Third Culture Kids

TCK: a new term I learned coming into an international school.

Third Cultured Kids~ apparently these are kids who live in their separate culture.  They can't relate to their parents' culture, nor the current HK culture, therefore they have a world of their own inside the walls of the school.  This is where they make friends, connect on some similar interests (media, activities, sports, etc.), and develop their own understanding of global society.

The challenge for me was to relate to these kids.

On the first week of school, I went to a teacher who taught at this school for several years already, and asked her, "what advice do you have for a new teacher???"
She recommended, "make relationships with your students".

Looking back, that was one of the greatest advice I received all year.  Sometimes it's quite easy for a new teacher to focus on 'teaching the materials' vs. 'teaching the kids'.

My kiddos are great.  Their problems are different from my previous school in the states, but, they're kids, they still have problems.  Teenagers?  Will always have their social problems.  Little ones?  Will always whine a bit and fight over ''little things'' (but to them it's a BIG deal).  I'm still learning how to connect with them, but I've found ways to connect (ex.: music, gamers, pokemon, and candy).

Coaching a sport, joining a team, or leading a field trip always bring a closer bond with the students too.  Memorizing names became so easy once you get to know them beyond their seating chart.   :D

1st Year of teaching

It's been a year... I'm going to put the whole year's experience in a short pin point list and will go into details on another day. 

Teaching at an international Christian school has challenges of its own. 

1~ everyone, everything, every where is new

2~ classroom management is a daily experiment 

3~ bell schedule/6-day rotational system (will explain later)

4~ following a specific system/curriculum that I'm unfamiliar with (Alberta System)

5~ memorizing 350 names

But then again, this is what every teacher goes through at a new school ;)