We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning and snow is still coming down (sideways). More is expected tomorrow. I like looking at it more than I like walking in it as there are so many hills and the streets turn to sheets of ice. I need suction cups for my shoes. I had to sit on my butt to get down a hill today in order to catch my bus. Not fun. It was more than a bit stressful getting home but now that I’m in my toasty warm living room, I’m fine again. Tomorrow I’m wearing my snow boots to school and that will solve the problem (I hope).
The Good Teacher Inga was sick today so we had the Friday (multi-lingual) teacher. She’s great and I’m so glad we get different teachers in our class as we learn better that way. Today the teacher asked for two student volunteers to go to a meeting. I wasn’t quite sure what I was volunteering for, but I said I’d go nonetheless. Turns out it was an interview by government auditors hired by the Aalesund Kommune to give them a report on how things are going in the schools that cater to immigrants. Word is, Aalesund has some of the finest schools in Norway, so maybe this is how they get that reputation – they are constantly working to improve their systems.
There were about a dozen students and two government auditors in this meeting. These auditors also spoke with the teachers from all the schools so they hear both sides of the story and then write up a report for the Kommune. They asked pointed questions and we all had to answer. Some of the students were from the school for the blind, some from a college, others from a higher level of Norwegian classes, and then two of us beginners. I tried to understand what they were asking but on several occasions I needed clarification in English so I was sure I could answer correctly. They wanted to know things like, did we have enough computers in our classroom, were we allowed enough time to use them, does the teacher start the class on time, do students show up on time, how do we get to school, is the classroom adequate, are we given a weekly plan so we know what is going to be taught each day, are we told WHY we are being taught what we are taught, does the teacher use other types of learning tools – not just teaching straight from the book, stuff like that. Then they asked us what our feelings were about the class and any problems we had. Most everyone said that other students talking between themselves while the teacher is talking was the worst thing. I threw in my two cents about that guy in our class who always shows up late and never does the homework or participates in the class. It felt good to vent. That guy only comes because the classes are obligatory but he’s such a disruption it would be better to not have him there as he isn’t learning a thing and he is so disrespectful of the whole process. Too bad nothing can be done about that. So the real problems end up NOT getting fixed, but I’m sure our input will help someone somewhere – assuming the government here is more efficient than in America anyway.
Kaleb couldn’t wait to tell me about his day at school and The Morten Report. He only had three subjects today and he was gloating. He made me keep guessing over and over what those three subjects could have been, but I never could have guessed. He had two hours of reading (pure heaven for him), two hours of forming (learning to sew – which he loves) and then they watched the Norwegian version of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. He was just downright giddy. He’s read that book many times, and seen the movie in English once, so he knew the story line well and could track perfectly with what was being said. So except for The Morten Report, he thought his day was incredible.
The Morten Report today was a bit disturbing for me – as Morten had a pair of scissors during the forming class and he opened them up and pushed them up to Kaleb’s throat. Kaleb didn’t report him to the teacher, but I sent an e-mail to Morten’s mom as that was a bit much. Kaleb will tell his teacher tomorrow about it and hopefully they can keep the two of them away from each other when potential weapons are at hand. One of Kaleb’s after school leaders told me that many kids are starting to NOT like Morten just because of how he treats Kaleb. I guess a lot of kids admire Kaleb and they feel he’s being singled out and mistreated too much. So that was nice to hear, and it will be an incredible witness of the love of Jesus if Kaleb and Morten actually do become good friends because Kaleb has every reason in the world to NOT want that, but he holds no ill feelings against him. We pray for Morten and we trust that God will use this relationship “for good.”
And as for Kory – he stayed home today and didn’t do a darn thing.
The Good Teacher Inga was sick today so we had the Friday (multi-lingual) teacher. She’s great and I’m so glad we get different teachers in our class as we learn better that way. Today the teacher asked for two student volunteers to go to a meeting. I wasn’t quite sure what I was volunteering for, but I said I’d go nonetheless. Turns out it was an interview by government auditors hired by the Aalesund Kommune to give them a report on how things are going in the schools that cater to immigrants. Word is, Aalesund has some of the finest schools in Norway, so maybe this is how they get that reputation – they are constantly working to improve their systems.
There were about a dozen students and two government auditors in this meeting. These auditors also spoke with the teachers from all the schools so they hear both sides of the story and then write up a report for the Kommune. They asked pointed questions and we all had to answer. Some of the students were from the school for the blind, some from a college, others from a higher level of Norwegian classes, and then two of us beginners. I tried to understand what they were asking but on several occasions I needed clarification in English so I was sure I could answer correctly. They wanted to know things like, did we have enough computers in our classroom, were we allowed enough time to use them, does the teacher start the class on time, do students show up on time, how do we get to school, is the classroom adequate, are we given a weekly plan so we know what is going to be taught each day, are we told WHY we are being taught what we are taught, does the teacher use other types of learning tools – not just teaching straight from the book, stuff like that. Then they asked us what our feelings were about the class and any problems we had. Most everyone said that other students talking between themselves while the teacher is talking was the worst thing. I threw in my two cents about that guy in our class who always shows up late and never does the homework or participates in the class. It felt good to vent. That guy only comes because the classes are obligatory but he’s such a disruption it would be better to not have him there as he isn’t learning a thing and he is so disrespectful of the whole process. Too bad nothing can be done about that. So the real problems end up NOT getting fixed, but I’m sure our input will help someone somewhere – assuming the government here is more efficient than in America anyway.
Kaleb couldn’t wait to tell me about his day at school and The Morten Report. He only had three subjects today and he was gloating. He made me keep guessing over and over what those three subjects could have been, but I never could have guessed. He had two hours of reading (pure heaven for him), two hours of forming (learning to sew – which he loves) and then they watched the Norwegian version of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. He was just downright giddy. He’s read that book many times, and seen the movie in English once, so he knew the story line well and could track perfectly with what was being said. So except for The Morten Report, he thought his day was incredible.
The Morten Report today was a bit disturbing for me – as Morten had a pair of scissors during the forming class and he opened them up and pushed them up to Kaleb’s throat. Kaleb didn’t report him to the teacher, but I sent an e-mail to Morten’s mom as that was a bit much. Kaleb will tell his teacher tomorrow about it and hopefully they can keep the two of them away from each other when potential weapons are at hand. One of Kaleb’s after school leaders told me that many kids are starting to NOT like Morten just because of how he treats Kaleb. I guess a lot of kids admire Kaleb and they feel he’s being singled out and mistreated too much. So that was nice to hear, and it will be an incredible witness of the love of Jesus if Kaleb and Morten actually do become good friends because Kaleb has every reason in the world to NOT want that, but he holds no ill feelings against him. We pray for Morten and we trust that God will use this relationship “for good.”
And as for Kory – he stayed home today and didn’t do a darn thing.
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