Hanan

First week of school’s over. Students don’t seem too bad, some already promising. Office as noisy as ever, as crowded as ever, as filled with food as ever, but with a bonus. This year I have Santa’s little helpers … well … Hanan’s little helpers. Consider the following images of students ‘slaving’ in my office. The images have, of course, been blurred to maintain the identity of my little, or not so little, helpers. (so those of you with big mouths who can identity your colleagues here, ‘eat your eggs’*)

My brother thinks I’m abusing my powers as teacher when I allow students not only to tidy up my office, but also to bring me food on an almost regular basis. Is this really student abuse? Do I need to stop? Or is this the charge paid for opening my office into a diwaniya for those poor lost souls? 🙂 I’d have to admit, I like food, and I like the looks of my new, organized bookself. So I shall continue abusing until legally prosecuted. Observe the tidy-ness:

If you’re wondering what these tiny green-yellow post-its are doing all over the bookshelf, they are left by another student who is forcing everyone to love her by brainwashing them with these ‘I love …’ little notes.

Now on a more serious note. This year my students will be sharing their ideas with a group of students from Riverside High School/Penn State University. This is a group of Honors 12th grade students whose grasp of English is, naturally, much more advanced than my first year university students. But so far the forum discussion does not seem too off-balanced. I’m wandering if the intention aimed at by my friend at Penn State and I will be reached. We are trying to see how the cultural difference presents itself here.

*’eat your eggs’ is a secret code I keep with my students 🙂

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