As Time Flies By

A whole month has passed and I haven't written a single word. I think my roommate has this blogging thing down better than I - write a little bit and write often. But still I suppose that writing a lot every once in a while is better than not writing at all. I honestly must say that my first three months of teaching have been difficult, more than difficult at times. At the same time, I know that I have learned so much and my students have learned something.
In my intermediate/advanced class we began reading Holes by Louis Sachar at the beginning of the month. The book is on a fourth grade reading level, but a lot of my students are struggling to understand the plot line. After I began teaching the book, I realized how complicated it really is. Three parallel time periods are interwoven throughout the novel. We watched the Disney movie version this week as I thought it would help my students understand better what is going on in the book. Even in talking to them I see that some of them are really improving in their English skills.
I am still struggling to find a rhythm with my beginning class. I just wish that I could work with them in smaller groups. But I know that I have to work with what I have. So I keep changing things up to see what will work for them. I am also trying to make use of an expensive computer program that my school has invested in that is currently not being used (another example of resources not being used appropriately in the public schools).
I've started teaching an after school ESL class for a group of ten students. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays I work with ten to twelve students on reading skills. I chose to work with these students and have had a great time during these hour and a half sessions. I look forward to this small group instructional time more than anything else during the school week.