A Long Day ...

Greetings,

Just thought I might give a synopsis of a typical day at KAUST. Today I got up about 5:40 a.m. (If inspired enough and not injured from following Hayden over ski jumps, I get up earlier and join a small running group of teachers once or twice a week.) I showered and dressed and headed downstairs for coffee and BBC news. Around 6:40, David woke up Hayden and Logan, got Logan dressed and ready, and the boys came downstairs for breakfast. Warmed by a sweatshirt for Logan and David's neon bike jacket for me, we headed off on the motorbike for Logan's classroom where we always read a book together before we start our separate days. Hugs and kisses first.

I teach first my advisory students who are currently mired in trying to figure out how to do a skit which shows risk-taking. They actually risk-take daily but can't really figure out how to present this. Next, I am off to the conference room for an 80 minute training on how to use the online library resources. Our library is phenomenal, which is wonderful for students and teachers alike. Next I teach my first 85 minute block - Grade 7 English. We are reading a novel about Afghanistan, having lots of discussions, practicing combining sentences without making run-ons, and studying children's picture books. The students are soon to start writing and illustrating their own picture books which we will eventually read to the preschool and kindergarten students. A quick lunch follows and then another 85 minute class - Grade 6 English. We are reading a novel about Egypt, which connects to their humanities class on Ancient Egypt, and they are writing ABC books about themselves which are due next week. They have had lots of time to write, revise, and edit with each other, but I am not sure how well the peer revising and editing has gone. Needs a lot more work, I suspect. After a quick break, I am off to teach Grade 7 girls' P.E. We go to the Harbor Rec Center across the street where they chat, run on treadmills, chat, ride stationary bikes, chat, do some stretching and strengthening with me, and chat some more. After we walked back today, I was responsible for monitoring after school detention for students who continually come late to school or class or who have other issues with homework or behavior. The students in detention have to sit in a very cold lunchroom without their laptops and without talking to anyone. They can read and do homework. I much prefer working after school in the learning center where we engage with students who choose to come for homework help or are told to come for homework help. Much more engaging.

End of school, I head back to the Rec Center to pick up Logan who has been playing there with his after school play group. We head home to meet Hayden who went for a bike ride after school and just finished his homework. Logan and I spend five minutes working on his beginning reading. Hayden checks his email. I start dinner - our favorite Hanoi Pasta (known by the name my friends and I called it when we lived in Hanoi and based on the ingredients we could get there). We sit to eat and watch Hayden have fifths! I clean up and David heads back to school for an evening parent meeting about report cards. The boys bathe and have stories or read and get to bed by 8 p.m.

Busy day. Sometimes it's hard to know if my students are really learning. Some days are so long, like this one, and some days are more reasonable. We have the BEST principal I have ever ever worked for. Really. And that helps so very much. She is wonderful - and from Seattle as well.

Finally, off to relax and get ready for bed. Tomorrow is Wednesday, our last day of the week, and David heads to Dubai for an Ultimate frisbee tournament for the weekend. The boys and I will relax and play. Maybe David will find those elusive vacuum bags ...

Thanks for reading.

Jennifer