My Work Day

My work day here probably isn't much different than in America. Except our work week here is Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday for the weekend.

Right now I work with only one school. There will eventually be four to five in the study. Hamdy, my faithful driver, usually picks me up about 9 am. But if there is traffic or if someone more important than me (anyone else) needs the car, I am picked up late. No problem. No one else seems to mind so why should I. Just going with the flow here.

The school I work with is called Futures Tech. It is a private school with moderate tuition fees. (I’ll have both public and private schools in the study eventually). Future Tech enrolls children in Kindergarten thru High School and is located in a 3 building complex. I work only with the primary/elementary school age children. I have a small office on the 2nd floor and constantly hear children working and playing. Right now I’m still working out the details of the research design – I am looking at the use of technology in the classroom and how it helps with learning.

I have to admit this is the most technologically advanced school I have ever seen in my life – in ANY country. It has by far more technology than any of the Boston Public Schools I have spent so much time in over the past few years. All the kids at Future Tech have their own laptops, all the classrooms all have “Smart Boards” – computer linked white boards that act as an LCD and a chalk board (but can save or erase work with the click of a button); there are so many computers everywhere – lab, library, hallway - and they have a “Robolab”; and the children all have Memory Sticks around their necks like latch-key kids!!!

But I’m getting carried away; I have to save something for month 8 and the final report. However, I really am curious if the schools of say Newton-Wellesley have this much technology per child. It’s staggering.

I observe some classes when I can and some of the students are learning my name. “Hello, Miss Julie. Giggle, giggle, giggle.” I am trying to learn their names, but there are so many faces, it’ll take me awhile. Everyone is so warm, welcoming, friendly and helpful. It’s really a nice place to work.

I’m pretty busy now trying to finalize a plan that may or may not work with the other 3 schools. But it’s off to a good start. And it’s nice to work out all the kinks in the plan at a familiar location. I worked with the Kindergarteners at Future Tech last year. And it’s fun to see some of their faces in the 1st grade this year. Although the ones I remember the most were the ones who were traumatized by the English vocabulary testing (PPVTs) I did with them last year. For their sake and mine, I have no plans to repeat anything like that in this study.

At the end of the school day, about 3 pm, I check in with Hamdy. If he is available, he takes me home. If not I take a taxi (see previous post about taxi riding). Or I visit with my friend Shiamaa, the Admin, until Hamdy is free. I usually get home by 4 or 5. And then set off for an adventure in dining.