Reporting to School

Over the last couple of days all of us teachers have been going through the process of finding and settling into our assigned schools. 

The first step was to report to the ADEC, located downtown, on Sunday for our super official document that we would receive from them then take to our principals to show that we are assigned to their school (and by the way I did say Sunday; the work week here is Sunday through Thursday, so our Thursday is your Friday).  Apparently the most efficient way to do this is to just tell all 1000+ LT's that they need to be there that day.  No time, no specifics, just show.  Naturally the majority showed up early in the morning between 8-10, where we found that their method of taking LT's was pulling a ticket and sitting down in the lobby and waiting for your ticket to be called.  Mike, fellow LT that will be working at the same school as me, and I got there about 10.  The lobby was, as you would expect, packed to the hilt, lots of conversations, perceived chaos, etc.  We pulled our ticket which read 029 and 030.  I look on the big digital board and the current number is 135.  Apparently it seemed that we had to wait until the numbers rolled over again and started back at 1, then up to 29 and 30.  Luckily someone told me that it rolls back over at 600.  We wait.  A couple of hours later we are only at 300 and an hour after that 400.  Anyway, some nice lady that didn't need her ticket anymore for whatever reason gave us hers.  Number 419!  So we are able to be seen (We talk the lady at the desk into seeing both of us on one ticket).  We get our paper work and are pretty much set to go to our schools.  We had heard that we are supposed to go right after we get our paper, but it was early afternoon and we had also heard that the school is only open until noon today anyway, of which it was already past (notice I reference most things as "I heard that..."  95% percent of any information we get about what's going on actually comes from other LT's /unconfirmed rumors.  It sounds ridiculous and I would normally stay away from any of this, but it is literally the only info you get. Let's just say ADEC isn't going to win any awards for communicating with its people. I am forced to stay in the loop, now.  The rumor mill has about a 70% accuracy rate, though, which isn't too bad.)

The next day we set out at 6:45am to the Abdul Qadar al Jazeira School, Cycle 3, which means grades 10-12.  The taxi ride was a mini adventure because though our taxi driver knew the area, Al Shahama, he did not know of the school.  So when we do reach Al Shahama we search around for about 30 minutes looking for this school.  We went up to two Cycle 1 schools, elementary, thinking that it was where we needed be but only to be disappointed when we would see the sign in front of the school.  We ask a couple of people and we finally find our way. 

The school building was satisfactory, large and unassuming structure, with light yellow/tan exterior.  Not sure what I expected but it had a similar architectural style as most other homes and buildings in the surrounding neighborhood and all over Abu Dhabi.  We walk up and are immediately met by an Australian or New Zealand guy (its hard to tell the difference between these two accents, and actually the British accent can be included in this group as well).  He greets us with smiles and handshakes, talks with us a bit and leads us into what I can only guess was the principal's secretary office. The secretary, a guy from Egypt he mentions later, takes our super official document and goes to typing on the computer silently for about 10 minutes (I am keep saying that about the the paper because the document we received from downtown had about 20 words on it, consisting of my name, the name of my school, the phone number to the school, and my "level" which someone told me just meant what level of kids I will be teaching, i.e. cycle 3.  That was it, nothing more).  We were later led up to the library, a very small and limited library as far as resources go I might add, where we met the other "newbie" teachers in our same boat.  There were 5 of us total, two Justins, two Mikes, and me, Ray.  Then we met Rich.
I have to give Rich credit, because before he started talking to us, he did say that he has a unique perspective, so I guess was warned.  But Rich walked into the room shortly after I had just met my newbie colleagues.  Rich has been in Abu Dhabi for a few years, two at another school, and one at this one.  I could tell he was one of those quirky unique teachers; he was an older white guy, with a less formal British or Australian accent, kind of had a messy or wild look about him overall.  Naturally we want to hear all about him and his experience.  He starts by telling us his background as a hostage negotiator, weapons instructor, with a specialty in swords.  Then Rich proceeds to talk about the job in terms of combat.  In my head I am thinking this is not a good sign.  I actually felt like I was at a brief at HQ back with the Marines.  Here are a few gems from Rich's conversation: 

"We have to stick together"
"You gotta let them know, you mess with one of us you mess with all of us..."
"This is our turf....."
"You let them know that you are a man and they are men and we have to do what we have to do..."
"Don't back down..."
"This lounge area is our safe zone guys..."
"The kids respect that this is our turf..."
"This is a tribal environment....."

After listening to Rich for about fifteen minutes or so you pretty much had to make a decision.  Either you could take everything he says to heart and quite literally enter you classroom like the kids are the enemy, the "many will enter, but only one will leave" type of mentality.  Or you could take what Rich says with a grain of salt and understand that Rich does have a unique perspective of things that might not translate well into your own teaching style (If I came in like Ray Rambo, the kids would see through it, because that is not my style.  Though I can be strict and firm, I never try to be hardcore). Anyway, the latter began to emerge as the consensus because other teachers, more normal, came in and spoke with us and gave more conventional, but good, advice on teaching at the school.  We also met our Provider, Martyn.  From what I understand, the provider is kind of our boss, but he also is there to assist us in what we need to accomplish our goals as teachers.  His company was hired by ADEC to help implement the new school plans and reforms across the Emirate.  Martyn was a nice enough guy; a round white man in a nice suit with a New Zealand accent, he told us later.  He kind of gave us the run down, very professionally of course.  In laymen's terms he basically said that we will have more things to teach than we will have time to teach it.  The vocabulary alone consists of over 2000 words, and keep in mind these are not native English speakers.  There is a reading program that will needed to be implemented, along with basic speech.  He also informed us that we will probably only have limited opportunities to make this happen as there are several interruptions such as there might be a huge birthday party in the gym, or shopping day, or grenade training (yes, both of those days were specifically mentioned by Martyn and they are exactly what they sound like.  I, however, can not explain why just yet, gimme a few days). And then there is just the whole attendance issue, which I had heard about previously anyway.  Martyn mentioned that on days that I give an assessment I may have only a third of the class come that day, and I will have to give the test gradually over the week and some of next as kids trickle in.  He says it may take around 8 school days to complete any given test. 

Martyn definitely put it into perspective.  Most of the kids at the school are just intent on getting through school so they can work as military or the police.  Its hard to blame them.  Once they graduate they are given a house and/or land, a lump sum of money (can't remember how much its substantial), free health care, and a government job.  At that point all their needs are taken care of and they are set to take care of their wives and families once that comes along.  Not a bad gig really.  So they aren't exactly trying to bust there butts to be overachievers in the classroom. They do I have heard really want good marks, but ironically won't put in the necessary work unless you find a way to motivate them.  I suppose this is with all students really, but more so here.

It also seems that we have nowhere to go but up.  There is a test that the Seniors take that is important for those few that are going to University.  It is a test to assess if the student will need to take English classes in college or not.  Lately the government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the four or five classes that the student has to take at the university if they don't pass this assessment out of high school.  Last year, Martyn told us, around 300 students took the test...3 passed.  That's where we come in.  Though it is something that the school is trying to improve, it does not seem detrimental because of the intentions of most of the students that I just explained. 

The last thing I will mentioned is that it is highly frowned upon for me to fail a student.  Even if I did give him an" F", it will be reviewed by some board and more than likely adjusted. Martyn basically said he hasn't seen anyone fail yet.  Even if they don't do a single thing. He mentioned plagiarism as blatant as printing off an article from a new journal, scratching out the author's name and writing his name above it. You may fail him, but it will be reviewed and he as not seen an F stick yet. 

With that said, I will do my job to the best of my abilities.  I am not going to be the morality police as far as grading and demand fairness and all that.  I will trying to teach them something in between the breaks, absences, and make shift holidays.  I teach, I go home and enjoy Abu Dhabi.  That's how it works, and I am fine with that.