chair, listen, and quiet. Unfortunately, these words don't come up in normal conversation.
I thought you were talking about my friend when I was young. His name was Stinky Coopman. It was really Dave but he was a bit smelly so we called him Stinky.
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