May 26, 2009
This morning I got up early and went outside to do a little bit of exercise. It was nice and it felt a lot cooler and drier than yesterday. I didn’t have class today until 10 but at 9 I had a meeting with Professor Monaci, Alessandria from the Dante Alighieri School, and Cinzia Noble who’s my supervisor while I’m here in Italy. I think it was a very productive meeting! We sort of talked about how things have been going with my internship, what my role has been in the classroom and just how we’ve been getting a long in general. I think it was good to be able to talk about it and I really felt like I was getting taken care of. Cinzia had questions about how they could continue sending interns and if it would keep working. Professor Monaci was worried that maybe I’m a bit frustrated because I’m not able to do a whole lot of teaching in class. Here in Italy you have to have an actual teaching degree before you can teach your own class. But on the contrary! I feel like I’m learning a lot and I’m kinda glad that I’m not being thrown into having to deal with the little monsters all by myself. I was asking Professor Monaci about his career and if ever had to an internship or student teaching. He said no. I was really surprised! The idea seemed weird to him and he said that intern teachers aren’t very common. I asked him how he got along in the beginning. He said that he just did and over time you just learn things. Hmm...must be the Italian way! Anyway, another reason that I really like my internship right now is because of the things that the students are studying. In the upper classes the students learn mostly about British classic literature. True, some of them are incredibly boring but they are all famous works of art that people talk about and that I think is good to know. To me, learning this type of literature is very useful and interesting but I can’t see how it could possible interest students at this age. I remember when I was in high school we were required to read certain classical books. I remember the title but that’s about all that I remember about the books. I just didn’t internalize much because I didn’t see the use of it. I imagine most kids feel the same way. The question is how can teachers make classical literature appealing to students and teach the subject in a way that will be memorable to them? This is a question to consider. The last reason that I really really like my internship is because I’ve never been in a classroom situation before where I’m not the student and I’ve never had to deal with little monsters at this age before. Its quite the learning experience!
Anyway, our first period was the 5th class. A student presented a comparison between the poets Yeats and Keats. Then we reviewed a bit about gothic, historical, and Victorian novels.
Our second period was the 2nd G class. The first thing that I wrote in my notes under this period was, “Kill me now.” Mostly we just reviewed grammar exercises on relative pronouns. One of the students made up a test that he missed because of an absence. Professor M. had him do it right then and there. I think it was probably really distracting for him because we were having a grammar discussion. I would have probably had the student either move to the corner of the classroom or take his test out in the hall. Half way through the class period Professor M. walked over to him and caught him cheating. The little monster had all of the essay questions already done and written out on a piece of paper that he was hiding with his test. Professor M. just confiscated his cheat sheet and let him continue with the test. I don’t get why he doesn’t just rip up his test. I’m pretty sure that that’s what most teachers in the states would do but I could be wrong. Either way it didn’t matter much because after his cheat sheet was going he just stared at his test for the rest of the class time and turned it in with all of the essay questions blank. When are these kids going to get it?
The last class was the 2nd A class. This is my favorite out of the two 2nd classes because these kids are at a higher level and because they seem to study more than the other ones. Towards the beginning of class the teacher received an announcement that he was to read in class. It had to do with reminding the students about the dress code. They don’t actually have a dress code but they are suggested as to which types of clothing are inappropriate for school. Apparently really short shorts are a problem…for the boys. Weird huh? Yeah, its pretty gross too. There were also things about the length and necklines of tops for the girls and…etc. It was amusing to watch the reaction of the class because they laughed about it a lot and commented really loud and really fast things…most of which I didn’t understand because these teenagers talk SOOO fast! Anyway, it was really interesting to watch. I might have also had something to do with the fact that it was the last hour of the day. That last hour is always the hardest, even for me!
After school I went over to the Dante Alighieri school and used the internet, updated my blog, and talked to my gorgeous fiancé! Then I took a stroll around the city. I went down some streets that I’ve never been down before. I found a really good ice cream place; its called kopa kabana and the gelato is exquisite! I then I kept walking, got lost a bit but finally found my way back to my bike and made it home safely. I had dinner, watched some Greys Anatomy and now its time to get in bed so I can start all over again tomorrow. Goodnight!
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