I used to teach 23 hours in front of the classroom.
I had 8 classes and 165 pupils.
Only 2 of the classes were legendary amongst staff who taught them ... 7D and 7F.
Last night, in my dreams, I was back in Istanbul teaching BUT first class up was a mix of the most 'challenging' children from 7D and 7F.
After surviving the teaching of them, I realised my timetable book had left the room with them and I had no idea where the staffroom or my other class rooms were.
I was walking through a huge school that seemed more like a city when I woke ... it's been a long day already.
I now want to hear the stories of 7D and 7F. Will you one day reveal the horrors you witnessed?
ReplyDeleteTime to change the blog title to Teacher Wandering Aimlessly
ReplyDeleteHmmmm, I don't know Manictastic ... 7F were legendary in their awfulness and 7D were merely testing.
ReplyDeleteOh lord, I was so lost when I woke up this morning v-grrrl, it was horrible however it's been nose to the grindstone all day and a trip to the integration office.
The boss of integrating at some annoying level is insisting that 'I present myself promptly' again ... and he is so wrong, since that was resolved more than a year ago. It's a 5000euro fine if I don't 'present myself promptly' ... so I did and I have to 'present myself promptly again tomorrow.
How can one be aimless if one receives orders to present themselves promptly?
Di, in a frantic effort to prove that "we are tough on immigration", most Belgian parties have started a mindless battle, showing off who is the 'toughest'.
ReplyDeleteIn these days when Belgium has no new government (100 days after the elections) and being bilingual in Brussels means speaking French and French, it's a disgrace that people like yourself (offering a valuable contribution to this society by becoming independent entrepreneurs)
have to prove anything to
"the integration office".
I'm no racist, but I wonder why all those permanent migrants in Brussels (hardly integrated or understanding/speaking any of Belgium's languages)
don't have to "present themselves" at all.
You know, you should have entered Belgium when Belgian citizenship came free with a box of cereals (for a limited time, it actually did).
Most of these new Belgians don't even have a clue what integration means.
It's a weird country, Belgium...
Sigh, no idea why on the Flemish government introduced this new get tough policy. As you pointed out, it doesn't apply in Brussels.
ReplyDeleteIt's really annoying, I've already been through the whole scenario once and at the time, I offered them a better English translation of the 'please present yourself promptly' letter, as in less offensive.
I see Patrick no longer signs it. I may have accidentally emailed him amd politely asked him if he was aware of what he was signing.
Do you know, he was onto it the next day and in that instance, all was resolved in ways that impressed me.
This time, more than 2 years after arriving here, more than a year after marrying my Belgian and etc ... the threat of a 5000 euro fine for not presenting myself was too much for me to risk but annoyed ... oh yes.
I've experienced Belgian life at many levels and so mostly I feel very lucky except for those very annoying letters.