Clearing the Air

I think from reading this blog on a regular basis you’d know that I haven’t been particularly impressed with the teaching part of the exchange year that I’ve had.  Again I will be very clear that it is NOT the staff that I’ve been working with NOR is it the students that I teach.  I’ve met some really great, hard working, dedicated teachers.  I’d love to bring many of them back with me to my school in Canada.   As for my class, anyone at home can tell you that I always love my class.  There is something about the little faces that show up in my room day after day eager to learn.  Obviously some students can be more challenging than others but I strongly believe that kids are kids and all need positive attention and support.  However, the school has been under a year of transition with a variety of changes and I’ve just been caught in the middle of it.   I want to be perfectly clear that it is NOT the fault of my exchange partner and I have never and will never blame her for this year.  She had no idea of the type of year that I was walking into.  On a positive note, as I said before the new principal is trying her very best to turn the school around and it isn’t an easy job.  But with the staff she has and her determination I know that things can only get better.   My exchange partner will be returning to a very different school than the one she left behind.