For the first three days of school, I did not have a set schedule and was put in any English class that did not have a teacher that day. Sometimes I had the same kids and sometimes not. They were all different levels and ages, and it simply was not something I could plan for because I did not know who or what I would be teaching until I was there standing in front of them.
Then, I began to see that this Sabai Sabai approach is really what made sense for this school environment. Of course I wanted to plan my class and feel prepared. Of course I wanted to have specific activities in mind. But this detailed planning also led me to feel anxious and overwhelmed. For the first day of school, I had a list of activities that I was going to do in order to introduce myself and to get to know my students. But about five minutes in, that completely changed. I said my name and that I was from the U.S. I asked them what places they knew in the U.S.. It was quickly clear that they did not know any places in the U.S. and had never been taught what the U.S. even looked like. With no technology and no map, I drew my best impression of the United States. My students copied me and asked what color the U.S. flag was. I ended up drawing an American flag too, and we had conversations about colors and locations. A completely unplanned lesson unfolded in front of me. Embracing this perspective on planning, I have been able to have so much more fun with my students, and have been so impressed by their learning. I have always stressed about my teaching, wondering if what I was doing was fun and engaging. But after these first few days of school, I left feeling so encouraged and confident in myself.
