School Classrooms

I was fortunate when I first arrived I only had 10 Students and one classroom to attend on the campus that I live on. The classroom is very basic with a blackboard, chalk and a wet cloth to clean it with.

The desks are timber and appear to be very uncomfortable. There are no curtains so viewing anything would be difficult. Not that it mattered because I don't have any equipment to use anyway.

This lasted for 2 weeks because these students then went to Singapore on a scholarship.

I was still fortunate though as my next class I had 12 students and one classroom to attend on the campus that I live on. This classroom was in a different building and on the fourth floor. I was excited to learn it was called the interactive learning centre (ILC).

My students were Chinese Teachers who were going to Brazil. The Electric Power Company is opening a power plant in Brazil and these teachers need to go there to teach the Brazilians how to use the plant. I was teaching them how to read English.

The ILC was very impressive. It was set up by Chisholm Institute. It had computers down both sides of the room, a ceiling drop screen, data projector and a host of technology. I was very excited believing I could use the computers in the classroom for activities. I soon found out that they weren't linked to the internet. The only resource I was able to use was the laptop and projector for watching English movies.

In May all my good fortune came to an abrupt end. Two of the teachers had decided to break their contract and go back home. I inherited one of the teachers classes. This meant that instead of my luxurious life of 1 class, 1 classroom on the campus in which I lived and a max of 12 students I now had 5 classes, 5 different classrooms on the new campus and an average of 55 students per class.

The new campus is a 25 minute bus ride. The school provides the bus and also pays for you to take the bus. The facilities at the new campus are much superior. The classroom has a blackboard, chalk and duster, TV, DVD and CD player. Still no curtains. However we have watched movies and it doesn't pose that much of an impact.

My classrooms are all in the same building and all on the fourth floor. I sometimes wish that they had installed lifts. But hey the exercise is good for you!