At the other end, Esquel

Initial Investigations DAY 1, 4 April 2011 Today I went back to my dear secondary school in Esquel. The students thought I’d be teaching again, but but but, that won’t happen for the time being. I met one of my fellow teachers, explained to her in a rush what we’ll be doing this month and had a good time talking about the consent forms and all the ethical issues of the AR, she didn’t seem to care. She seemed willing and discussed about the importance of being honest, and writing about everything that happens around the cycle as planned. It was funny because when we agreed about the lessons I’d observe, she said sthg like she would prepare a lesson for me to observe, as if the lesson would be addressed to me, so I had to explain that she could plan and deliver the lesson the way she usually does, that her lesson shouldn´t be to me. Maybe it´s because of this idea of believing that I’ll also judge their performance. She´ll let me know when she plans a content-based lesson for me to observe based on Messages 2, OUP. Then I met the other teacher, the one who’s taken over after my other participant resigned. Well, again, she thought I’d be judging her so she began telling me about her approach and strategies and what have you and the lesson she would plan to display to me. Hold on a minute… Anyway, because I’ll be taking her course to teach myself, it’s gonna be two lessons this month, she relaxed a bit. She offered to observe me and she asked me whether we could meet some time this week so that we talk more about this stage of the AR. I feel really anxious now. I’m really looking forward to teaching again. I’ve got two lessons to plan, one for next Mon and the other in two weeks’ time. Such fun!! Is this reflective writing and keeping a diary? Well, it is to me J Now, I’ve got another challenge, to arrange a time for us three teachers to meet for my first focus group interview. I hope we can do it this week, let´s see how that goes. I’ll try to shut up.