Differences

This was only my second day teaching and already I can tell that Czech schools are COMPLETELY different from American schools. So here is a list of how they are different.

1. The teacher does not enter the classroom until it is the exact time for the lesson to start. The students come in and unpack their stuff on their own. They get ready for the day then they socialize. When the teacher enters she shuts the door and the students move to their desks and stand. The teacher waits for everyone to get quiet and stand next to their desk then asks them to be seated.
2. The students hold up 2 fingers to request permission to speak. Not sure why it's 2 and it may be different from school to school, but I intend to find out. 
3. The first week of school, at least at my school, the students get out at half day. This allows them and the teachers to get back into the swing of a school schedule. Since the first week is full of paper work and getting books and what not. 
4. After every lesson (45 min) the teacher leaves the classroom and the students have a 10 minute break. They are allowed into the hall or to roam around the classroom. The teacher proceeds to the staff room where they catch up with their fellow teachers and take a break from the students. Someone is in the hall to monitor and the teachers take turns on hall duty. 
5. Once the ten minutes are up the teacher enters the classroom and the whole process starts all over again. 

I love being in a classroom again and I am so glad that I have a school to work at instead of all business or public classes. I am learning the students names and they laugh when I mispronounce them, which is often. How am I supposed to know that the i in Jeník is held out longer than the e? And Zdeník is an old Czech name. But the Z is almost unheard. Sigh I shall get it. I have now learned about 55 students' names and will continue learning more tomorrow. 

This is why I am here. This is what I've been wanting to do. I LOVE IT!