The First Day

Rested. Showered. Dressed. Breakfast. Packed.

I am ready.

Today, August 11, 2008, was my first day of Teaching Practice at St. Thomas of Canterbury College. I would find out if my 4 weeks of classroom study would be put to the test. In addition, if I ran into any problems, my plan gave me the choices of responding, “It’s my first day,” or blame the person that doesn’t speak English.

Even though the College of Education gave us a brief description of what to wear, I decided to wear a black suit with a brand new dress shirt & tie. If that does not convince the St Thomas staff that I am serious about teaching, then I do not know what will. In the cold early morning, I met up with my companion Jamie (in the same program and from Newmarket, Ontario) and we both walked to the college. While our exhaled breaths disappeared into the morning sun, Jamie & I agreed that because it was the first day, we would most likely be observing how classes operated. She was hoping to observe the science classes, her specialty, whereas I didn’t mind seeing the music department.

Even though we arrived 3 minutes late because of a wrong turn, we were still in time for the morning briefing. The teachers were all casually dressed for the day meaning that I had indeed overdressed. Better over than under in my mind. When the briefing was done, myself, Jamie, and two other student teachers were paired off with Year 8 students to follow for the day and to observe the teachers in their classes.

St. Thomas of Canterbury College is a campus of several 1 to 2-story buildings, unlike a Canadian secondary school, which is one massive edifice. There is no boarding at this college. The day starts at 9 and ends at 3. There are six, fifty-minute periods: 4 in the morning, & 2 in the afternoon. A 15-minute Interval, aka Morning Tea, separates periods 2 & 3, and lunch separates periods 4 & 5.

Morning Tea. Wow, just hearing me say that makes me sound so sophistimacated. Um . . . sophisticated.

The dress code for the boys is blue suits with red ties. Exposure to the appearances & accents of the students for the first time made me look around, thinking I had accidentally walked onto the movie set for the next Harry Potter flick.

For the first day, I sat through Spanish, Technology (Shop), English, Social Studies, Religion, and French. Yes, no music but “it’s my first day.” I still have 7 weeks to spend here.

It felt like Grade 8 & 9 all over again. Relief Teachers, a.k.a. Supply Teachers, taught Spanish, Social Studies, and French, meaning simple tasks & games to keep the kids occupied. Of course, the general worldwide student view of a supply teacher was still there: supply teacher means party time! It didn’t go that far but I wondered if it would happen when I stepped up to the teaching plate?

The students were designing a project of their own in Technology, perfecting their acting scripts in English, and watching a movie about the origins of Irish Christianity in religion class. In all classes, I sat at the back and took notes on how the lessons were taught and how order was maintained to the best of the teacher’s abilities. I still find it amazing that when put into the observer’s seat, it’s really easy to categorize the students’ personalities & attitudes.

In one of the courtyards there sits an old wooden boat near a tree. I asked one of the teachers why there was a boat? They replied it was put there so that newcomers would ask why a boat had been placed there.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the final bell sounded. Even though I expected the worst, the day went by smoothly and I emerged unscathed. I will feel comfortable in my new environment once I make it past the first week. The first week is always the hardest. It would help if the secondary students were as disciplined as the cadets I taught in Canada, but, knowing from personal experiences at that age, that is never the case. I’ll just have to adapt and overcome.

Bring on day 2 and beyond.