Students and Parents and School

Well the honeymoon with the school is over. It happenned during parent day. One parent had doubts about me. I'm told this parent has a lot of sway with the school and that I need to do what she wants. So now I'm under the school's eye which seems to means her son needs to win the upcoming speech contest (he's one of the lower level readers I have). This means I give him more attention at the expense of others.

It doesn't seem right but it is reality. Parents pay the tuition. So I start tomorrow with the new "parent" - motivated teaching style.

Science Science Science

One of the wonderful things happening at the school for me and the students is that I get to teach science. So far in the first grade classes, we've been observing plant leaves and flowers and naming the parts of a plant and the roles they play in the plant's life. It's really fun. I had the first graders "become" the parts on stage and tell or show what they do. We also collected leaf and flower samples and observed them with magnifying glasses. They draw and write about them. Good fun! I have a lot of freedom on how I teach the classes. That is so important to me as a teacher. I don't think I'd get that freedom back in the USA.

I also am running the after school 2nd grade science club. It meets once a week for 40 minutes so it's just enough time to do and explain fun experiments. The first 3 club meetings we'll be doing "Air Pressure." Can't go wrong here. The first meeting we'll be making straw flutes. The second meeting we'll do balloon rockets, third is paper airplanes. Then we get into fluids and solids using cornstarch and water. Should be fun! I hope to have photos.

Here's a good physics experiments web site http://littleshop.physics.colostate.edu/onlineexperiments/

First Grade Thoughts

I've had the first graders for two weeks and two days. My first thought is - they all have teeth missing! It's so funny. Almost every one of the boys and girls have one or more front tooth or another tooth missing. Too much! Too cute!

Second thought. What a smart group of kids.

Third thought. A lot of my lessons are about socialization and routines. They crave it. I need it!

Fourth thought which is the main thought! I love this teaching job and the students. First graders are way cool! They are such cute little people. I can't stop smiling.

More John and Randy Visit Photos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hh96Ex-94s (Dangerous)
Outside of club Danger. Wow what a time. Brother John and his son Randy are very happy! I would have never gone there myself and I haven't been back since. I think they still have a bottle of Johnny Walker Black there with my name on it.
A street party with John and Mei Mei. Randy actually helped a woman across the street start her scooter in the "Typhoon" rain. Mei mei had fun speaking English and playing with us.
Brother John and I having an intense, important discussion on the walk home from Danger. We are obviously both right but of course, since this is my blog and country, I am really right. Good fun.

PS photos of any bar Mei mei have been censored due to the marital status of these two guys.

More Hawaii - 4 Mile

I'm slowly going through my Hawaii photos which is really fun. Here are a few photos of a morning at 4 - Mile with friends Annelise and Bumblebee. We spent some of the time avoiding the sun and avoiding the weed-whackers. After the maintenance people left we had a really, relaxing and easy time catching up. Anneliese was my esteamed professor in the UH teaching certificate program. "Good Fun.!"

Brother John Visits

John and Randy visited for 6 days. The typhoon had a big affect on their visit. Mostly because of rain, rain and rain. Also the trains were closed for a day.
John bought hand-painted fans from the artist in Lugang, Changhua County. His son Randy is on the left.
Karaoke at Club Danger near my house in Taichung. It cost $3000 for about 3 hours there = $90 US.

The Farm - Big Island Hawaii

The Wave! Leaving Ric and Mary's farm and the Big Island and headed back to Oahu and Taiwan. Very sad. When I lived there almost every time I or anyone left the farm they would wave. A fine tradition!Friends Mary and Ric - I'm in the middle.
Friends Ric and Mary - I'm still the one in the middle.

Rosie the cow. Still hanging in there - about 30 years old.
Sunrise on Ric and Mary's farm. Nice, nice and more nice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaFgU0C2Rtw Bon Jovi doing live and almost acoustic "Here Comes the Sun," in memory of George.