I have a trip planned for Friday...

The students lose interest quickly, so I've been catering to their wants. I allowed them to choose the film we watch as a class. I let them play simple games and practice the lyrics of a song. Talking about themselves was the most successful in terms of participation; however, this is often difficult because they do not have the vocabulary.

The students are making some progress...

They are comprehending more and responding accurately. Although I believed my previous strategy was efficient--viewing power points of vocabulary with associated pictures, videos, etc.-- the teachers say they would like the students to speak more. This is really challenging considering every time I ask students basic questions like, "What did you have for breakfast?" they are at a lost. My new plan is to use more dialogue in the book, then have the students have their own discussion related to the topic.

The first day...

I was told that the teachers' greatest concerns are getting them comfortable enough to speak and understand English. Although, the students are about 15 they are at a beginner's level. Immediately I was worried and only hopeful that I could help. For the first week I made lesson according to what I felt the students should know like some basic vocabulary. I learned that mornings are great for teaching new material. After lunch, they are a bit weary, we listen to songs and try to learn the lyrics. In general, the students are well behaved and we have a good connection.

First Week in Korfez, Usak

When I found out that I was going to Usak, I was not surprised because I was going alone but I was sad to know that no one from the program will be in Usak. However,the family I am living with now gave me the opportunity to finally feel like I belong somewhere. I met my new friend and abla, Oznur. My students are well mannered and always trying their best to succeed in the class. What I love the most about this program is that I can give my students real life experiences via making daily trips to various historical and entraining places in Usak. I honestly could not have asked for a better placement.

Kiz, Toz, Horoz (Denizli)

I am enjoying myself. This city is beautiful and most people don't seem to recognize it. Whatever street you're on, you have a crazy awesome view of some mountain towering over the city. There are parks everywhere taking advantage of said fact. Also, the short time I've been here, I can't shake the feeling that the soul of this place is very much alive with the spirit of Damascus and Syria more generally. If you were to wipe out all the signs and billboards and maybe spruce up a few of the male specimens, it would be like being back in the homeland. The constant bustle and ubiquitous use of the common greeting "hos geldiniz" are reminders that though Turkey straddles the boundary between East and West, it retains the eastern hospitality that demands your affection; you have no choice but to love this place.


A week and a day into teaching, I realize how blessed I am with the batch of students I was assigned; 8 middle school age girls that are driven, intelligent, and sweet as honey. I can't say the same of the boys in the same school, but they are admirable (and adorable) in their own right. Our school sponsors activities three times a week and the other two days in the afternoon, we have off (in addition to Saturdays and Sundays). Thus far, we have had a picnic in the park, gone bowling, been paintballing, and visited a local private girls high school where two other FEBA teachers have been assigned. I had no idea there were other girls in this city aside from me and one other person until we made the trip to the girl's high school. You think you know a place...
I am staying with a host "mom" (mom in quotes because she is single and has no babies). She is a teacher at the same school where I teach. It has taken a week, but I think we have managed to find our comfort zones and have successfully moved past the pleasantries phase of our coexistence. She teaches me Turkish, usually at my annoying prodding, and I help her practice her English. Cultural exchange for the win.
More to come, insha'Allah.

First Week

Given that most of my teaching experience has been derived from tutoring and the fact that I have never taught a group of children in a classroom setting, going into class on that first day of teaching was daunting. Adding to my inexperience in the classroom was the obvious language barrier.  I knew and still know only a few Turkish words.  Furthermore, the wifi signal in my class was not strong enough to allow me to utilize Google Translate.  Thankfully, my students had a rudimentary knowledge of English, and for the most part, could understand basic English if I spoke loudly and clearly enough (or if I wrote words on the board). My first challenge involved engaging them and capturing their attention—a very trying task given their hyperactivity.  They kept chattering away in Turkish, so I decided to incentivize talking in English and behaving by instituting a strike system for the habits that define them as children but unfortunately disrupt the class and the learning process—getting up from their seats, throwing projectiles, calling out answers, etc.  The group with the least strikes would be treated to ice cream every Friday.  Though the incentivization did not completely iron out the issues that were initially present—after all, they are children—it did help me calm them when I needed to.  In fact, some students began to call out others in their group for their behavior.

Overall, the children are absolutely lovely to be around. They are extremely respectful and polite despite their hyperactive natures.  On Friday, instead of treating only one group to ice cream, I bought the whole class ice cream.  Many of them thanked me individually and I could see in their eyes that they really meant it.  I look forward to the two weeks of teaching that remain.  

Day 1

Today was the first day of work. It was very convenient for us because our classrooms are down the hallway for us. At first it was a little nerve-racking because the teachers kept saying that the students will only come back if they like you, so we had to make a lasting impression on the first day. When we entered the class it felt very comforting after we gave our first smiles to the kids as a reassurance that we are here for them and so that they can learn. It was only after we played our first game, the human knot that the kids felt more inclined to stay because they saw that this course would not be a typical summer class. As the day went on, we did not focus a lot on the english portion today because it was more of an icebreaker day. I must say it was a great success. The kids learned many things from our games of charades, and back writing. They really enjoy these simple games that help them learn.

What caught me off guard was that our 5th and 6th graders looked through the workbook and said that all of the stuff was very simple. Right now, Ahmed Krgo, my partner, and myself are trying to figure out a way to make this simple book more challenging for the kids.