News from Latvia II

Hi everyone,
I don’t know how to begin; there is a lot to say …

The first thing I can say is that I really enjoy working in this school. Students and teachers are very nice. I only have to teach French 12 hours a week and to attend the English debate club (2 hours). But I also give a lot of private lessons. Some students just ask me to help them in French or to have more lessons. They really are motivated. And in return for this they teach me Russian. This language is really difficult!!!

But of course this is not all I do in the school.
ð I could join some students who went on excursion. We visited a bunker (10 meters under ground). There were a lot of statues of Lenin in the bunker … I also attended the party for Sint-Valentine’s Day and the party on the 8th of March (Women’s day). I attended a debate about celebrating Sint-Valentine’s Day in the school (it was in Russian and in English). There was also a seminar (for English teachers) which I attended, …

As I said earlier, my students are very nice, I’ve been doing a lot of things with them. Things such as ice skating, visiting Riga, shopping, going to the restaurant, cinema, … I’ve also been invited to eat at a student’s house, so I don’t have much time to work more …

At school I have some difficulties with the students from the 4th class (10 years old). It’s their first year French so they have difficulties to understand me. I also have other problems: because of the economic crisis we can’t make photocopies at school and in some classes they have only one book for two pupils. The teachers have sheets with exercises but the students cannot write on the sheets, they have to give them back at the end of the lesson. So they have to copy all the exercises in their notebook. Another problem for me is that in most of their books instructions are written in Russian. But it has a positive side. I get help from my mentor who always explains me what I have to do the next day and how.
Most of the time I give lessons where I have to speak and ask questions. Sometimes I have to teach grammar but not often. So this is easier for me.

I have to leave, so I will write more next time. I hope you all enjoy your stay wherever you are.
Have a nice weekend,
Stephanie