We've been teaching our hearts out this week and trying to fit in at our new school. So after a few grueling mornings of getting up at 5 and observing classes, having meetings, speaking with students and teaching mini-lessons in English or history, we were faltering a bit. Getting exhausted and just in general starting to fade. Then our host teacher Silvia looked at our tired faces and told us, let's go on a coffee break at the corner store and we all perked up! It's the best idea ever! So now it's become our favorite thing to do each day. At 10:10 the teachers leave the school and walk to the neighborhood baker where we get cafe con crema and different sweets right out of the oven. It's a lovely daily ritual, it perks you up for the rest of the day and it's a time to just talk and laugh with the other teachers. I definitely notice that there is more community here at this school than I see at many schools in the US. In the US it's rare to have time to have a coffee or lunch with colleagues and sometimes schools feel lacking in community to me. Now if I can just find a local bakery and coffee shop near enough my school...
Trish
7/24/2014 03:17:53 am
That little pastry looks yummy! What is that?? Can you bring one (or three) home for me?
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Trish
7/24/2014 03:19:41 am
I love this idea! I wonder if we could make something similar happen at our school...
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You all have been working so hard - especially with such early mornings. My goodness! We have had a similar experience with teachers watching us fade due to the intense heat. We have been rescued with bottles of water, strategic moves to a space with air conditioning or in front of a fan, and an icy lime treat in the middle of the school day. The generosity and care has been quite moving.
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AuthorDana Van Tilborg is a High School Social Studies/History teacher in Denver, Colorado. Archives
August 2014
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