Speedy School Year

I feel like this school year just flew by. Throughout the whole school year, I honestly don’t think that I had a “normal” teaching week. Just about every week, something came up. Here are a few of my favorite examples:
• One day I got pulled out of class for a short teachers’ party. Another teacher, Natalia, and I were with our little fourth formers. Then, in walks their other teacher who tells us that we have a “meeting” to attend to in the teachers’ room, immediately. So, we just left these fourth former chillin’ alone in their classroom and hurried over to the big school for this “meeting”…….which turned out to be a party for a recently-engaged female teacher. It totally went against my natural instinct to leave little nine-year-olds alone in the classroom to go drink…….but, let’s be honest, it was kinda nice. As the teachers would tell me, I may “have a rest” from my teaching.

• One morning, I was pulled out of my 10th form class by a policeman. On this spring morning, my tenth form class was interrupted by a policeman and Ukrainian teacher. I got pretty nervous with this Ukrainian policeman approaching me (especially in front of my students). He told me that he needed my passport and wanted me to come with him. So, I had to leave students alone in the classroom (again) and followed this policeman outside to where another policeman was waiting by their car. They opened up the trunk…and pulled out a package for me that I needed to sign for. *sigh* In the end, I hope that this gives me some street cred with my students.

• If there are ever any school changes (for example, classroom changes), I’m the last to know about it. Always. I end up getting lots of my information from my students. So, I’ve taught in a few interesting rooms this year. About half of my lessons with sixth form have been in the chemistry lab. The most interesting place that I’ve taught has been in the school’s basement with rowdy fourth formers. It was an experience. Construction was going on, so there was stuff everywhere. The rooms were super old, and (honestly) a bit creepy. Add in 20+, hyper 9-year-old, and you’ve got an interesting time.

This year, I continued doing pen pals with some of my sixth and seventh form students with my mom’s fourth form students. My sixth form girls were so excited about pen pals and constantly asking about their letters. I LOVED seeing their excitement for doing this English activity. It’s been really cool to have this fun learning activity for these students. They ask questions and are eager to learn and I love giving them this opportunity of this new learning experience and way to improve their English.

I also continued a weekly student English club and a weekly adult English club. I really enjoy the student English club because it’s for students who actually WANT to be there. And the adult English club on Friday evenings is a really nice time to hang out with other people my age. We usually hang out, bake, drink, and play cards…so, naturally, it’s a nice time.


Kids say the darndest things. My students can be a handful…but they also have their ways of putting a big smile on my face. Here are some of my favorites:

• This little conversation with fourth form girls happens just about EVERY time that we see each other at school.

            Miss Liz, you are very pretty today.

            Thank you. You are pretty too.

            Thank you.

This is just one of the reasons why these girls are some of my favorite students.

• I have some students who speak to me in Ukrainian, followed by me responding in English. For example:

            Міс Ліз, де ви живете в Америці? (Miss Liz, where do you live in America?)

            In California.

And, yet, they still think that I know NO Ukrainian.

• However, when students ask me to repeat something, then that’s enough proof for them.

            Міс Ліз, cкажить привіт. (Miss Liz, say “привіт” – “hi”).

            Привіт.

            классна! (Cool!)



• My sixth form girls are some of my favorite students.

            Miss Liz, when are you going back to California?

            In November.

            No you aren’t.

            Yes, I am.

            Fine. You can go and visit, but then you’re coming back in January.

Although school has its frustrations, it also has its perks. I am constantly getting more and more positive memories here. I will most definitely miss certain students who never fail to put a smile on my face.