The first (real) day of school

Today, being Sunday, the school week officially started. Wednesday and Thursday of last week were more like half-days...figuring-this-out days.

Today a good percentage of the students reported to school, with moms in tow, and sometimes the opposite. The girls at Al Taqqadom Primary wear uniforms, something like this:



Daniel’s boys at Thee Ghar Primary wear traditional Emirati national clothing, like this:




Both are freaking adorable.

The very early morning left me to contend with many Arabic-only speaking parents. Many were very polite, just a bit frustrated at not being able to communicate with me. In some cases, I knew more Arabic than they knew English, which is saying a lot. With my class list I was at least able to tell them whether or not their child was on the list for my section, and send them on their way if they were not. It is important to note that the government has been hyping this reform for a while now, with TV, radio, and print specials. They have been telling everyone about the English-Arabic Dual Literacy program. However, it did not occur to many of these parents that native fluency in English usually comes at the expense of Arabic proficiency. I can’t tell you how many times a parent said to me, “Inglese?! No Arabic?!” Yeah, um, duh. That’s why we’re here.

I will have two sets (morning and afternoon) of about 25 6 year-old girls, and Daniel has approximately the same number of 9 year-old boys. About 17 of my morning group showed up, which is not bad for the first week of school here.

Daniel had one crier in 3rd grade today, but he quickly pulled it together. I had two criers- well, two flinging-themselves-on-the-floor-clinging-to-the-door-screaming-for-their-mommy-type tantrums. Luckily another Arabic teacher happened to be in the room talking to a parent at the time, and she was able to lay down the smack just as they attempted escape. I just shut the door and attended to the others, who stared, but did not start to cry too, thankfully.

After the mini-meltdown, those two girls settled down and while they refused to do the coloring activity, they remained quiet and did not bolt for the door again, so I left them alone, which worked well for both of us. It may have had something to do with the chocolate and Dora the Explorer pencil sets that were provided. Bribery in the classroom is both highly effective and encouraged.

I succeeded in taking all 17 to the cafeteria for a snack-type break, where we practiced lining up to make the trip. We made it about 50 feet while still in line formation before I turned back around to see that our “snake” had turned into “The Blob.” I’m confident that we can make it to 100 feet tomorrow. On the way back, a few girls fought over who got to hold my hands, and four succeeded in holding onto some part of me. I will have to institute a daily line-leader of sorts with hand-holding privileges.

So, while most of the girls are sweet (or scared into silence) many stare at me blankly most of the time. Thank goodness I have at least some very remedial Arabic. I can say my name, and ask them theirs, say “please” and “thank you” and exchange various forms of “peace be upon you.” I also know enough random words to produce a crudely drawn nature scene on the board. I gave them the Arabic word and then the English word for camel, mountain, sun, water, cloud, rain, and tree. By the way, I KNOW. Isn’t this supposed to be full immersion?! Eventually. My art skills are not yet at a point where they can tell what the picture is without translation. I drew an abaya on a stick figure, for Pete’s sake.

Tomorrow will be less confusing, and hopefully fewer kids will run away screaming from the sight of us Westerners. I don’t know how much more fun and low-key I can make it. We colored and I gave them candy. Short of putting on a clown suit, this will have to do.

As one of the vice-principals told me at the end of the day, “This week, we have chaotic. You will see. Next week, better, inshallah” (God willing).