English Department -End of the Year Breakfast

This past weekend we had our annual end of the year breakfast to say goodbye to teachers who are leaving AIS and to celebrate JUNE! I thought I would be getting more and more emotional about leaving Kuwait but it hasn't really happened yet. Either it hasn't sunken in yet or I am really just that ready to move on. We shall see in the next two weeks how I will be doing. Happy June everyone!

Going home in Two Weeks!

Cape Cod this Summer

Cape Cod is one of my favorite places to go in the summer. Yes, it is crowded and the roads are jammed with traffic, but it doesn't stop me from going there from time to time. It still holds sentimental appeal to me as it is the honeymoon spot of my mother and father when they were married.

The Cape Cod National Seashore is rated as one of the top beaches in the States and no wonder. The gentle sand dunes, classic lighthouses and sharp blue water make it a one-of-a kind beach. There is a quaintness about the Cape that is hard to beat.

When I stayed at the Cape a couple summers ago, I was able to find a hotel right withing walking distance to the local beach, restaurants and gift shops. As I was walking past an inlet of water by the road, I saw local families out digging for clams. There were even spectators nearby on their lawn chairs watching the action as if they were out at a parade. Just extraordinary.

I enjoy going to the Cape and just unwinding. I get into a routine of peacefulness that rejunvenates my soul: going out for a walk in the morning, having breakfast, going to the beach for the day, reading my books or listening to music-all at my own pace and time schedule. Hopefully, this year I would like to make my way over there again. There is something magical about the Cape and New England in general.

Accelerated Reader Field Trip 2010

You know it is the end of the school year when Tina (our wonderful middle school librarian) and I take the kids on the AR field trip. For those of you not familiar with AR, it is a reading program based in the library where students basically read books and then take a reading test on a computer. Students generate points per book for each test passed. By the end of the year, we take the top 35 students with the most points on the trip.
This year, we took the kids to the Cozmo bowling center in Salmiya. We ate our lunch first in the food court area of the mall and afterwards hit the lanes. The kids had a blast and it was fun to see them enjoy themselves outside of school. We don't go on many field trips here in Kuwait so it was much appreciated. Unfortunately it was my last AR field trip for AIS which was a bit bittersweet. I will miss so many of the students next year. They are a really good group of kids.

2010 AIS Spring Invitational Basketball Tournament

Dave and his JV Varsity Boys' Basketball team won the Spring Invitational Tournament this past weekend. This was a tournament that Dave organized about a month back with five other schools (or clubs) in Kuwait; one of them being Kuwait Basketball League.
Anyway, the tournament went on for two weekends straight and this past Saturday was the championship game. Dave's boys won! Dave also gave out medals for both the 1st and 2nd place winners with a trophy. I don't think the boys ever received medals before as they usually just bring home a banner for the school. It was a wonderful experience for all the boys as they continue to grow and improve in their basketball skills. Mabrook!

Last Day with the Eighth Grade! Hallelujah!

Today was my last day pushing into the 8th grade classrooms. All eighth-graders had to take their end of the year QRI assessment. I administer this test three times a year to all middle-school students to determine their comprehension reading levels in May.
Now I am left wondering; what is it about those eighth-graders? In general, I find that age to be a very challenging one to teach. It seems that even though they are on the cusp of becoming high-schoolers, they still don't have that maturity yet. And, at the same time, they hold grudges, become more belligerent, and are just "too cool" for 99% of what you what to do with them in class. I think I am just missing that sweetness and innocence that they once had back in 6th or 7th grade.
Another part of my "annoyance" (and this isn't even their fault) is there are too many of them crammed into a tiny classroom. When I first came to Kuwait, there were 15 or 16 in a class. That number was very workable and there was extra room in class to isolate troublemakers or do some re-arranging. Also, the classrooms were originally built for that many I believe. Over the years we continue to go up in class sizes and are now pushing 22 or 23 in a room. Normally, that isn't too bad but it is when your classroom cannot support those numbers. So sad. As I was walking around the room today giving out the test, I noticed how students are tripping over desks, their backpacks and their feet just to go to the bathroom.
When you push into a classroom, you feel a bit like a substitute. It does take a while to build relationships with the kids. Luckily, I have known this bunch of 8th graders since 6th grade so I have that going for me. There are even many 8th graders that I adore on an individual basis. But when they are together as a group, 8th grade is just not my favorite grade-sorry to say.

Congratulations Dave!

This past Friday Dave graduated with his Master's Degree from SUNY Buffalo. He was one of 13 in his graduating class that included his friend Fasial. This was the third group of graduates since the program's start in Kuwait about six years ago. Dave's degree is in Curriculum and Special Education. Bravo!